Immigration stories are a cornerstone of America’s historical narrative. From grade school we learn of the Pilgrims’ trans-Atlantic journey to flee religious persecution and of “a mighty woman with a torch” who greeted European immigrants by the millions to Ellis Island. In these stories, tolerance and generosity are singularly American virtues that confer our country’s greatness.

Unfortunately, incomplete immigration stories linger in the present day, obstructed by opposition from a loud and persistent few. As a result, 11.8 million undocumented immigrants live in America’s shadows – they struggle to finance their educations as students, are exploited as workers, and are encumbered by an ever-present fear of deportation as families.

In a recent Huffington Post entry, Will Perez wrote that immigration reform “is of particular concern to Latinos, since 75% of undocumented immigrants are from Latin America.” However, the problems engendered by our immigration system affect a vastly diverse immigrant population. It is estimated that 10 percent of Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) are undocumented, and among the AAPI groups, Korean Americans are affected at the greatest rate, at 20 percent.

The history of Korean immigration to the U.S. is one variation on the American immigration narrative. Immigration began in the late 19th century, as Koreans came to work as laborers in Hawaii, but the bulk of it occurred after 1965 following the repeal of the Asian Exclusion Act. Legions of Koreans came to America in search of freedom from an oppressive political regime and opportunity for economic mobility. Nearly a quarter million Korean Americans are undocumented as the result of this promise of a better life coming into conflict with the realities of the immigration system.

Undocumented Korean American college students have been especially vocal in the fight for immigration reform. The stories of the measures taken by these students and their families to support a college education give the push to pass reform a special sense of urgency. Their hardship extends well beyond their ineligibility for financial aid. A huge question mark looms over their post-graduation plans – without a Social Security number, how are they to find employment? On February 1, one Korean American student reiterated these frustrations and spoke of his aspirations to become a professor before hundreds who had gathered at a Los Angeles church for an immigration town hall. And Ju Hong, an undocumented student from the Bay Area, has come out publicly about his status and blogs regularly on immigration issues.

As the immigration reform movement escalates in size and intensity, undocumented Korean American students will continue to make their voices heard. On March 21, over 100,000 people from every corner of America will come together in Washington D.C. to show their support for immigration reform in a “March For America,” and Korean Americans from California to New Jersey will be among them.

Eric is an undocumented Korean American student at an Ivy League university. He has taken the school year off in order to work and save money to pay for college; he waits tables at a Japanese restaurant 7 days a week, 12 hours a day on weekdays, and 13 hours a day on weekends. Despite his busy schedule, Eric will be coming to Washington on March 21 to march for immigration reform because, as he tells it, reform is not only his dream, but is “the dream of thousands of fellow immigrants who work hard to become American citizens in the land of opportunity.”

Immigration reform cannot wait, and the Korean American community will be present in Washington standing alongside other immigrant groups to encourage our legislators to take the action that America needs.

On Thursday, President Obama held meetings on immigration reform with immigrant advocates and labor and religious leaders, with Senators Charles Schumer and Lindsey Graham, and with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. He came out reiterating his “unwavering” commitment to comprehensive immigration reform.

…

Trees don’t cry a thing.
I cry for nothing but you,
still, I remain still.

Liar (Title)

Quizá some day
I’ll see your face again.
With my hands, quizás.

“Brothers and Sisters, you must come out! Come out to your parents, come out to your friends, if indeed they are your friends, come out to your neighbors, come out to your fellow workers. Once and for all, let’s break down the myth and destroy the lies and distortions. For your sake, for their sake. For the sake of all the youngsters who’ve been scared.” – Harvey Milk

The day is almost here. On March 10th, undocumented youth all over this country will finally come out the shadows and lay claim to their own futures launching us into our week of action, the National Coming out of the Shadows week (March 15th to the 21st). No longer will we let ourselves be intimidated, scared and ashamed. We have worked long and hard, we have risen to meet every challenge and we have made this country a better place for all. And yet, we are relegated to live in fear. So let us come out and end this fear.

Yes, we are undocumented. We do not have those nine magic numbers. We are without papers. But we are not and have never been without identities, without dreams, without hope for the future. The time is NOW to claim our identities, our country, our rights, and our dreams.

And it begins with YOU. It is your time to come out as an undocumented youth. But you are not alone. Hundreds of thousands of promising young people, just like yourself, are making the decision to come out with you. Together, we are coming out of the shadows, leaving behind the fear and the broken promise of the American Dream. We are empowering ourselves to seek a better future, a future in which we are respected, in which our families live with dignity, in which our American Dream is possible.

We know that coming out as undocumented is a terrifying thought for many of us. But we also know that the experience is empowering and liberating for each of us, as well as for all of us as a community. We have created a guide to coming out to help you work through your fears and come up with coming out plan that is right for you. You can find that guide here. Additionally, you can contact us for help in planning your coming out. We are here to support each other through this process!

We have prepared a guide to help you get going, in addition to different levels of coming out, check it out here: Coming out, A How to Guide = http://www.dreamactivist.org/comeout/

Will you come out with me?

Mohammad Abdollahi
Co-founder DreamActivist.org
Online and Youth Organizer | Manager

Need 1 to 1 support? Call us at 1.800.596.7498 or
Email: mo@dreamactivist.org

P.S. If you are an ally and not undocumented work with your undocumented connections and help them come out.

More info here:

http://e4fc.org/scholarsprogram.html

Hey all,

I am just attaching some information on a resolution that is currently being proposed in the UC system that can potentially allow AB-540 students to receive financial aid via the school campuses. Read the actual resolutions and bills that are being proposed if your interested!

Dear Student Leader and Defender of Public Education,

Earlier this month, the University of California Student Association [UCSA]
passed a motion to support a proposal that will be presented to the UC Regents
by UCLA Chancellor Block and Student Regent Jesse Bernal at the next UC
Regents meeting which would, if passed, open up access for
undocumented AB 540 students to institutional financial aid at the University
of California.

This is exactly the type of measure that the DREAM Act calls for.
Getting the Regents to pass this would be a great step toward getting
the state and national DREAM Acts passed. Winning a UC-wide DREAM
Scholarship would be a very important victory for our movement—a step in
the direction toward opening the gates of the UC far and wide for everyone
in the state.

Attached to this email you will find the actual motion passed by UCSA
on February 6th as well as the minutes from that February 6th meeting
showing that the motion carried [see page 16 of attachment].

Everyone who stands for equality, integration and expanding access to
higher education should spend the time between today and the
March Regents meeting fighting to make sure that the Regents pass the
Block/Bernal resolution.  Making sure that the Regents pass this
resolution will not be simple or easy.

An important step you can take immediately is to have your organization
vote to endorse the resolution.
http://www.bamn.com/doc/2010/100216-UCSA-Resolution.doc

Make the passage of this resolution a prominent part of all your group’s days of action
leading up to the UC Regents Meeting on March 23-25, including events related to the
DREAM Act or March 4th, the day we shut down California. Building the power of our
independent student movement is the best way to ensure that the DREAM Scholarship becomes a reality.
The HIGH SCHOOL flyer to build for March 4th and fight to pass the UC Dream Act is
ATTACHED.

For more information and flyers for the upcoming events, visit:
http://www.bamn.com/doc/2010/100213-uc-dreamact.asp

Spread the word!  Forward this email out to EVERYONE, so people
know what’s at stake over the next 6 weeks.