In my sophomore year, I asked the principal for a space to host immigrant youth, but was refused. I knew it was critical to ensure that immigrant youth understand the issues that affect their lives. For months, I advertised the club and recruited more than 30 students to meet weekly and discuss laws in California that both benefit and limit their education.
In the summer of 2015, I participated in the Encampment for Citizenship, where I was challenged to think critically about society. Being in a place with youth who were equally as passionate as I am about achieving social justice allowed me to speak openly about issues in my home community that affected indigenous undocumented farmworker youth. Toward the end of the program, I dug deep inside myself and made some promises.
One promise was to help the Dreamers Club that I had co-founded thrive. Due to the lack of support from the administration, I contacted Congresswoman Julia Brownley. This created visibility within the school and district. Further efforts led to attending statewide events such as “California Dream Network,” “IDEAS” and other conferences geared toward the undocumented. The mission for this group was to be a reflection of the larger campaign of Safe Zones that would be implemented district-wide for undocumented students.
The hate comments made by the president-elect evoked fear from undocumented students across the nation. It was evident that students throughout my school district needed a space where they can be with others who also feared deportation. I presented a resolution to the school board that protected students from ICE, established a student “healing” space and provided a counselor designated to guide undocumented students. The resolution received unanimous support – and passed.
The club served to mobilize, create consciousness and empower youth regardless of citizenship status in the larger social movement for equal access to education, immigration reform, and economic and social justice.—Litzy (15MS and 16MA)