Note: Athena Jones is an home care worker and Grassroots Lobbyist through SEIU's Change That Works campaign.
Students file in wearing colors mixed like an unsolved Rubik's cube--some wearing chords representing achievement and honors. Friends straighten each other's caps. The rainbow of the march is accompanied by a violin and the pomp and circumstances of cameras flashing. As smiles of achievement shine, each student's hard work and the pride of a family is represented with a cap and gown.
You would not notice or look twice at the needs of these high achievers. Each representing the overtaking of a struggle, brandished with the hopes of the Dream.
Onlookers could never have imagined Tuesday's commencement speech to be anything more than a student talking about bridging gaps to adulthood or hoping for the 10 year reunion. As she began to speak - I'll call her Anna - Anna spoke of her graduating from high school with honors and successfully completing college with a double major in biology and psychology. Her parents spoke to her of the hope, of education and the Dream of what America could be. She was the product of undocumented parents. They brought her here under the cover of a better future when she was eight, and she too was undocumented. Anna began to tell of the hurt she felt towards the only country she knew and the many opportunities lost because she does not have a 9 digit number assigned to her name.
Anna is a high achieving, college-educated student with honors. The U.S. government saw her as an illegal immigrant worthy of nothing better than being deported. Her undocumented status shadowed her amazing credentials. I imagine she never knew, regardless of her academic success, her ultimate diploma would be a letter of deportation.
I also met a woman named Maria. Maria is an honors student with one date on her mind: August 27th, 2009. She is an incredibly bright student who volunteers at the library, translates for non-English speaking parents and sings in the church choir. Maria continues to give hope and be an inspiration to other students, exemplifying the success of a student who believes all things are still possible. She continues to hope August 27th, 2009 isn't the last possible day here in the U.S.
At the beginning of the program, I was told these students are very brave. My eyes squinted as I looked at the brown, black and tan faces. Brave, I thought!? She continued, because most of them are undocumented, which was a polite way of saying they are here illegally. If they are caught, she continued, here in the capital of the United States, they will be arrested and deported. As she spoke those words, I felt the concerns of my world melt to the floor like drops of ice cream and the blood in my face drain to the borders of my feet. I then looked again at the students. I saw courage wrapped in multi-colored skin tones and hope piercing back at me.
As the graduated student stories were released on the Hill like freed birds, the plight of each voice became the nesting grounds in the great halls of Congress. Each person declaring, "We are here, we are educated, we are determined. We can help build and become part of this more perfect union called the United States. Hear us and realize our future starts with just a Dream!"
For more information about the DREAM Act, visit http://www.seiu.org/immigration/
Poem by Athena Jones
Is it possible to be successful and not achieve your Dream?
I believe Dreams have not changed.
Being able to believe regardless of outcome.
Seeing the wind take success,
whisping it away like grains of sand
Martyred futures littered like sun bleached bovine skulls
But those who brandish survival continue
Like purple hearted heroes of this war
Each transporting dreams like precious cargo
Like Hope, shhh be quiet, we'll only be here for a minute
And Destiny, honey, I know we have walked far but we have to keep going
And Courage, sweetheart you are doing so well,
And Heart, I know the water is low but let the ninos drink.
Determined and Validated by destiny
Educated in spite of circumstances
Hard work of generations spoken with every word
And daring to change a system determined to handcuff futures
Ultimately judging futures without 9 digit numbers
Precious cargo, continue to be recognized!
Your success honored like metals of valor
And Demand of your dreams, you will not make it fade America!
Else, your future too, will gasp for its last breathe.
Wield your dreams close, armoring her against Dream killers.
Making it known to all,
I am personifying the American Dream!
Knowing it will happen
And when they ask you,
Is it possible to achieve your Dream and not be successful?
And I will say,
Impossible!
RSS FEEDS
Leave a comment
Community Guidelines