Did any other DREAMers find themselves identifying with this moment of 30ROCK? Not happy to, but unfortunately, this is the reality of a lot of DREAMers.

(Source: remedialchaos)

Shit People Say To Undocumented Youth

Tell them to check out our blog - they might like it :) 

www.pouy.tumblr.com

(Source: youtube.com)

Happy Holidays!

May your holidays be safe and secure, and may hope carry us into and through this new year. Happy holidays everyone! :)

A Question…

Anonymous asks: “I know about the AB 130 and AB 131 but I don’t understand the application very well. How will it help? Does it give AB 540 students money for this upcoming year or when? 

I am glad that thousands of DREAMers have the opportunity to go to college and obtain their degree.”

AB130 — It allows for undocumented students who already meet the residency criteria for California in-state tuition to obtain scholarships that are not derived from state funds. 

AB131 - That bill would allow undocumented students to qualify for institutional financial aid, CalGrants, state financial aid grants and other assistance at the community college level. 

AB540 students will be eligible to apply for basically state financial aid. The CalGrants will not be payable until Fall 2013 but the assistance at the community college level will mean that AB540 students will be eligible for the BOG fee waiver, which will mean they won’t have to pay the unit costs! Come Fall 2013, people who qualify for the state financial aid will be able to apply that aid towards tuition. 

This submission broke my heart

I hope you don’t mind me sending this, but I have to get it off my chest.

When I heard about Joaquin Luna taking his own life, as a fellow DREAMer, I felt sadness. I didn’t really understand the notion of what leads someone to commit suicide, but the older I get, the more I not only understand his decision to take his own life, but I find myself wondering how much longer I can keep on going.

I am entering my fourth year at a community college. When I was in high school, people always told me that regardless of immigration status, I could go to college. I could get enough financial aid and go to college and fulfill my hopes.

No one told me that 99% of scholarships ask for a social. No one told me that I wouldn’t be able to work so my education would be a burden on my family’s finances. No one told me that textbooks cost hundreds of dollars EACH. No one told me that even if I got an Associate’s Degree, I wouldn’t be able to do anything with it because you need a social to do anything with your college degree. No one told me that to even get into nursing programs you need to have a social.

So I changed my major, put a smile on my face, and tried to do the best I could. But how long can I keep that fake smile? How many times can I lie to people who ask me why I’m still at a junior college? How many times can I lie to people about why I don’t drive, or why I don’t have a job, or why I don’t just take out a loan? How long am I expected to do this?

I’m getting to the point where I hate going to school. I’m running out of classes to take. My parents are losing hope that I’ll ever be even half of what they dreamed I could be. My parents themselves are losing faith in the country that was supposed to be the land of opportunity. My parents are considering going back to the country, to the poverty, to the suffering we left behind, since it seems we left suffering for American suffering.

So when I think back to Joaquin Luna, I understand why he took his life, because honestly, in the middle of the night, when the tears won’t stop, I too wonder how long I can keep trying to swim against the stream, how long I can pretend I’m enjoying the struggle.

I understand why Joaquin did what he did.

I hope I have enough strength in me to keep trying to go against that stream. 

If you post it, please keep it anon. I don’t want my friends knowing this.

The DREAM Act is not about politics. It’s about human beings.

A reality for many DREAMers in school right now.