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Ivan Ceja
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THERE WILL BE NO CELEBRATION UNTIL THE CALIFORNIA SENATE DELIVERS AB131 TO THE GOVERNOR’S DESK
What: California undocumented youth and allies will hold a press event in front of Marco Antonio Firebaugh High School to voice their disappointment in the lack of leadership from California Legislators and Governor Brown.
Where: Marco Antonio Firebaugh High School 5246 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Lynwood, CA
When: Thursday, July 28th, 2011 10:00AM
Who: California Dream Team Alliance( CADTA), California Dream Network (CDN), undocumented youth, faith based leaders and community members
Why: On Monday, Governor Jerry Brown signed the slimmer portion of the California Dream Act into law. Undocumented students are thankful that AB130 will be enacted into law; however, the more substantial portion of the CA Dream Act, AB131, needs to be taken out of Suspense in the Appropriations Committee and signed by the Governor in order to have a true CA Dream Act.
Undocumented youth and community members have chosen to gather at Marco Antonio Firebaugh High School because the core elements in AB 131 are what the late Assemblymember dedicated his life to. Assemblymember Firebaugh authored AB540, which allowed many undocumented youth to pay in-state tuition as opposed to the extremely high out of state and international fees. Students and community members will remind the state of California and its legislators that we must continue Marco Antonio Firebaugh’s legacy of supporting equal access to education by passing AB131.
AB131 will have the greater impact for undocumented students in their educational journeys as it would provide state financial aid to undocumented students. Currently, undocumented students are not eligible for any state or federal financial aid making financing their education nearly impossible.
California has already invested in these students’ K-12 education and will see a return in that investment by preparing and assisting financially a future educated workforce. Full passage of the CA Dream Act will be an investment in California’s future.
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