Students for Fair Consideration

The more I read Anzaldua the more I can identify and connect with what she is saying. What got my attention the most was her decision to not be an academic and write as she wanted. “After teaching in Texas public school system, I decided (years before) that I was not going to be a professional academic” (189). Anzaldua also explains, “ as a dyke of color, I have to take pretty big risks in my teaching, speaking engagements, and writing. I push against the boundaries of what’s acceptable and traditional in these three lines of work” (189). Personally, I am going through the same dilemma of being an academic or doing my own thing. I want to pursue higher education levels, but I know that the higher I go the higher are the risks and limits that I will encounter. I know I am going to do a master’s degree but have doubted getting a Ph.D. I want the Ph.D. only because as a Mexican woman I want to be fully prepared to be independent and I also want to be a role model. The doubts I have about getting a Ph.D. are due to the idea that the only path is to be a professor and do research. I want to work with students and the community and not be stuck doing research and teaching. I have more power going into the communities and interacting with them rather than writing books that they may never get access to. Another reason that makes me not want to do the research as part of having a Ph.D. is the academic writing. Like Anzaldua, I don’t want to use “the master’s tools” (189). I want to be able to express myself in simple in Spanglish and with no grammar and spelling rules. That is why I don’t want to earn a Ph. D.
The only place I have felt like I can express myself without any rules is in art. Everything I make is related to my life, culture and things that are somehow connected to my crazy ideas. However, my works make me feel marginalized because I am one of the only minorities creating something that yells “Mexican, woman, childhood, etc.” As Anzaldua mentions, “art and literature are exclusive” (189). I am expected to paint like a white artist and not a woman of color. I violate this idea just as Anzalsua ignored the rules for writing. I take advantage of the freedoms creating an art piece gives me because I can make it and be criticized later.
I realized art is the way I like to fully express myself. Now, I am wondering what degree I will pursue. If I was to go into art, will I run into the same issue of the white artist majority wanting to force me to follow their artistic paths? Also, by the time I graduate and go through the identity changes to come, how will I identify myself in my works?

Umm my school work has been very busy but here’s just a thought I had now….

The end makes me think about the beginning. But then I like the end because I’ve grown from my beginning. Neither have I become a better nor a worse person but I’ve grown more into the person I am. Life is a gift, treasure it. Believe.Hug. Laugh.Love.

…………………………

Also, I would like to invite everyone to the Hmong Cultural Night on March 13th.  The Hmong Student Association, known as HSA, which I am a member and an officer as Historian of,  are hosting the cultural night in UC Merced, my school. If you would like to come, please let me know. Email me at christabellenaw@gmail.com. The cultural night includes music, skits, who are the Hmongs, free snacks, Hmong clothing fashion show, and many more. I will be one of the ushers and helping out with the Hmong clothing fashion show committee so it has been fun.  It is free admissions.  Please join us if you are interested.=D

“Embrace your roots. They are the strength to your identity.”

Take care now.=)

PPIA Junior Summer Institute at Princeton University

“Dear Marco,

Congratulations! I am pleased to inform you that you have been admitted to the 2010 PPIA Junior Summer Institute (JSI) at Princeton University. Please be advised that you have been admitted on a provisional basis pending receipt of your official college transcripts.”

Now the interesting thing about this is – I’m scared of the flight. I hate the stupid ’search’ I have to go through. I’m scared already, it’s not even funny how scared I get.  Either way, I’m beyond excited.  Princeton, here I come.

events looking forward to that are coming up:

President Bill Clinton

president bill clinton speaking on global citizenship. tickets are out, no more. BUT luckily I was able to get up at 7:00am in the morning to reserve a spot.  I think this might be interesting, it might even come in handy for my thesis.

Empowering Women of Color 2010

Now what is there not to love about EWOC?  I love this event, love it love it LOVE IT. I’m looking forward to the art work that women have submitted, the free t-shirt, and the posters that will be going up soon.  The conference is March 13 -14, 2010, you can still register.

Decolonizing the University: Fulfilling the Dream of the Third World College

Now this should be a treat!  A series of panelists speaking of ‘decolonizing the university.’  Rising Immigrant Scholars through Education and Immigrant Student Issues Coalition are putting on two separate workshops on AB540/undocumented students.  RISE will have more of a student perspective, and ISIC will provide more of a staff perspective of how to navigate the system.  You can still register, and you should because it’s bound to get packed.  February 26-27, 2010.

The first thing that impacted me from The Gloria Anzaldua Reader was the cover of the book, “Haciendo caras, una entrada” (making faces, an entrance). The stoic posture and her eyes seem to be yelling out at me things that I can’t seem to understand. The glare in her eyes catches, and pulls me in. They make me want to know what she was seeing and feeling at the moment she took this picture. My heart starts pumping tons of blood faster and faster each time I look at the cover, inciting many emotions that I can’t seem to describe. The title of the cover seems to make me feel better because the cover is the entrance to the many faces, identities and worlds Anzaldua was.
Every time she writes about one of her personal stories I emerge myself into it and see how relevant those same stories are to mine. What caught my attention the most about the chapter of “La Prieta” were the fears she had. “One of my biggest fears is that of betraying myself, of consuming myself with self-castigation, of not being able to unseat the guilt that has ridden on my back for years” (39). I also feel this way very often when I think of my past, present, and future decisions. Sometimes the decisions I make can feel as if I betrayed myself, especially when I do them for or against my family. One that is really haunting me is marriage. I am battling between doing it for my family or for myself. My aunts already hint that I am getting old and should start looking around for the lucky one. As for my parents, it’s not an option, it’s expected. Their wedding was done thinking of setting an example for their children to follow.
Like Anzaldua, my biggest fear if disappointing my mother. “But above all, I am terrified of making my mother the villain in my life rather then showing how she has been a victim” (39). My mother can be very traditional especially when it comes to how a woman should behave and marry a virgin. Like Anzaldua, I am the only female out of 3 males. I also feel the “resentment” not just for that physical love they share, but for the sexual, behavioral freedom my brothers are “entitled” to have that I don’t. I have seen my mother as the villain for the longest time for those reasons. I have felt betrayed but after learning about the aspects of history and society that made her this way; I’m learning to accept she is a victim just as I have been a victim to those traditions instilled in her. I try to liberate her mind by telling her what I learn but those beliefs are too engraved in her mind. She does not want to live out of the norm and be the odd ball.
I’m learning and exploring those ideals searching for a loophole or hoping to be accepted for every decision going against tradition.

I finally got my afterschool mentoring/tutoring program running! I met the students that I am going to work with for the rest of the year and I am so excited to be doing this for them! All of the students that I am working with are minority students who really want to attend the ‘outdoor ed’ program, but just don’t have the money. They are also heavily struggling in their academics, most of them are struggling in math. For the past 3 meetings we have had, all we have worked on is their homework. We have been working hard to have them understand their homework a lot better. It is really hard to say how much we have improved, but we are definitely helping them out as much as we can. :] I can feel the impact we are going to have on their lives… I’m very anxious to see what the rest of the year brings for us.

Hey guys,
I just want to share this article that I got interviewed from WA API newspaper.

http://www.iexaminer.org/news/features/student-deportations/

On March 15, 2009, Alonso Chehade, an undocumented immigrant from Peru, was arrested at the US/Canada border for unlawful presence in the United States. After remaining in the detention center for two weeks, Chehade was later released with the assistance of his family, who posted a $7,500 bond to free him from prison.

For undocumented immigrants living in the U.S., Chehade’s story is not uncommon. In 2007, three hundred thousand people were detained for illegally residing in the U.S. For the years between 2003 – 2008, deportation increased by 60 percent in the U.S. From these statistics, we can see that the number of deported immigrants is on the rise, which impacts the communities they live and work in.

Chehade’s experience as an undocumented immigrant is different from the first generation’s. The decision to live undocumented in the US was his parent’s decision, not Chehade’s. Therefore Chehade became an undocumented resident through no action of his own.

Enter the DREAM Act (Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors), a proposed bill that would give undocumented minors a chance to enlist in the military or go to school in the U.S., thus preparing a way for them to become citizens. Introduced by Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois and Rep. Howard Berman of California, the bill has not yet officially passed Congress. Yet with the help of certain individuals, this bill could pass soon, allowing people like Chehade to become citizens of the U.S. Without citizenship, undocumented immigrants cannot apply for government IDs, such as driver’s licenses and strips them of many opportunities that citizens take for granted.

“My hardships began when I went to UW,” said Chehade. “There were some things I wanted to do that I couldn’t do, like study abroad. I didn’t have enough money for going out of the state and I couldn‘t do internships. You need social security to do internships.”

Many other immigrants, like Ju Hong, an acquaintance of Chehade, have to work menial jobs that will hire undocumented workers.

“You can’t get a decent job because the only jobs are construction work or restaurant work,” said Hong. “You get low wages and are treated really badly.”

In addition to the numerous legal barriers students face, the social stigma attached to being an undocumented immigrant can make some feel they don’t belong to American society. One may be tempted to ask: “Why should we care for a resident who is living here illegally? Why can’t they go through normal channels to gain citizenship?” It is important in this circumstance to realize that people like Chehade and Hong had little control over their lives when they came to the U.S; their fates were decided by their parents. The DREAM Act allows qualifying individuals a chance to gain citizenship in the U.S. and pursue their dreams.

Chehade and Hong are working tirelessly to raise awareness regarding the DREAM Act. As the founder of DREAMERS for Positive Change, Chehade gets to connect with other individuals that have similar experiences to Chehade’s. Chehade’s case has also received the attention of numerous prominent politicians, such as Senator Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray. While Hong participates in two organizations aiming to raise awareness about the DREAM act – the Asian Law Caucus in San Francisco and Korean Resource Center in Los Angeles.

Hong emphasizes: “I want to make it clear that the DREAM Act is not just for Latinos. There are 12 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S., of which 2 million are Asians. In the Asian American community it is embarrassing to talk about these kinds of issues. But we have to step up and support the issue.”

So, if passed, what would the DREAM Act mean to the community at large? First, it would allow undocumented minors the opportunity to live legally in the U.S. as citizens. Since the bill is aimed at those minority residents aspiring to go to college, the bill would also help create educated and productive members of the community. Finally, the bill would reinforce the principles of the American Dream, which are founded on equal opportunity, equality, and diversity.

There are numerous ways to get involved in the passing of the DREAM Act. Calling your senator will inform him/her that immigration reform is a significant issue that needs to be addressed. Telling friends, family, and others about the DREAM Act would also raise awareness of undocumented immigrants living in the U.S.

The following link provides information on how to participate: www.dreamactivist.org

I am the McDonald double Cheese Burger
I am the Starbucks white chocolate Mocha
I am the Strawberry tootsie roll pop

I am the Los Angeles Lakers
I am the New Orleans Saints
I am the New York Yankees

I am the Walmart when I save money
I am the Disneyland when I have fun
I am the Public University when I attain a higher education

I am a dreamer through love and hope
I am a public servant through loyalty and respect
I am a believer through faith and patience

I am the Eagle
I am the Democracy
And I am the resource

I am the land of opportunity
I am the water of freedom
I am the soil of knowledge

You see, I am who I am
I am an American

For the DREAM Action week, RISE will be facilitating a teach-in about AB540 (undocumented) students in higher education.

“Dreamers: The Struggle of Undocumented Students in Higher Education”

The teach in will be part of “Decolonizing the University: Fulfilling the Dream of the Third World College,” a conference taking place February 26-27, 2010 at UC Berkeley, in commemoration of the Ethnic Studies Department’s 40th anniversary and in celebration of the 10th annual Cultural Night of Resistance.

More about the conference:
“The purpose of this conference is to have collective dialogues about fulfilling the dream of the Third World College and decolonizing the university at large. These goals are more relevant today than ever given the demographic change in the state and the nation, and the racial, sexual, gendered, and colonial dimensions of transnational capitalism, neoconservatisms, and neoliberalism globally. It is also significant that as people of color have become the majority in the state of California, the state has dramatically changed its priorities in funding and it is about to allocate more resources to prisons than to public higher education.”

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?v=wall&gid=229249904147

About the teach in:

Despite economic hardships and unique sociopolitical challenges, many undocumented students have excelled academically and are active and productive members of society. Nevertheless, when these students apply for college admissions they are confronted with the reality that they cannot attend. Many if not all of these students were brought here as minors by their parents and thus had no choice when their families moved to the United States. Because of their immigration status, these students do not qualify to receive federal or state financial aid. These students are not eligible for Pell Grants, Cal Grants, federal loans, or even work study. Furthermore, they are not even eligible for most public and private scholarships since they require applicants to be at a minimum permanent residents or citizens. Even though these are bright and talented students with dreams of earning a degree, many give up because they find it difficult, if not impossible to afford an education.

Now, more than ever, action needs to be taken for these students’ rights as both the Federal and California Dream Acts have failed to pass and the comprehensive immigration reform has not been supported by the Senate in the past.

Our goals are to increase awareness around the issue and at the same time motivate attendees to get involved in the struggle and resistance that has been developing in the past years.
In order for the DREAM Act (which would make undocumented students qualify for financial aid and open a path to citizenship) or immigration reform to get enacted, student power and allies will be essential.

It has been said that there are about 450 undocumented students in the UC system. Students who have not received an equal opportunity to fulfill their dreams of achieving an education. That actually goes against decolonizing, ethnic studies and world college ideals which to a certain extent can be counteracted by increasing the awareness and supporting this AB540 student-led movement.

We hope to see many of you there.

I attended the retreat for the Gender and Equity Center two weeks ago. For the past few months now, the idea of decolonizing the university has come up after the budget cuts and rise in tuition cost. I still don’t know what it means to decolonize it when we have not decolonized our own minds.
We went to the multicultural center to do an activity. Before the activity was done, the history of it was told to us by one of the interns. She mentioned that the center was in danger of being closed down and the decision would be made by next year. One thing that stood out and was later discussed by the director of GenEq was about her personal idea of how decision making works in the university. She claimed university officials make decisions for one generation to in a sense give them what they want to calm them down and once they leave the decisions are contested and changed.
The director of GenEq in a sense challenged her idea and reminded everyone that some people in power are minorities. It seemed like he wanted to protect the brothers and sisters that are in power because they have the opportunity to change our school. This however, came into question when the chancellor for Equity and Inclusion came in to talk to us about what he does and answer questions. Out of that conversation, he reiterated many times how decision-making took so much time to do and that it should be done slowly. He pissed me off when someone asked a question relating to what he was doing to reduce the sexism and racism within the staff and professors. Someone suggested a deep training on ethnicity for every professor but he basically said he was not going to force professors to do it because they would not want to attend it any way. Another student asked him about where they could report the racist comments, or actions professors have done and the only thing he said was that none of that was being done.
These happenings made me question the privilege minorities have when they are in power but yet don’t use it properly. It also made me realize how those same minorities are so unaware of ethnic issues. The chancellor is a minority himself, he is supposed to be working to bring equality and inclusion to this campus but when it comes to it he can’t even fix the racism and sexism that students suffer from teachers who have not decolonized their minds. He has not even though about fixing this issue or appointing someone to start collecting this data of the racist and sexist remarks that professors have made. He is not open to trying new ideas that could potentially change the views of at least one professor. He even said that as a professor himself he would not attend such workshops. If he has such negative attitude toward change, and toward getting educated about the issue then fixing it is not on the list of tasks. He was definitely not interested in the agenda of minorities. He told us to email him if we had any more questions, BUT he left no email address or business card. This showed me he was not interested in what we had to say because he already had a list of things to attend to that did not include equity and inclusion. If the goal is to decolonize the university in this case, it should be worked on from the roots up. The professors should definitely be included on the list of must decolonize!

The New Leader Scholarship of the Marin Community Foundation annually awards scholarships of up to $7,000 which may be renewed. Awardees may receive additional support for graduate school application costs. Applicants NEED NOT be Marin County residents to qualify. Application deadline is March 15th.

You may qualify if you:

- Are enrolled at one of the following universities: California State University, East Bay; San Francisco State University; San Jose State University; Sonoma State University or University of California, Berkeley;

- Are an upper division student who has attended the school for one academic year or more, with 60 units or more, 30 of which need to have been attained at your present university;

- A minimum 3.5 GPA either at the current school or at a combination of the current school plus all schools previously attended. Consideration will be given to students with a GPA of 3.2 to 3.49 under special circumstances;

- Are planning to pursue advanced education in the social sciences, human services, public interest law, health-related fields or public service;

- Have demonstrated financial need.

OR, if you are a previous New Leader Scholarship recipient and plan to attend graduate school at a public university in California.

If you would like to apply for a New Leader Scholarship, download and complete this pdf application form and mail it by March 15th to the Marin Education Fund (see address below).

You can find out more about the application process by downloading our application guide.

Marin Education Fund
781 Lincoln Ave., Suite 140
San Rafael, CA 94901
phone: (415) 459-4240
toll-free: (800) 891-7540
fax: (415) 459-0527
info@marineducationfund.org
www.marineducationfund.org

See Recipients’ Biographies for information about previous New Leader Scholarship awardees.

Established with the Marin Community Foundation, scholarships are administered by the Marin Education Fund, the scholarship arm of the Marin Community Foundation.