New Hope

These past few weeks have been tough. I have had to wake up early enough to make it to class at 8am at Berkeley on time from Oakland, rush after my Computer Science class which ends at 3pm to make it to my job on time at 3:30pm, end work at six pm, stay up late to finish homework, and wake up early the next day to start all over again. This has become a very difficult challenge, but I feel that I can overcome it if I remain focused.

There are political actions going on which allow me to be even more hopeful. The California DREAM act has passed, and, although the governor has vetoed the act in the past, I am hopeful that this time he signs it so that undocumented students like me can receive financial aid to attend institutions of higher education.

I am also very hopeful for the federal DREAM act, which would open a path to citizenship to undocumented youth. This version of the DREAM act would give people who have been in America since a very young age a five-year period in which they would be legal residents. If in those five years the person either attends college for two years or serves in the armed forces for two years, he/she would be eligible to apply for full citizenship. If the law were to pass, I would have a clear path for fixing my status here in America. All I would have to do would be to graduate from college and apply for citizenship, which would lighten the amount of stress I am under on now and would also ensure a future for me in America.

Here is a copy of an email sent to me by a student group, RISE:

Dear RISE Members, Friends and Allies,

Undocumented AB-540 students need all the support that you can give at this very important, time sensitive, and crucial point in time. The Federal DREAM Act will be up for a vote next week and we need all of our community members to make calls to Senators across the U.S. urging them to vote YES on the DREAM Act when it is up for a vote in the U.S. Senate. Signing petitions is easy but what we really need now at this particular point in time is for you to make those calls to the Senators so that they can really hear us. There are other actions that you can make.

1. URGENT: Federal DREAM Act Senate Bill 729 up for VOTE NEXT WEEK

1. Senator Reid will introduce a defense authorization bill which will include a repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Policy as well as the Federal DREAM Act, both as amendments. The DREAM Act will provide a pathway towards legalization for undocumented youth brought to the U.S. before the age of 16, have “good moral character. There are 40 Senate Co-Sponsors so we have a lot of support.
2. Call the following Senators

1. Utah Senator Orrin Hatch (R)

1. 801-524-4380
2. 801-375-7881
3. 435-634-1795
4. 888-254-5078

2. Utah Senator Bob Bennett (R)

1. 801-524-5933
2. 801-851-2525
3. 435-628-5514
4. 888-254-5078

3. MESSAGE/SCRIPT: “Hi, my name is _________ and I am calling to urge Senator (Hatch / Bennett ) to support the DREAM Act (S.729). The DREAM Act allows immigrant youth of good moral character to make crucial economic contributions to the United States. Thank you"

2. California DREAM Act

1. Last day the California Governor has to sign or veto the California DREAM Act is at the end of the month. The California DREAM Act would provide institutional financial aid for undocumented AB-540 students within the State, expand the definition of AB-540 to include adult school and vocational school graduates, provide BOG Fee Waivers for AB-540 students at the Community College Level, and provide Cal Grants to incoming Freshman students.
2. Make those CALLS!

3. Sacramento: Phone: 916-445-2841
4. Fresno Office Phone: 559-477-1804
5. Los Angeles Office Phone: 213-897-0322
6. Riverside Office Phone: 951-680-6860
7. San Diego Office Phone: 619-525-4641
8. San Francisco Office Phone: 415-703-2218

3. Sign Petition: http://immigration.change.org/petitions/view/california_dream_act_sb1460_and_the_future_of_ab540_students

3. Congresswoman Jackie Speier

1. The Bay Area DREAM Act has been targeting Congresswoman Jackie Speier to become a Co-Sponsor of the DREAM Act within the House of Representatives Chamber. She represents South San Francisco with a heavy Latino population but still refuses to support the DREAM Act. Make calls urging her to Co-Sponsor the Federal DREAM Act

1. San Mateo Office: (650) 342-0300 / D.C. Office: (202) 225-3531

2. Sign Petition: http://www.change.org/petitions/view/the_san_francisco_bay_area_supports_the_dream_act

4. Campus Progress’s Face the DREAM Campaign

1. Campus Progress is a national nonprofit think tank based out of Washington D.C. and is currently pioneering a DREAM Act Campaign in which supporters of the DREAM Act will write on the Facebook walls of three U.S. Senators demanding that he/she publicly supports the DREAM Act.
2. For further information: http://www2.americanprogress.org/t/1692/signUp.jsp?key=1792

News Articles:

1. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/14/dream-act-to-get-vote-on-_n_716698.html?ref=fb&src=sp#sb=232802,b=facebook
2. http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2010/09/14/reid-dream-act/
3. http://washingtonindependent.com/97398/reid-dream-act-will-be-added-to-defense-authorization-bill