Category Archives: Dreamers

Urgent: Your invitation to a noon Celebratory Rally in Support of DACA Decision at Pomona City Hall

The Latino and Latina Roundtable will be holding a celebratory rally in support of DACA and continuing the call for fair and just legalization of our immigrant families, support for our Temporary Protective Status families, and an end to unjust detention centers at 12 noon at Pomona City Hall (505 S. Garey Ave).  The Supreme Court decision upholding DACA is an important victory for our undocumented youth and immigrant families.  We are asking people to wear masks, practice safe distancing, and bringing signs in support of DACA and supporting speedy legalization.

LLRT logo

Jose Zapata Calderon
President of the Latino and Latina Roundtable 
on Behalf of the Latino and Latina Roundtable board
(909) 952-1640
 Jose_Calderon@pitzer.edu

Your invitation to rally and press conference on DACA decision — Pomona City Hall on Wednesday

You are invited to a press conference and community-based rally in support of DACA recipients in our area and in response to the DACA decision.  The event will take place at Pomona City Hall (505 S. Garey Ave. in Pomona) on Wednesday, September 6 at 5:30 PM.  The Press Conference and Rally, led by the Latino and Latina Roundtable of the San Gabriel and Pomona Valley, will include representatives from the Pomona City Council, Pomona Unified School District, Pomona Economic Opportunity Center, NAACP, Claremont Colleges, LaVerne University, Mt. SAC Community College, Immigrant Youth Coalition, MECHA, Latino Student Union, Pomona Valley Democratic Club,  community-based immigrant lawyers, DACA students, and other community-based organizations and leaders.

 

Scholarships For DREAMers, By DREAMers, 3rd National Round, Remains Open till February 15, 2016!

3rd National Round, Remains Open! – Apply by February 15, 2016

For More Info: http://www.thedream.us/

20 seconds- English PSA- Don Graham – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuA7UU4dqGY

 30 seconds- English PSA- Don Graham –  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77dlQw43boY

19 Seconds- Spanish PSA- Gaby Pacheco – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRt72JW-G9g

 

30 seconds-Spanish PSA- Gaby Pacheco – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6_6XcYi5s0

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS

*for First Time College Students & Community College Graduates who Attend Partner Colleges

Latino Education & Advocacy Days (LEAD) Organization has again partnered with TheDream.US to help spread the word about college scholarships that are available to highly motivated DREAMers who want to get a college education but cannot afford it. Our scholarships will help cover your tuition and fees for an associate’s or bachelor’s degree at one of our Partner Colleges.  If you are chosen as a DREAM Scholar, you must be accepted to and eligible for in-state tuition (if applicable) at one of our Partner Colleges in order to receive the Scholarship. The in-state tuition requirement does not apply to DREAM Scholars who attend one of our private Partner Colleges or Kaplan University, as there are no residency restrictions for these colleges.  Scholars who wish to attend ASU Online must live in Arizona.

For a list of the partner colleges and descriptions please click here: Partner College List and Descriptions   

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR FIRST TIME COLLEGE STUDENTS

This scholarship is available to high school seniors or high school graduates with demonstrated financial need who are first time college students and seek to earn a career-ready associate’s or bachelor’s degree at one of our Partner Colleges. Students who are currently enrolled in college are not eligible. Scholars are selected from a nationwide pool of applicants.  To be eligible to apply, you must:

·      Either graduate from high school or earn your GED diploma by the end of the 2015-2016 academic year or have already graduated or earned your GED diploma;

·   Have earned a high school un-weighted GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (or an equivalent GED score);

·   Not have enrolled in an associate’s or bachelor’s degree program or have earned college credits (excluding credits earned while in a high school pre-college, dual enrollment program, advanced placement testing, or through the College Level Examination Program CLEP);

·   Intend to enroll full-time in an associate’s or bachelor’s degree program at one of TheDream.US Partner Colleges within one year of receiving the Scholarship;

·   Be eligible for in-state tuition if seeking to attend a Partner College that is a public institution;

·   Have come to the United States before reaching your 16th birthday;

·   Be DACA or TPS eligible and have applied for or received DACA or TPS approval; and

·   Demonstrate significant unmet financial need.

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE GRADUATES

The Community College Graduate Scholarship is available to community college students with demonstrated financial need who have earned their associate’s degrees and seek to complete their bachelor’s degrees at one of our four-year Partner Colleges. Students who are currently enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program are not eligible. Scholars are selected from a nationwide pool of applicants.

To be eligible to apply, you must:

·         Either earn an associate’s degree from an accredited community college by the end of the 2015-2016 academic year or have already earned your associate’s degree from an accredited community college;

·         Have earned a college GPA of 3.0 or greater on a 4.0 scale;

·         Not have yet enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program;

·         Intend to enroll full-time in a bachelor’s degree program at one of TheDream.US Partner Colleges in the 2016-2017 academic year;

·         Be eligible for in-state tuition if seeking to attend a Partner College that is a public institution;

·         Have come to the United States before reaching your 16th birthday;

·         Be DACA or TPS eligible and have applied for or received DACA or TPS approval; and

·         Demonstrate significant unmet financial need.

Find out more on our Frequently Asked Questions or Guidelines pages.

Our Scholars are selected by DREAMers and people from DREAMer-supportive organizations based on their academic achievement and motivation to succeed. Our Scholars commit to their own academic achievement and to help build a National Community of DREAMer Scholars which provides peer-to-peer support and mentoring to each other and future DREAMer Scholars. 

Visit www.TheDream.US for more information.

TheDream.US is a project of New Venture Fund, a 501(c)(3), which provides fiscal sponsorship for innovative public interest projects focused on conservation, education, and global health.

Don’t forget to share this information with friends and family!

 FinalDreamUsPiece FinalDreamUsPiece Spanish

Scholarships for DREAMers available through Feb. 15, 2016

The University of La Verne is proud to announce its continued partnership with TheDream.US, a multimillion dollar national scholarship foundation dedicated to assisting undocumented immigrant students with $25,000 scholarships for their college education.  

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students may apply if they are new undergraduates or have graduated from a community college with an Associate’s Degree.  The period for submitting applications for consideration of the scholarship ends Feb. 15, 2016.

It is our second year participating in this much-needed program, and we remain the only California private university that is partnered with TheDream.US . Within two years of the 2012 DACA initiative passing, more than 670,000 people applied for deferred action. Applications were approved for more than 160,000 immigrants living in California, and many children in this group may set their sights on college.

La Verne hopes to aid as many as 10 DREAMers from this round of applicants.

Undocumented students from the Inland Valley and beyond are invited to apply. We encourage you to share this information with family, friends or professional contacts who may know someone who could benefit from this scholarship.

The application and information on the program is available online at http://www.thedream.us/scholars.

DREAMers

Sincerely,

 

Diane Anchundia

Director of Financial Aid

University of La Verne

SCHOLARSHIP – DREAM ACT ONLY!

Rules and Eligibility Requirements

SCHOLARSHIP RULES:

  • ONLY Dream Act Students may apply for this scholarship
  • Student must be California Student

SCHOLARSHIP REQUIREMENTS:

  • Student must be at a high school senior
  • Student must be present to win at “Sie7e” Concert November 6th  2015″ (details www.unidosporlamusica.org)
  • Students under 18 years of age must have a representative in attendance to accept the award
  • Student must be enrolled in an accredited University or Community College
  • Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA or higher
  • Submit official transcript (unofficial transcripts will not be accepted)

Please submit a 750 – 1,000 word essay in APA format that will address: How will receiving this scholarship impact your overall educational goals?

**********************************
Please mail completed form along with other required information to:

Unidos Por La Musica Scholarship Program
1520 North Mountain Ave., Suite 138 Ontario, California 91762

You may send application via certified mail, but this is not required. If you wish acknowledgement of our receipt of your complete application, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

NO FAXES ACCEPTED. APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER October 19th  WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED

Please complete this form and return to the address at the top of this application no later than October 19th 2015 (midnight). To be considered you must submit all required information by this date.

For additional information where to obtain application and event information, please visit www.unidosporlamusica.org

UPLM - DREAMACT (A)

Driver’s Licenses for Young Dreamers

Below:  An Article that appeared in numerous papers from the Associated Press.  Unfortunately, they are still using the term “illegal” and I have sent them a strong e-mail condemning the use of this term.  However, the article does relate that “the U. S. Department of Homeland Security said that each state could determine whether to issue licenses or extend other benefits to young immigrants who qualify for the deferred status” and that some states, such as Arizona and Mississippi will deny them.   
Jose Zapata Calderon

“Some states, such as Oregon and Georgia, have announced that they will grant driving privileges to those eligible for the new program. Others, such as Arizona and Mississippi, have vowed to deny them.

California legislators this month approved a bill that would allow an estimated 450,000 eligible young immigrants in the state to use the federal work permits at the Department of Motor Vehicles as proof of lawful presence in the country. The bill is now headed to the governor.”

Young illegal immigrants may get driver’s licenses

 

Posted: Sep 15, 2012 12:27 PM PDTUpdated: Sep 15, 2012 12:47 PM PDT

By GOSIA WOZNIACKA

Associated Press

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) – When 17-year-old Alondra Esquivel needs to get from her rural central California home to classes at Fresno State University 20 miles away, she must rely on rides from her relatives or her boyfriend.

Most Californians her age can drive. But Esquivel, a college freshman, was brought illegally to the United States from Mexico when she was 7. And California has denied driving privileges to immigrants lacking legal status since 1993.

“Without a license … I have to depend on others to do the basic things,” said Esquivel, who lives in rural Parlier, Calif., has classes at the college four times a week in Fresno. “It’s a big inconvenience.”

But Esquivel soon could get driving privileges: She is one of an estimated million eligible for a new federal program that temporarily defers deportation and grants work permits to people who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children. California has the largest number of potential applicants.

The new immigration policy has brought to the forefront the long-running and bitter debate over whether illegal immigrants should have access to driver’s licenses. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said that each state could determine whether to issue licenses or extend other benefits to young immigrants who qualify for the deferred status.

Some states, such as Oregon and Georgia, have announced that they will grant driving privileges to those eligible for the new program. Others, such as Arizona and Mississippi, have vowed to deny them.

California legislators this month approved a bill that would allow an estimated 450,000 eligible young immigrants in the state to use the federal work permits at the Department of Motor Vehicles as proof of lawful presence in the country. The bill is now headed to the governor.

For young people like Esquivel, foreign-born but steeped in America’s language and lifestyles, the single administrative policy at the federal level, coupled with a state decision, could spell a life-changing moment – transforming school and work opportunities, daily nuisances and even social lives.

In California, where the automobile is king and car-culture dominates, the change could be most profound. Nearly inaccessible without a car, the state is famous for its freeways, streets lacking sidewalks and spotty or nonexistent public transportation. Driving is more than a practical necessity for Californians: it’s a birthright.

Illegal immigrants in California who can’t drive face a long series of daily inconveniences and calculated risks. Some drive without a license, unable to find another way to get to work or school. Others depend on family, friends and co-workers for rides.

It’s especially hard on young people like Esquivel, who was raised in the U.S., but has had to miss out on the quintessential American rite of passage. She got top grades at Parlier High School, earning a merit scholarship to attend college, and plans to become an elementary school teacher. But at an age when getting behind the wheel seems pivotal, Esquivel can’t drive to the mall or to see her friends, not to mention to school or work.

“Sometimes I feel like going out, but I can’t really do that,” she said.

Esquivel was smuggled by relatives through a border checkpoint in a car with her younger sister – an experience she barely remembers.

In high school, she watched classmates get driver’s licenses and cars as soon as they turned 16. Esquivel and a few others could not apply because of their legal status.

“It was hard,” she said. “I felt left out. They were able to do things, go places, and I couldn’t.”

Parlier, population 14,500, has little in the way of public transportation, stores or services. Residents drive virtually everywhere – to get to work, grocery shopping, to the doctor and to church.

Esquivel’s parents, who pick grapes, olives and other crops in nearby fields, don’t have time to drive her places and have not allowed Esquivel to drive without a license, because it’s too dangerous, she said.

“If I get stopped, I could get deported,” she said. “Things like that worry them.”

Numerous bills to grant licenses to those without legal status in California have failed or been vetoed by several governors over the past decade.

Still, the commute to college has proved a challenge. Family members have to wait for hours while Esquivel is in class. And while the young woman’s boyfriend, a U.S. citizen, also studies at Fresno State, their schedules don’t coincide.

Her parents told her she might soon have to drive on her own, which fills Esquivel with dread. For the past month, she has occasionally sat behind the wheel with a relative in the passenger seat, in lieu of driving lessons.

Esquivel, who is in the process of applying for the new immigration program, hopes a license will come with it. To benefit, immigrants must prove they arrived in the United States before they turned 16, were younger than 31 as of June 15, have been living in the country at least five years, are in school or graduated, and have not been convicted of certain crimes.

Young immigrants who qualify won’t get permanent legal residency or a path to citizenship, but will receive a work authorization card and a Social Security number.

“I’m really hoping the law that allows us to drive will pass,” Esquivel said. “It would be a great relief for me.”

Critics of the new immigration program say granting licenses to young immigrants like Esquivel would reward and accommodate illegal immigrants.

“We’re already paying for the costs of illegal immigration. Why should we pay for additional benefits?” said Bob Dane, spokesman with the Federation for American Immigration Reform in Washington D.C. “The driver’s license is a breeder document which opens up a full spectrum of rights and privileges” such as access to banking accounts, credit cards and mortgages.

But immigrant advocates say denying licenses to people approved under the new immigration program is illogical.

“This is a common sense issue,” said Marielena Hincapie, executive director of the Los Angeles based National Immigration Law Center. “These are young people who will have valid work authorization and Social Security numbers. They will need to drive to school, to work, to medical appointments. From a policy perspective, granting them licenses makes sense.”

For Esquivel, a license would also mean fulfilling another wish: driving 200 miles north to Sacramento to visit grandparents she has not seen for years.

—–

Follow Gosia Wozniacka on Twitter at (at) GosiaWozniacka

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.