The California-Mexico Studies Center (CMSC)’s 3rd phase of the National Campaign to Restore DACA’s Advance Parole was a great success! Over 40 DACA recipients from across the states joined us in Washington, D.C. from Nov. 9-15, 2019 to advocate for DACA and the restoration of Advance Parole. Participating Dreamers met with Representatives, Senators, and legislators and secured the commitment of at least 60 new signatures for a new congressional letter led by Rep. Lou Correa (CA-46) to be sent to President Donald Trump, DHS Acting Secretary Chad Wolf, and USCIS director Ken Cuccinelli II.
In addition, half of our delegation had the opportunity to enter the DACA Supreme Court hearing and be part of this historical moment. During the rest of our advocacy days, we were able to engage in conversations with legislators about why Advance Parole should be restored and included in future legislation. Overall the success of this experience was measured by the community that was built within our participants and by the new letter that will be led by Rep. Lou Correa.
Testimonials:
" As I listened to Karina speak, I understood what the movement was about it wasn’t only about us DACA but about our families, about the ones that had stayed behind and the ones we had lost along our journey. I’m not going to lie, I broke on our third day, the emotions came out and I couldn't stop the tears and the pain. I was angry at our pain because we hadn't asked for this fight and the struggle, and yet we were here working hard every day for our communities and loved ones."
– Angelica Guzman, DACA recipient
"Feeling the humanity and the brother and sisterhood was the most amazing experience I have lived so far, knowing that the support for us is there was unbelievable, yet our parents are not receiving the same support. I understand that DACA is only a protection for me and that it has excluded the majority of undocumented immigrants in this country. When I speak to parents over the phone while I am here I can hear the excitement in their voices when they tell me, Hechale ganas hija, tu puedes, the admiramos,” I can tell that they are proud I am out here and because of that I know I am in the right place, this is beyond DACA, this is a first step this still means something to them."
– Citlalli Ortiz, DACA recipient
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For Latinos, racist politics are mentally unhealthy
By: Claudia Boyd-Barrett ~ OC Register ~ November 15, 2019
Tomasa Martinez sat with a dozen other somber-faced mothers, trying not to weep.
The women were in a classroom at Alliance College-Ready Middle Academy in East Los Angeles, as part of a weekly class sponsored by the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health.
Today’s topic: “Traumatic stress caused by immigration laws.”
“My little girl, she watches the TV and she says, ‘Mommy, I don’t want to go to school,’” Martinez told other mothers in Spanish.
Martinez started to sob when she described the anxieties gripping her 11-year-old daughter, Emily. As the girl hears story after story about immigrants held in cages and of families separated — and of other kids in her neighborhood who end up alone when their parents are deported — Martinez said her daughter expresses her fear plainly: “I don’t want to come home and you not be here, or for Daddy not to come home from work.”
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A most deserving celebration for a trailblazing and pioneering educator
The Inaugural Lecture to memorialize Dr. Joseph L. White’s life-long contributions to the field of psychology, his pioneering role establishing ethnic studies in the U.S., and as the founder of the CSULB Educational Opportunities Program (EOP) was an amazing success with about 100 of his colleagues, family members, faculty and students in attendance.
As one of his closest disciples, Dr. Michael Connor delivered the Inaugural Lecture to celebrate Dr. White’s legacy and shared his teachings as the “Father of Black Psychology”, how he promoted the need for non-traditional treatment and understanding of ethnic minorities in mental health practices and how EOP has become a model replicated throughout California and the United States, allowing several generations of low-income students of color to graduate from public and private colleges and universities.
Professor Armando Vazquez-Ramos pledged to continue to coordinate the annual lecture and pursue the goals of the Joseph L. White Legacy Project initiated in 2018 with many prominent EOP graduates, and to build upon the collaboration with the other co-sponsors of the event. These included the CSULB Psychology and Chicano & Latino Studies department, EOP and ASI.
A short documentary of the event will be produced by the CMSC and the project’s forthcoming 2020 plans.
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Today we commemorate the passing of President John F. Kennedy and share the following article on his book A Nation of Immigrants that framed his policies and the historic importance of immigrants in the U.S.
By: Jonathan A. Greenblatt ~ The Hill ~ October 17, 2018
Members of Congress and the Administration, faced with a wave of immigration and fears that the immigrants would endanger national security, passed a series of laws establishing entry quotas. Their goal was to severely restrict immigration to the U.S.
To stem the influx of immigrants from Mexico, the government also launched an operation to force their return, fanning agents across Texas and the Southwest to identify undocumented immigrants and send them back across the border.
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WE THANK THE BLESSING OF OUR SPONSORS AND DONORS IN 2019
We sincerely thank all the sponsors and donors that supported our National Campaign to Restore DACA’s Advance Parole throughout 2019 !!!
We appreciate your trust and generous support and wish you and yours a healthy Thanksgiving holiday.
El Profe Armando and the CMSC Team: Lidieth, Luz, Citlalli, Mayra, Miriam and Armando Godinez
However, we still need to raise $10,000 to cover all expenses of the 2019 National Campaign to Restore DACA's Advance Parole.
MAKE YOUR TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION TODAY!
Please donate any amount before December 31, 2019.
Donate on our ActBlue Fundraising Campaign, or donate
––> Read full newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/ac578142ab2f/the-cmscs-dreamers-delegation-returns-from-our-most-successful-advocacy-trip-in-wash-dc
