Sin Fronteras: March 2010

During one of our most recent meetings, the following questions were posed to our group of 50+ high school students. This what they responded:
Question: Why does going to Washington D.C. mean something to you?

Astrid, "My sister graduated last year and I see how much she is struggling [referring to her immigration status, and her limited possibility for higher education], and I don't want to end up like that."

Leo, "We have career goals, we want to pursue a profession. I do not want to continue to hide, because of my status." [translation]

Gezer, "To accomplish something! If they pass the dream act it will help a lot of people throughout the whole country...You never know who can be a doctor, because people are not given the option."

Sergio, The more we do the more we are going to get. If the students take an active role on this issue, it will show that much more how much we really want it [referring to the dream act]." [translation]

Joyce, "Getting to go to Washington is not something we do everyday...we get to be the voice for other people."

Gezer, "If we don't try nothing will be accomplished [referring to immigration reform]."

Leticia, "This is my first experience [getting involved in the cause]; I was born here, and I've seen a lot of people getting discriminated against, because they didn't have papers. I'm so happy that I walked for immigration! It was the first time I have ever done this in my lifetime...I wanna show that people who have papers want to do something for people that don't have papers."

Question: What the did the experience of meeting the walkers, and marching with them mean to you?

Mariana, "My first impression of them when they arrived was that they were a small group, but they had a great deal of passion. I think they are very brave. I believe that thanks to them something can change." [translation]

Leo, "I am doing it [walking] for a good reason. I am doing it for the Hispanic community... If we have a chance to change something we have to do it." [translation]

Astrid, "I felt super connected to them...I got to tell them my story." [translation]

Sofia, "I felt pretty cool, because I felt like it was something historic."

Michael, "It was good; we were doing it for a good cause."

Gezer, "I was impressed, that people were doing something."

Sergio, "I think that they are people who are very brave to do it. There were only 5 of them! I thought there would be more of them. Who knows if they will get there? They are still walking right now, and I think they deserve more than just an applause when they arrive in D.C. They deserve change." [translation]