College can be a scary experience, especially when you’re undocumented. My first week of college, I looked for a group that I could connect with regarding my status. To my dismay, I found out that there was no club for undocumented students at my college. As I started to join other organizations and meet new people, I realized how necessary a Dreamers Club was.
In my second semester, I started to meet more international students, some of whom had DACA. While the majority of DACA recipients are of Latinx descent, I met several others who were of various other ethnicities. Even though they came from different cultures, I was still able to connect with them through our undocumented experience.
While it may have been easier to branch off a Latin American club, I decided that starting a brand-new club was truly necessary. I thought back to my first week in college and how I searched for a club that was exclusively about the undocumented experience. I also thought of the non-Latinx international students who wouldn’t be able to truly connect with the Latinx experience. Undocumented students share a lot of similar fears, questions, and experiences and it is important we have a safe space to share that with each other.
The club I hope to start in the upcoming year will provide resources to undocumented students such as scholarship opportunities, information regarding DACA renewal, and updates on political decisions regarding immigrants. Additionally, I also plan on emphasizing the importance of mental health. Oftentimes we forget to take care of ourselves in the midst of dealing with our responsibilities. Although resources are constantly being offered to undocumented students, there is a rarely a place where Dreamers can connect with each other and share their experiences. Whether it is talking about how they came to the United States or their college struggles, Dreamers should have hate-free spaces where they can freely speak of their experience.
In the current administration, it is easy to feel attacked by the media and the government when you are undocumented. Dreamers are not only paranoid about potential ICE raids but on top of that we are also left with the question of what is going to happen to DACA or if the DREAM Act will ever pass. The club will aim to reassure Dreamers that they belong and that their dreams are worth fighting for. Undocumented Student Alliance (U.S.A.) will be for Dreamers, by Dreamers.
