2008 Woodie Awards
Dream Act forum
Viridiana Pacheco-Isacc
Issue date: 3/18/08 Section: News
Cal State San Marcos Sociology professor Dr. Marisol Clark-Ibanez knows a special second grader, and it breaks her heart. This student, she said, studies hard, is smart and will often challenge herself to study harder -- the prototype student that often excels in her educational career. The circumstances, however, are against her.
This second grader is among the millions across the country who are illegally brought to the United States by their parents-often becoming Americanized-only to grow up to fund their opportunities are cut short upon high school graduation.
CSUSM migrant advocate group Esiritu de Nuestro Futuro (Spirit of our Future) held a forum March 13 to bring awareness to SB 160 or the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, a legislature that would grant undocumented students who continue on to college the opportunity to apply for legal U.S. residence. The legislation has been reintroduced into the Senate after numerous attempts to be passed into a bill.
"We are not asking for free money," said CSUSM student and Espiritu member Gricelda Alva. "But for opportunity to be able to work and contribute to the economy. We are raising awareness, trying to get support and social change."
Under the Dream Act, undocumented students will not be eligible for free financial aid, but will have the opportunity to apply for student loans. It caters mostly to the thousands of students in the state that graduate from high school and college but are unemployable for professional jobs due to their immigration status.
During the event Espiritu collected more than 140 signatures on letters of support for Senator Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles), the author of the legislation.
Ibanez, a guest speaker at the forum, said the five main things concerning undocumented students on top of workload for classes include: fear of deportation, an unfriendly campus climate, severe economic hardship, family stress due to immigration problems, and the issue of misinformation.
"There is big divide between dream and reality at the high school level, there is so much potential yet so much waste," she said. "I believe in equity, fairness and the power of education. If you have earned it… then you should have the opportunity to soar and achieve our dreams, and this is what the Dream Act is for."
Alba said CSUSM students who are undocumented do not need to worry about an unfriendly campus environment.
"We are a group to encourage undocumented students," she said. "We want to make them feel like they are not alone, even though they may think they are. Don't let your status define who you are."
This second grader is among the millions across the country who are illegally brought to the United States by their parents-often becoming Americanized-only to grow up to fund their opportunities are cut short upon high school graduation.
CSUSM migrant advocate group Esiritu de Nuestro Futuro (Spirit of our Future) held a forum March 13 to bring awareness to SB 160 or the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, a legislature that would grant undocumented students who continue on to college the opportunity to apply for legal U.S. residence. The legislation has been reintroduced into the Senate after numerous attempts to be passed into a bill.
"We are not asking for free money," said CSUSM student and Espiritu member Gricelda Alva. "But for opportunity to be able to work and contribute to the economy. We are raising awareness, trying to get support and social change."
Under the Dream Act, undocumented students will not be eligible for free financial aid, but will have the opportunity to apply for student loans. It caters mostly to the thousands of students in the state that graduate from high school and college but are unemployable for professional jobs due to their immigration status.
During the event Espiritu collected more than 140 signatures on letters of support for Senator Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles), the author of the legislation.
Ibanez, a guest speaker at the forum, said the five main things concerning undocumented students on top of workload for classes include: fear of deportation, an unfriendly campus climate, severe economic hardship, family stress due to immigration problems, and the issue of misinformation.
"There is big divide between dream and reality at the high school level, there is so much potential yet so much waste," she said. "I believe in equity, fairness and the power of education. If you have earned it… then you should have the opportunity to soar and achieve our dreams, and this is what the Dream Act is for."
Alba said CSUSM students who are undocumented do not need to worry about an unfriendly campus environment.
"We are a group to encourage undocumented students," she said. "We want to make them feel like they are not alone, even though they may think they are. Don't let your status define who you are."
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