Humanizing the Immigrant Experience: A Student Panel
Sat, Dec 5th, 2:00 PM
Wilder 101
To wrap up D.R.E.A.M Act week, La Alianza Latina and Asian American Alliance are sponsoring an undocumented students panel. The following undocumented American students will share their stories, struggles, thoughts, and ideas:
Rigoberto Padilla:
Rigo is a third year at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He previously attended Harold Washington College, where he received his Associate’s Degree (AA). He has been working on his campaign with the Immigrant Youth Justice League of which he is member and co-founder of, supported by a number of organizations including the ICIRR. As of January of this year, he has been facing deportation back to Mexico, a country that he has never returned to since leaving at the age of 6
Reyna
Reyna is a first year student at the University of Illinois. She’s been part of the US educational system since 2000 when she and her family arrived. Aware of her immigration status for many years, during her struggle to pay college tuition she met Rigoberto. Together they formed the Immigrant Youth Justice League, whose goal is to empower undocumented youth, and give them a space where they can share their stories and at the same time organize around different issues. Their main focus currently is Rigo’s deportation. For the past month, the League has been holding meetings and organizing students city-wide, in colleges, high schools, and other youth organizations to rally against his deportation.
Irreri
Irreri graduated from the University of Illinois in May of 2009 with a BA in Gender and Women Studies. In 2006 she was part of the Chicago Land Student Network for immigrant rights and in 2006 and 2007 she helped form UIC Students For Immigrant Rights, as well as a Rapid Response Network that put together a Know Your Rights Workshop in order to inform students what to do when ICE comes to their work, place, or home. As of October Irreri is part of the Immigrant Youth Justice League, as well as an Art Collective called Arte Y Realidad, regularly holding free art workshops with the Chicago community.
Moderated by Eric Estes, MRC Director for Oberlin College
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