Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Two years later: Tam and Cinthya


I never got to know them as much as others did. Just hearing about the kind of persons they are from friends and family is enough for me to know that they're amazing women with out a doubt. It was watching Tam on youtube that I first heard someone share their story. She talked about being stateless, the stuff undoc students/immigrants have to face etc. It blew my mind back then because unbeknownst to me, organizations and groups were forming all over the country. Dreamers coming together to carve their niche in the road.

The movement is more or less 10 yrs old now and things continue to constantly change. Tam and Cinthya  were leaders both in that they're first generation dreamers that paved the ways for others and that they knew how important it was for undoc students to fight for their rights and put themselves in the lime light. Back then it was a huge deal, but today it's getting to the point of parody, to me anyway, it's different for everyone.

I've also been reading the new book that came out on them, "Undocumented and Unafraid: Tam Tran and Cinthya Felix and the immigrant youth movement". Reading all the essays and memories friends have shared in the book really hit the heart. Considering how crazy things were in my life and in the movement two years ago, it's kinda surprising to see both myself and the movement still going strong, different, but still going. But one thing is for sure, it would have never got to where it's at without Tam and Cinthya.

C/S