UndocuHealth: a new Hotline for DREAMers

From CNN:

Joaquin Luna was only 18. The senior at Juarez Lincoln High School in Mission, Texas, dreamed of going to college. But since he was in the country illegally, that was nearly impossible. Luna was quickly losing hope of ever going to college, his family says. The Friday after Thanksgiving, Luna put on a suit, kissed his family members, went into the bathroom and shot himself in the head, according to family members. "He didn't see no other way or no other option," his brother Diyra Mendoza told CNN affiliate KGBT.

Senator Dick Durbin gave a moving tribute to Joaquin on the Senate floor.



Sadly, this story continues. I grabbed this from a petition that I signed, on behalf of another DREAMer:

Twenty two year-old Yanelli Hernadez Serrano came to the United States when she was only 13 years old. Since that age, she has largely been independent and has had to work in order to sustain herself. Yanelli is currently facing deportation because she showed a police officer her consulate I.D. card as a form of identification, as she lacked a driver's license. While in detention, Yanelli lost hope and attempted to take her life twice.

After attempting suicide she was placed in solitary confinement, naked but for a blanket, and was given prozac. Despite the efforts of concerned persons, Yanelli was deported to Mexico on January 31.

In Yanelli's honor UndocuHealth.org was launched that very same day. UndocuHealth is a project that will provide undocumented youth with mental health support - whether it be connecting the youth with free resources or providing them with access to someone to talk to. The UndocuHealth Crisis Line will be a toll-free, bi-lingual hotline that anyone can call, at anytime to talk to a live person. The organizers are planning to offer services in languages beyond English and Spanish.

UndocuHealth is seeking donations so that they can train the volunteers who will be answering the telephone calls. I can't remember ever posting a fundraising plea on my blog, but will you consider making a financial contribution to support this program? To stay current follow UndocuHealth on Twitter.

While I'm promoting financial contributions, I was so relieved to hear that fifteen-year old Lidiane Carmo, whose family was killed in a tragic Florida vehicle accident, will not be deported to Brazil or charged by US Immigration authorities. She does, however need financial aid to pay her hospital bills, bring her family members' bodies back home, and to hold a funeral.

Starting Up in America : International Silicon Valley Entrepreneurs & US Immigration

Starting-Up In America is a 30 minute documentary about the issues faced by international Silicon Valley Entrepreneurs with US Immigration.

The full documentary will become available online at 7pm PST tonight, simultaneously with the premiere in San Francisco.

For now, here's the trailer:

I'm sending the coyote to bring you back to me.

Just found this, while catching up on my Rolling Stone issues:

A benefit single for the victims of Arizona's immigration laws, this protest song (about a lover stuck in Mexico) is as pretty as it is angry. -Eric Magnuson

Colbert - Take Our Jobs

This morning Stephen Colbert testified before the US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law. The subject of the hearing was "Protecting America’s Harvest."

But before checking out today's hearing clip, let's put it into context:

Watch the July 8, 2010 episode of the Colbert Report here, featuring guest Arturo Rodriguez.


photo: Rodriguez & Colbert

In the interview they talk about their campaign "Take Our Jobs." Here's a summary of the campaign, from this Huffington Post piece:

So the group is encouraging the unemployed – and any Washington pundits or anti-immigrant activists who want to join them – to apply for the some of thousands of agricultural jobs being posted with state agencies as harvest season begins.

All applicants need to do is fill out an online form under the banner "I want to be a farm worker" on the website, and experienced field hands will train them and connect them to farms.

Check out the "Take Our Jobs" website here.

Now that you have the back story, check out Colbert's testimony from this morning's hearing:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Colbert mentions the AgJobs bill in his testimony. The bill would allow people who've worked in US agriculture for at least 150 days in the previous two years to get legal status. More info about the bill here.

Grabbed this from this Gawker.com post:

Apparently Colbert fans began lining up outside of Congress around 6:30 this morning for a chance to sit in on the jam-packed Judiciary subcommittee hearing. (The hearing wasn't scheduled to begin until 9:30am.)

This, by the way, was the best anecdote about congressional preparation for this hearing:

The subcommittee's ranking member, Rep. Steve King (Iowa), told The Hill he was unfamiliar with "The Colbert Report's" format, but he had asked his staff to pull some clips so he could watch them before the hearing. He was "especially" interested in "any where [Colbert] has mentioned me."

King, who worked in agriculture during his teen years, worried that Colbert would "try to give hard work a bad name."

The lawmaker also said he wouldn't hesitate to ask Colbert tough questions about agricultural policy.

"It'll be interesting to see what he does when faced with some of the data," King said, seemingly unaware that Colbert would be playing a satirical character.

David Cho: We Will Not Give Up.

This is just NOT RIGHT. Pass the DREAM Act.

This past summer UCLA student David Cho won the Campus Progress and Huffpost College National Keynote contest, and addressed The Campus Progress National Conference:



David was also recently named one of The Huffington Post’s Game Changers of 2010.

Help pass the DREAM Act in the US Senate! Now's our chance!

On Tuesday Senator Reid announced that he'll put the DREAM Act up for a vote in the US Senate as early as next week. It'll be an amendment to the Department of Defense Authorization bill.

SO EXCITING! But now it's time to get to work, to make sure it passes!

Earlier today, DREAM Act advocates from the United States Student Association, United We DREAM, Reform Immigration for America, Center for American Progress, and One America held a press conference at the Center for Community Change in order to urge the US Senate to pass the bill.



I took this from a write up about the event. I can't read it without crying:

Felipe Matos, who walked 1,500 miles on the Trail of DREAMs told his own story of being born into dire poverty in Brazil. When his mother got sick, the only way forward for her son was to send him to the United States.

When I arrived in Miami, my family here told me that I could achieve my dreams if I worked hard enough. And I took that to heart. That’s why I walked 1,500 miles – in WINTER! I’m from Miami, and I don’t know anything about how to handle the winter! But I walked. And I fought. And I did it because I love this country. I did it so that people could see us and know that we are human beings.

You can help!

* Call both of your Senators at 1-888-254-5087 and tell them to support the DREAM Act amendment:

“Hi I am calling to ask that Senator _______ vote in favor of the DREAM Act. This bill will allow for thousands of undocumented youth to fix their status by getting a two year college degree or joining the military. This is an investment in our country's future. Support the DREAM Act.”

* Take literally 10 seconds to send both of your Senators an email with the same message, here.

* Lastly, write a letter to your local newspaper's editor, here.

Thanks for your help.

"Rogue Cities" like San Francisco? Words from our likely Republican Candidate for Governor

I could not believe my ears when I heard this spot being broadcast from a Bay Area radio station the other morning.

Congressman Brian Bilbray says he can spot an Illegal Alien by their Shoes.

Wowsers. If only I was making this stuff up.



Congressman Bilbray represents California's 50th District - just north of San Diego.

Immigration Rally ends with the arrest of a US Congressman

In follow up to my April 26 post about the Trail of Dreams ...

On May 1 approx 35 immigrant advocates, including a nun and Congressman Luis Gutierrez of Illinois and many young people were handcuffed and arrested at the Immigration Reform Rally in front of the White House.



More info about the DC Rally here.

More info about the rallies that took place around the USA on May 1 here.




To thank Rep Guiterrez call his Capitol Hill office at 202-225-8203 and leave a message for him with the staffer who answers the phone. I just did.

One Step Towards Immigration Reform - Higher Education for Undocumented Students

WOW. This is crazy. From the United States Student Association's DREAM Act summary:

Even though [undocumented students] were brought to the U.S. as children, they face unique barriers to higher education. For example, even if they are able to enroll in college, undocumented students pay out-of-state tuition rates in most of their home states. Undocumented students are also unable to receive state financial aid in most states and are ineligible for federal loans or other federal aid. On top of the circumstances that make college much less affordable for undocumented students, their respective status also prevents them from legally working to pay for college. Their lack of proper documentation, such as a driver's license or even a social security number, can hinder them from filling out college and job applications.

The United States Student Association just wrapped up their annual Grassroots Legislative Conference and National Student Lobby Day in Washington, DC where students rallied on Capitol Hill to demand that higher education in our nation must be affordable and accessible to all.

On May 22 USSA, with support from the AFL-CIO, NEA, AFT, organized a press conference to announce the labor movement's support for the DREAM Act, as part of an effort to pass comprehensive immigration reform. Check out some moving footage from the press conference, held at the AFL-CIO Headquarters -



Support the DREAM Act.

The DREAM Act would:
* Repeal a measure that financially penalizes states for providing in-state tuition to their resident undocumented students, allowing more states to make college more affordable.

* Make students eligible for federal loans and work study upon adjustment of their legal status.

* Provide a pathway to citizenship by giving students conditional legal status for 6 years. Legal status becomes permanent once 1 of the following requirements is met:
- Receive a 2 or 4 year degree from a higher education institution, or must have maintained good academic standing for at least 2 years while wokring towards a bachelors degree or highers.
- Serve in the U.S. military for 2 years.

To find out how you can help, go here.


photo: Maria (on right) and her sister

This subject matters to me because in early 2006 I interned for US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in the Democratic Communications Center, located in the US Capitol Building. (Yeah, sweet spot!) One of my fellow interns was Maria Parra-Sandoval, then a top student at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. While I knew that Maria was not a US citizen and that she had entered the US illegally when she was little, Maria never talked about these financial barriers to higher education.

This is craziness. I don't know what else to say.

PS - I just googled Maria, and found this 2008 article indicating that she's now a US citizen:)

Sweatshops Right Here in the USA

If you live in San Francisco then you check out the University of San Francisco Human Rights Film Festival - this film screened today.

Made in L.A.

2007, 70 min, USA, Dir. Almudena Carracedo, Robert Bahar

Made in L.A. is a documentary that follows the remarkable story of three Latina immigrants working in Los Angeles garment sweatshops as they embark on a three-year odyssey to win basic labor protections from trendy clothing retailer Forever 21. In intimate observational style, Made in L.A. reveals the impact of the struggle on each woman’s life as they are gradually transformed by the experience. Compelling, humorous, deeply human, Made in L.A. is a story about immigration, the power of unity, and the courage it takes to find your voice.

Trailer -



The film received the Emmy at the 29th Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards in the category of Outstanding Continuing Coverage of a News Story-Long Form.




What You Can Do - from the Made In L.A. website:

Join the consumer movement to buy goods made under fair labor conditions!



Some anti-sweatshop organizations (including Sweatfree Communities and the International Labor Rights Forum) have compiled this shopping guide, representing a sampling of sweatshop-free apparel products currently available on the market. For a PDF downloadble flyer, click here.

They have also created the Sweatshop Hall of Shame 2010, which highlights apparel and textile companies that use sweatshops in their global production.

You can also check Coop America's comprenhensive list of Sweat-Free and Fair Trade Products and their amazing Green pages, a nationwide directory of socially and environmentally screened businesses.

If you live in any of these cities, then check out this speaking tour "Sweatshop Workers Speak Out."

Featuring a Bangladeshi garment worker who sews uniforms and a representative of home based workers in Pakistan who stitch soccer balls for government entities in the United States, the tour aims to build solidarity between U.S. communities and workers that produce for our government. Each tour event will focus on action steps that are relevant for local sweatfree organizing, whether to help ignite a new campaign or bring an active campaign to the next level.

April 14-16: Minneapolis & St. Paul, MN
April 17-20: Wisconsin
April 21: Chicago, IL
April 23-24: Michigan
April 26-27: Ohio
April 28-29: Pennsylvania
April 30: Washington, DC

If your city isn't listed then email trina.tocco(@)ilrf.org to inquire about hosting an event.