WHITTIER – Río Hondo College’s Student Success and Dream Center celebrated its undocumented community during Virtual Undocumented Student Action Week, held from Oct. 18-22, heralding the 20-year anniversary of the landmark State of California civil rights legislation AB 540. The week provided the College’s undocumented community access to information and resources and encouraged them to share their personal journeys.
The celebration included a virtual Art Gallery of stories, poems and paintings; UndocuFamily Night, which provided information on immigration and mental health; UndocuTalks, with topics ranging from identity to social justice; UndocuScholar Panel, where graduate students shared their stories; and an AB 540 virtual conference, hosted by the nonprofit Immigrants Rising.
“There’s always that little rainbow at the end of the tunnel,” said a Río Hondo College student who preferred to remain anonymous. “I try to stay positive and remember I have to enjoy myself. Yes, I’m undocumented, but I’m proud.”
Enacted in 2001, AB 540 guarantees that undocumented students pay the same in-person tuition rate as California residents for community college, Cal State and University of California schools. Prior to the legislation, undocumented students were subject to nonresident tuition fees.
“This week we celebrated a milestone, with educators, students, activists and legislators coming together to continue empowering undocumented students to pursue higher education at California colleges and universities,” Río Hondo College President/Superintendent Teresa Dreyfuss said. “Río Hondo College is unwavering in its commitment to assist and encourage Dreamers, including providing DACA application assistance through our Student Success and Dream Center.”
The highlight of the Student Action Week was a presentation on UndocuFamily Night by the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), a nonprofit civil rights advocacy organization, which provided bilingual information on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA); information on pending congressional legislation; who is and is not qualified to give immigration advice; what an undocumented person’s rights are when approached or detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); what a valid United States District Court warrant looks like; when to present a red card asserting your Fourth Amendment rights; and how to prepare your family legally and financially.
CARECEN services include DACA renewals and initial requests, DACA assistance fee, advance parole, family-based petitions, naturalization, special immigrant juvenile status, U-visas, removal and deportation defense in immigration court, and more. Students who wish to make an appointment with CARECEN can contact the Dream Center. The Dream Center also offers legal workshops to educate students and the community about past and current laws.
Additionally, Río Hondo College Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Glenn Heap discussed the importance of self-care, and detailed ways to detect and combat depression. Heap also shared a page from an undocumented student’s journal filled with optimistic passages, as an example of healthy and loving self-talk.
The virtual art gallery featured poems and paintings created by anonymous Río Hondo College undocumented students. One art piece depicted a red rose painted over a lavender background, with leaves representing services provided by the Dream Center. The text accompanying the painting stated, “I think of myself not just as a dreamer, but as a dream chaser.”
UndocuTalks presented an overview of the undocumented experience, centering on the struggles of undocumented status and starting college, and directing students to the Dream Center for support. The importance of self-care was emphasized, especially when students experience financial stress, fear of deportation, and anxiety about the future. The Dream Center provided wellness tips and techniques such as meditation, grounding, breathing exercises and journaling.
Student Action Week concluded with an UndocuScholars Panel where graduate students shared their experiences, highlighting their educational journey and struggles, what age they were when they found out they were undocumented and how it affected them, their primary challenges in pursuing higher education and what advice they would give to undocumented students.
“I want to challenge students to go beyond a bachelor’s degree, grad school or med school,” Río Hondo College counselor Angel Aguilar Garcia said. “You never know what’s in the future, so go out there and meet your goals. Don’t let anything stop you from pursuing aspirations in life.”
On Oct. 28, Rio Hondo College will celebrate the national I Stand With Immigrants Day of Action, joining forces with 150 colleges and universities to support immigrants in their historic struggle for citizenship.
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3600 Workman Mill Road / Whittier, CA 90601
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RELEASE DATE: October 28, 2021
CONTACT: Ruthie Retana
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