Friday, January 30, 2009

Inspiration to continue on

~ pic from flickr ~


“The moment the slave resolves that he will no longer be a slave, his fetters fall. He frees himself and shows the way to others. Freedom and slavery are mental states” -Mahatma Gandhi 

After reading this quote and post by Alexandria on her blog, I couldn't help feel a connection with her and new found strength to continue on. Everyday is another battle to muster up the strength to continue on hoping.                

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

DREAM Act Club at the Bronx Lab School tells it like it is

I know that sometimes it feels like I'm beating a dead horse, excuse the expression because I in fact love animals, when ever I talk about the DREAM Act and what it means to me and soo many other's. So I'd figure I'd let these kids in New York, The Bronx actually, tell it like is because there are soo many depending on the DREAM Act to happen. Too many people are resting their hopes on it for it not to pass this year. The video is about 8 min long so it won't kill you and besure to repost it and spread the word about it k...

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Death & Me

I was born with a hole in my heart. Apparently that's a bad thing and
my parents have told that story a few times to family and friends when
I'm the subject. Secretly, it annoys me that they talk about me in the
third person when I'm right there in front of them.

They oporated on me, patched me up and basically saved my life, but
since the day I was born, Death and I have been, well how can I put
this...linked together by the faiths. I have been dancing with Death
for a long time and I'm beggining to question if I'm meant to be the
type of person that dies young.

I'm not being suicidal or anything stupid like that, it's just that
over the years I have seen & done things that make me question my life
expectensy. Physically I'm going to be tore up when I get old. Joints,
eye sight everything. I'm not taking good carr of myself and I know
it's going to bite me in the ass later.

On top of that I have had numerous near death experiences where if
things didn't work out the way they did, I wouldn't be here. I
remember that when I was an infant, my parents told me I was stung by
a scorpion. Not a good thing to happen to you when your an infant. To
this day I still have twiches that I think are after affects of the
sting.

I always did stupid stuff as a kid, way more stupider than the normal
stupid, trust me. As a result I'm pretty sure I put myself in needless
danger but can't remember. Most of my near death experiences have been
involved with cars. Might explain why I get car sick.

I remember the one time I was sleeping and leaning on the door, my fad
turns and I go flying out, but I manage to gran on to the window just
in time. I can still remember looking down and seeing the road until
my dad stop the car. I got in and I was crying and the first thing my
father does is yell and scald me for not closing the damn door right.

I remember this other time, again while sleeping in the car, we where
on the freeway driving home after my dad closed up his shop and he was
too drunk to be there. Some metal rod came outta no where, hit the
hood of the car and smashed the window I was leaning on. Any change in
direction could have resulted in me getting my head smashed in or the
rod going through the windshield and hitting someone else. I still
remember having to translate between my father and a highway patrol
officer what happened. In the end we just forgot about it and went home.

There's a few other times when I almost got run over by cars, but
that's normal living out in L.A. My parents have had some unique
experiences with Death themselves and what can I say, we're just
accident prone.

But I see beyond that. I'm highly spiritual and aware of beings beyond
our understanding and reach. I see all of these experiences as signs
that I need to be aware of my surroundings, that I'm doing something
wrong and need to change it. I belive strongly in destiny and faith
and something or not just coincidences that just randomly happen.
Things happen for a reason and I live by that.

Astrology and signs is all b.s. To me because there's no real history
or thought behind it. Growing up reading comics and watching cartoons,
these believes have been cemented in me and there's no changing my
mind. I believe in all Gods and traditions because they exist and when
followed the way they're meant to be followed, they will lead you to
prosperity. The bible being one of them, I know.

Life and death are parts life of life and I accept that. I still think
that I might die young because of my struggles and the things I have
done in the past. No one leaves the earth without paying back all of
what they have done, equivilant exchange. Everything is recycled and
renwed because things don't just form outta no where or disappear into
nothingness. Everything is connected and that's how things work, in
circles.

As of late I haven't seen death looking for me, but I see her around
other's and even though I bless myself everyday when I step out the
door, pay my respects to La Virgen and everyone else in between, I
know that Death isn't to far away, least not from me.
~ con safos ~

Monday, January 26, 2009

Renewing the I.D.


~Mural across the street from the Mexican Consulate in MacArthur Park~

I Wont lie, I hate having to come here to renew an I.D. to a country I no longer consider my home country. I'm proud of my Mexican Heritage and embrace it, but I can't call it my home. When people ask me where I'm from I say East Los Angeles, but was born in Mexico.

I came with my friend "Sandy" because hers expired already and since mine expires in June I'd figure we'd go together and get it over with. As I'm writing this right now she's inside going through the motions and getting the I.D. I on the other hand lacked one key component needed to renew the I.D. my birth certificate.

I seem to have missplaced it moving around soo much and until I find it I'm screwed. Still, I'm a people watcher. No matter where I go I always survey my surroundings and the people near me. What they look like, how they dress all that stuff. Here at the consulate, all I see is the different "stages" if you will of people assimilating to American culture.

It takes one to one and boy can I tell them apart. Honestly there's a lot of conflicting emotions that come when I'm in situations like this. I see those who are still new to this country. There fashion sense gives them away real easaly and I feel sympathy for them. They have a world of struggle ahead of them and they're oblivious to it. Some come alone, others in groups or with families.

What ever makes the process go by faster and easier. I see them with their folders containing the only documents that prove who they are, that they exist and that they're the person they're claiming to be. Identity theft, even amongst Mexicans, is rampid and certain I.D.s aren't allowed to be used as collateral.

Some people are immidiately told that the I.D. And documents they have aren't valid and they turn them away almost as if they're lepers. Through the metal gates, I see others looking in with faces of disappointment. You look at them and you can't help but feel depressed and share in their personal misery.

Some show up with I.D.s that can be easily made at home or at a check cashing place that tricks people into thinkng they have a real I.D. Sometimes the lines seem like they will never end as you wait your turn to see the Wizard so he can give you what your heart desires.

Then there are those like my friend and I who stand out like sore thumbs. We talk in English and look as if we're in the wrong side of town. There are others like us, the first and second generation of kids that assimilated but were born outta the country. At one point I almost wished the whole process was in English so I can get it over with in a hurry.

To think that on out way to the consulate, walking from the train staion people casually offered us "micas" making gestures with their hands. If one was to get any kind of fake I.D. MacArthur park is the place to do it. A lot of contradicting feelings surface when ever I'm here not just because I lived around here, but because this is where the majority of immigrants get their start.

They come here, get a job, meet someone, have kids and move ahead with thief lives if they're ambitious and smart enough to do it. I've let go of the past, but I haven't forgoten about it. I hate having to get an I.D. from a country I don't call anymore. Sometimes I hate being Mexican and most of all, being inthis situation. I hate having to fight for crumbs.

I have no choice in the matter, but what doesn't kill me only makes me stronger. At this point in my life, nothing can stop me. Only myself.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Plan B


~Lately I've been thinking too much, and well a lot of it is just ramblings and random thoughts I've been nursing for the last few weeks since I have the free time to think. School starts in about two more weeks for me so all these free thoughts will soon be replaced with bewilderment in my statistics class and creativity in my photo class. Initially this post was going to be about my relationship with Death and how I keep cheating it, but another time. Instead I want to write about "Plan B." 

No, it's not an emergency escape plan to flee from I.C.E. or the country, it's what my life has turned into. You see I love animals, more so than humans at times because animals act on instincts and nature, humans can actually chose their actions and can for free thought. Everything I have done up to this point is "Plan B." My writing, being a reporter and being actively involved in the DREAM Act are all things I'm doing until things get better. 

I'm waiting for the day when all the doors are open and I can go ahead with my work in helping save animals. That's all I want out of my life, to help animals and keep them from suffering. I hate that I can't even volunteer at city shelters because they ask for back ground info. Instead I make the best of the situation until things get better. 

My passion for animals was something that was instilled unto me by my parents, who, from what I can remember, pretty much had a bird sanctuary in our apartment. I have a feint memory of going to see all the birds, just to see them. I see some parakeets within in reaching distance and I open their cage. Course being four or five years of age I didn't realize what i was doing. Thus the birds go flying toward their freedom while I'm screaming and crying, begging them to fly back. Boy, was I was such a punk ass when I was a kid. 

We had dogs, cats, goats, ducks and everything else in between whether we could house them. I even remember talking to my parents about the birds and they've told me, again from what I can remember, that they even housed a falcon and a vulture, a fucking vulture !!! I wouldn't doubt it for a second if they did.  

Anyway, I love animals and somewhere during my three years, another post in itself, of "soul searching" I realized what God put me on this earth to do, to help animals. At this point in my life I've realized that's not the reason I'm here, if I did I don't think it would be that easy to figure out. Any who, part of the reason I chose to dedicate my life to animals was because of redemption. 


I though about all of the stupid things I did to pets and the pain and suffering I allowed them to suffer because I was powerless to do something about it, just thinking about that lights a blaze within me that cannot be extinguished by anyone or thing. I've lost so many good friends because I was incapable of helping them, whether it was out of my hands or not. 

I can still hear their cries and it cuts me deep inside. I get teary eyed just thinking about it. How could I abandon them ? I was their best friend in the world. I cleaned up after them, fed them and played with like no one else. Those animals were the closest things I had to real friends given the fact that I always felt like the new kid at school because my family moved around soo much, again another future post. 

I vowed that I would never let that happen to anyone ever again, whether they were my friend or not. That's where my Harley comes in. She's the first dog I've had since I made that vow, the first dog I've taken complete responsibility for since the last time I had to abandon my friends. She was a gift from friends who helped re-instill hope and a passion for life that I forgot about soo long ago, future post. 

Like everything else good in my life, Harley came as a surprise. Initially I asked my parents if they wanted her and of course her puppy charm won them over, but that didn't last long. A month into our lives they wanted to get rid of her and told me to give her back. I knew that I couldn't give her back. I named her, played with her and most importantly, established a connection with her. 

I told them that I would care for her myself and they allowed me to keep her. Harley is one of two survivors from the litter. Her sister Shadow lives a friend/former boss and is doing great. All her other siblings were either given away or died of parvo, but Harley and Shadow are survivors who have someone looking out for them. Harley and Shadow are now three years old and as healthy as ever. 

When Harley lived with me, she was the first one I saw in the morning and the last one I saw at night. I would get up, feed her and go about my day. Saying good morning to her and cleaning up after her was a routine that I loved doing. Having a wet nose and dusty dog greet you is one of the best feelings in the world. Saying goodnight to her and sometimes even hugging her were the only way I could end my day. 

These days she lives with her mom and step brother Lex and another friends house. I still walk her when I make it a point to do it, but it's not the same. I hate having to leave her behind, even though she's content, she's not home, with me. No one cares for her the way only I can and no one ever will. In all honesty, if that dog hadn't come into my life, I wouldn't be the person I am right now. That dog saved my life, gave me direction and a reason for being here again, the least I can do is look after her. 


In a nutshell, that's "Plan B," to care and look after dogs within my community. People lack the basic knowledge to properly care for their pets and to have a healthy relationship with them at the same time. People are astounded that I can walk three, 100 lb. dogs with little effort and yet they can't keep their toy dog in check. At the same time I want to punish those who hurt animals, those who don't have compassion for them and treat them like things. 

That's what I really want to do with my life, everything else in between is just "Plan B." But what I want and where I need to be are two completely different things. While people like to think they have control of their lives, they really don't. I'm a firm believer that we all have a destiny/fate thrust upon us whether we fulfill it or not. 

Ultimately we all have the choice to make things happen, we can chose different paths to that destiny, but in the end we end will be there. I've realized that even though I want to devote my life to animals, that's not where I need to be right now. I don't know what my fate is, but I know how to read the world and the signs I get. I'm destined for something and hopefully the current path I'm on is the right one. 

Everything comes easy to me, but it still requires dedication and hard work to make it happen. What I'm doing right now feels right, going to school, writing and even the people I meet, it all feels right. It's pointless to question that which I cannot understand and comprehend, somethings are meant to be a mystery because life is all about surprises. I cannot and should not question his will, just abide by it and do my best.     

Friday, January 23, 2009

I love the rain

Really I do. The smell, the air and even the cold embrace of the wind
as I'm walking down the street. When ever it rains it feels like all
the negative vibes lingering in the air are literally washed away.
Much like a shower, I tend to feel refreshed and rejuvinated. I also
tend to go out more in the rain than on any regular sunny day. I just
love the rain. It's funny because I notice that when it rains, the
world slows down, but me ? I pick up the slack and get out there. I've
also been meaning to go to the beach when it's raining and take
pictures, but no luck yet. Even now as I'm writing this through my
phone waiting for the bus to go to my shitty, but needed job I'm
feeling rather extatic because of the rain. It makes everything
better. Uh oh, my bus is here.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Blogero meet & greet

If you're a chicana/o blogger come on down if you can. Like the message says, it's just like mids getting together and shooting the shit. The meetings are always great and meeting new people is always good. 

Happy Nuevo Year, 

Figured we'd let the holidays pass us by before we scheduled another junta of like minds who like to write into cyberlandia. 

Philippe The Original
1001 N. Alameda St.
Los Angeles CA, 90012

located 1 block north of Union Station, Olvera St. and the Hollywood Freeway at Alameda and Ord St.


Monday, January 26th
7pm
http://www.philippes.com/

Lets see how this last Monday of the month works out for us.

Again this is a simply a meeting for bloggers who are or have a Latino/Chicano/a slant/twist/p.o.v. for support purposes and to get to know each other. We are not alone in cyberlandia no more. 

We welcome active bloggers or new heads to cyberlandia. 

We are not an advocate group nor do we have all the answers (nor necessarily want to give all the answers) to people who are 'thinking' about getting into blogging. 

In the recent past some politicos and others pushing an agenda have found our meetings and treated us like we were an organized target group (ha!) that needed to be 'let know' about their project and asked for our support. Lets try to avoid that or keep it to a bare minimum this year. 

I feel we have had lots of great times and conversations at these juntas with simply the bloggers who come to share and meet others. It has been a pleasure to meet you and hope we continue to share and grow in the new year. 

Hope to see you at Phillipe's on the 26th.

Coming out ?

Honestly I've been entertaining this idea a lot. Should I just come out and put myself out here in the blogging world with my real name. I had a great breakfast with my BFF today and as always we catch up on things because we're both busy with our lives. But if someone really wanted to find out who I truely am, they would have no problem finding that out. I mean I like to think that I'm being sneaky by not having my real name on here, but I'm a writer, a journalist and as of late almost a community activist. I have everything from a myspace to a face book and it's not hard to find me and who I am really. Of course I just outted myself by writing about it, but I don't care anymore. I may be undocumented but there's little anyone can do to put me in danger or try to harm me. I'm sneakier than I look. But I will continue to entertain the idea in the mean time. 

Monday, January 19, 2009

Thinking out loud

The last couple of days have been a maelstrom of thoughts and ideas going back and forth. Most of it is the usual stuff, work, school, life and so on but every now and then evil thoughts creep there way into my psyche. That's rooted in my legal residence and the ideas and concepts that follow along. I think about how what I'm going through is nothing compared to what others have gone through for their right to even just live, let alone be part of society.

I forget sometimes that millions have died for greater causes than mine and in comparison, what merit do I have in crying about something as petty as legal residence in this country. I think about how it would be just so easy to quit and give up sometimes, but that's not an option any more. 

In a sense, I know too much and that's one of my problems, I think too much about things when my mind is left free to roam like this. I don't know what it is about me that won't let me be an ignorant, apathetic person who turns a blind eye to what's going on in the world. It's not an experience are quality that can be reproduced, if at all. I've had it tough, but there are others who've had it worse. 

I'm lucky for what I have, friends, family and help from others who sympathize with me and my crusade. I'm thankful for all of that and more, that's part of the reason I do what I do here on my blog, and in the world. Today I saw a a mom and her two kids working the streets selling sliced fruit out on the streets. While the mom did her thing, her two kids kept and eye out for police so they could hide before they get caught. 

Seeing that reminded me of the relationship I have with my parents and how it's similar to theirs. My parents insisted on taking me everywhere with them and when I wasn't in school, I had to be with them at the family business. It was expected of me to help out during my time there, but at 10 years old I wasn't going to help anyone out. My father would scald me for having such a care free attitude and make idle threats. 

However I was worth my weight in gold because I was their personal translator. Everywhere we went and every letter they got that they didn't understand was given to translate and explain to them, even when i didn't know what the hell was going on. That talent alone made me a needed commodity and I never had a real childhood, but then again neither did my parents. They've both been working since they were kids and never stopped. 

Hustling to make ends meat is all they've ever known and it's the only thing they're good at. They've passed down that drive on to me, but it manifested differently in me. I can hustle with the best of them and I'm proud of it, but it's a double edge sword. I hate the fact that I have to hustle just to survive when I could be doing bigger and better things with my time. 

It's frustrating to know that instead of volunteering somewhere I have to waste my time at a stupid job because I need fucking money. Seeing that mom and her kids put everything into perspective again, but not entirely. I have new found spirit to continue on in my personal struggle to help those who are coming after, like those kids I saw today, but there's a bunch of other problems that aren't as easy to solve or even address

All this thinking is driving me crazy for the time being, but I have to figure out things and keep myself in check. It's easy to just say "fuck it" and forget about everything and everyone, life is about struggle. Sometimes I think a struggle that will only come to fruition long after I'm dead.  

Monday, January 12, 2009

Made in L.A.


When I first saw Made in L.A. I reframed from making any reservations or opinions about the movie, never judge a book by it's cover right ? But after fiding out what it was about it touched a nerve in me. When my father first came to the U.S. back in the 1990s, he worked in the garnment factories swewing clothes for little pay. 

The work is extremely tiring, repetative and he never recieved fair treatment or decent wages. But he needed money to not only support himself, but to support his family back in Mexico and at the same time saving up so we would make the trek across the border. (My story about how I got here in the first place is in the works) He was able to get that job thanks to his cousin who was already working there with other friends who were doing the samething. Eventually we made it to L.A. and we lived in an apartment that was just one big living room with my dads cousing(who's my uncle),another of his cousins, and two friends. In total there was nine of us living in that cramped apartment. 

He still worked at that job for a while and on occassions brought my mom things from work. After a while, they all pooled their resources together and opened their own tailor shop, which is still open and my uncle has opened two more. My other uncle does the same thing and opened two more of his own as well, sorry if it's confusing. I still see them but not as much. I only go to take them food and to get things fixed. 

Even though my uncles found success in their endevours, other's aren't as lucky and that's what the documentry highlights. I'm not going to give it away, more like entise you to go look for it and see it for yourself. 

The movie pretty much chronicles three woman over three years as they struggle to balance their lives and continue the fight for thier rights in the garnment factories. It's powerful what they all go through, the lives they live, families they support. I got teary eyed whenever they would focus on their families because they reminded me so much of my own family. The struggles we went through may not be the same as their's, but it certainly mirrors them. 

This really is an amazing documentry that opens more windows and shows the struggles undocumented immigrants face and can over come when they know they have rights, unite and fight the powers that be. That's what I loved most about the documentry. In fact in won an emmy last year so I'm not alone in that view. Any Dreamie can realate to their struggle and like me see some of themselves and their families in the people in the documentry. 

However it doesn't end with the movie. If you go to their wed site you can host a community screening where ever it is you might live. My school held a screening of it and students loved it. Some even took the knowledge back home because she told me her mom worked in one of those garnmet factories and she wanted to make sure she was being treated right. 


Thursday, January 08, 2009

Reality TV and me

Did ever ever tell you about the time a producer from the CW approached me to be on their show "Beauty and the Geek" ? Me of all people. I was bummed that I couldn't be part of the show for obvious reasons and in after thought it made me think that if people are asking me to be on a t.v. show because I'm a comic book reading, anime watching, video game playing nerd, I must be more americanized than I thought, which is only natrual really. Hell one of my all time dreams is to be on the Real World and just ham it up on tv. I have no problem causeing drama, specially on tv and to gringos. I would curse them out in spanish and people would have to read the subtitles all the time because I'm a dick like that. Still, I would have liked to be on the show because even though I'm a huge nerd at heart, I've learned to appreciate my passions beyond their exteriors and I see them for what they really are, great works of fiction.  

Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Gana la Verde





With the new year here, I always look back to the past and thank God everyday that even though I'm not where I want to be yet, at least I'm not where I use to be. Thinking back that far I remembered something that at the time didn't seem like a big deal to me, but looking back on it now, I still can't believe it. 

Back in 2004 there was a show called "Gana la Verde," a fear factor inspired show that pitted contestants in physical challenges all so the winner can have an opportunity win a green card. This show captivated its audience as soon as it hit the air. The show was offering people a chance to become legal residents, what every undocumented resident dreams of for their families.



People have traversed through all kinds of dangers to get into the U.S. so doing some crazy stunt and eating strange food for that dream is a piece of cake for us. My father was one of the contestants for the show before it got cancelled. At the time I didn't think much of it, he was going to be on t.v. and we would tape it at hope and get a good laugh. See back in those times, I was at my most apathic. I wasn't going to school, working or anything. 

My days consisted of getting up late, eating, watching t.v. and playing video games all day. Coming outta high school and knowing that all of the worlds doors are closed to me instilled hate and rage in me soo deep that even to this day, it's still there despite the huge improvements I have made in my life. It's always going to be there as a reminder of what I cannot be, another regular person. 

In the show my father had to ride on top of a small airplane and grab flags from each of the wings as quickly as possible. He made it to the second round in which he had to eat raw craw fish. He made it to the third round and I can't remember what he did, but in the end he lost and came in second place. After the show we learned that the prize is help in adjusting the winners legal status with the help of a law firm for a year. 

The winner, which was a woman, ended up selling her prize to my dad for a few hundred dollars because she was already in the process of legally immigrating, winning the game only expedited the process. My father snatched up the contract and hoped that this would be his chance to finally become a legal resident. The layers did their job, they helped my dad get on track in becoming a legal resident through sibling sponsorship. 

The contract with them covered all the fees that go along with the applications and that was it. That was as far as he could go. That's when he realized that he could help me adjust my status as well just like they helped him. We went to meet with the layers at their Beverly Hills office to discuss my situation and what can be done about it. 

After answering a set of questions about that helped them narrow down what my options for legally immigrating were. One that day I learned that no matter what I did, it was all futile and pointless. I had no family member to sponsor me, no unique trade skill that would merit an employer sponsoring me or a girlfriend that would marry me, I had no options available and it pissed me the fuck off. 

I still remember the vile taste of hate I felt when I realized that the world I know is closed off to me because I was born somewhere else and because my parents in their foolishness never thought about what kind of future I would have in the U.S. I think back on those times and I realize how much we, as immigrants, sacrifice and live through only to be told your not eligible. 

My father risked his life getting on that stupid ass plane for that stunt and gave me the prize he bought so i could have a chance to adjust my status. I may have my issues about my father and don't blame him anymore for some of the things he put our family through, after all we're all human and we all make mistakes. 

He's so desperate to become a legal resident that he'll jump through any hoop just to have that chance. That's how bad some of us want it. Looking back on it now I see it differently than I did back then, but I see it as my father doing what he's always been doing, trying to give his family the best life a man can possibly can. 

No one can ever take that way from him or anyone else for that matter. We may not have much, but at least we have some dignity, which is more than I can say for people who criticize undocumented residents. Putos.   

Vote for the Dream Act

Change.org is asking people to vote for ideas that will be presented to out next president so he can handle his business and make things right. One of those causes is the Dream Act. If your reading my blog then it's pretty self explanitory, if not here's some information to fill you in, 

Pass the DREAM Act - Support Higher 

Education for All Students

The problem: Many American students graduate from college and high school each year, and face a roadblock to their dreams: they can't drive, can't work legally, can't further their education, and can't pay taxes to contribute to the economy just because they were brought to this country illegally by their parents or lost legal status along the way. It is a classic case of lost potential and broken dreams, and the permanent underclass of youth it creates is detrimental to our economy. Former Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch has said: “In short, although these children have built their lives here, they have no possibility of achieving and living the American dream. What a tremendous loss for them, and what a tremendous loss to our society.” 

The solution: 
The federal DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act), is a bipartisan legislation that would permit these students conditional legal status and eventual citizenship granted that they meet ALL the following requirements:
--if they were brought to the United States before they turned 16, are below the age of 30,
--have lived here continuously for five years,
--graduated from a U.S. high school or obtained a GED
--have good moral character with no criminal record and
--attend college or enlist in the military. 


Why should you care? 
There is no other pathway to citizenship for these students. Besides the injustice of punishing children for the alleged transgressions of their parents, throwing away the talent we have invested in from K-12 and accruing losses in human and financial capital by deporting talented students is bad public policy. The Social Security Administration has recently stated that we need a net increase of 100,000 immigrants each year to ensure Social Security solvency. Passing the DREAM Act would actually help solve the Social Security crisis by creating a larger taxable base of educated Americans that are already in the United States. It would also free some of the backlog that currently plagues the legal immigration system. Also, the DREAM Act in its latest form, does not grant in-state tuition to any student.

Endorsements: Since 2001, almost a 1000 organizations have officially endorsed the bill. Barack Obama has stated that DREAM Act beneficiaries are “American children for all intents and purposes” and has called this a top priority

Tell President-Elect Obama to pass the DREAM Act in 2009. See 
DreamActivist.org to get more involved.