Author Archives: El Random Hero

Dream Team Members Garner Online Traction

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Dream Team LA members Nancy Meza, Carlos Amador and Erick Huerta were all featured for their open editorials and blog post on two different sites. All three members continued the ongoing dialogue of what it means to be young, undocumented while growing up in the United States with their individual contributions.

Both Nancy, along with Erick, contributed to the brand new “Dream Activist Blogging Series” on the Huffington Post, Latino Voices page. In her post, “Immigration Is Not Just An Election Year Issue, It Is A Reality Millions Of Undocumented People In The U.S Have To Face Every Day,” Nancy discusses the need for politicians and multi-million dollar corporations, to be held accountable for their role in driving immigrants from their home countries with unbalanced foreign trade policies, such as NAFTA. Continue reading →

OC to LA Dream Ride 2012

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Dream Act Riders, Dream Team Los Angeles, Orange County Dream Team, El Centro Cultural de Mexico, Solidarity Ink and City of Lights are proud to announce that we are officially opening registration for the OC to LA Dream Ride 2012. This years ride will be on Sunday March 4th and will be starting in Orange County from El Centro Cultural de Mexico in Santa Ana with a ride kick off celebration and ending at Solidarity Ink in Lincoln Heights with a welcoming celebration. This years ride will be in celebration of the passage of the California Dream Act, but also connecting the immigrant rights movement with the biking community.

If you would like to participate in this years ride, please CAREFULLY READ AND FILL OUT the  form provided in the link below. Once we have received it, you will be notified and be provided with additional information and updates about the ride as we get closer to the day.

CLICK HERE TO FILL OUT THE REGISTRATION FORM

Requirements for the ride:
* Bicycle that’s in working condition ( If you’re bike needs a tune up or adjustments, contacts us to fix it)
* No Beach Cruisers
* Comportable/casual clothes (you will get sweaty)
* Refillable water bottle/canteen to have during the ride
* Working front and back lights (required by law)

 

Registration fee:
There is a one time, non-refundable $20 registration fee for this ride that will cover logistics and the following for all riders/volunteers participating:
* Lunch
* Dinner
* Snacks/Water
* Bicycle Assistance
* First Aid Care

Payments can be made online through the Pay Pal Link below or in person to Erick Huerta and/or Yenni Diaz if they can’t be made online.

Volunteers Needed:
If you would like to volunteer for the bike ride, we are looking for folks who can help do traffic control during the ride, drive and be escorts in vehicles, setting up lunch and dinner at the respective locations. ALL VOLUNTEERS WILL HAVE THEIR MEALS TAKEN CARE OF AND THEIR REGISTRATION FEE WILL BE WAIVED. If you helped out last year or wanna volunteer this year, contact us.

If you need further incentive on being part of tis amazing ride and event, check out all the pics our friend Victor took of the ride.

Set 1
Set 2
Set 3
Set 4
Set 5 
Set 6

Dream Team L.A. Member on KPFK

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Dream Team L.A. member, Mariella Saba, was recently invited to the KPFK studios to discuss and share the work DTLA does in the immigrant rights movement. “Sojourner Truth with Margaret Prescod,” an early morning show that features daily public affairs, with guest host Hamid Khan, that featured a discussion on the affects Secure Communities has had in communities here in Los Angeles.

Mariellas segment comes in at the 25:40 mark, as she describes some of the first hand effects Scomm has had in families and children in the Pico Union area. During the conversation, Mariella as “how do they make business from our pain?” when the discussion turns to families being separated from each other and  placed in detention centers that see individuals as money, rather than humans. The perceptive discussion continues on for 10 minutes as she also shares the need for self care and healing within any movement, its importance and how she has facilitated these elements in DTLA.

 

Dreamers Profiled in USC Video

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Jesus Cortez in the classroom

Jesus Cortez and Martha Vazquez are profiled by Jessica Flores, a journalism student, currently at USC for the program, “Impact.” The video highlights the work and everyday struggles both Cortez and Vazquez face, how they exceed, despite being held by back their immigration status and how they are fighting to change all of that. You can view the 20 min segment yourself, here.

 

Undocu-Media Workshop

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Dream Team Los Angeles in Collaboration with Dreamers Adrift will be hosting an Undocumedia workshop. This workshop is open to current media makers, both undocumented & allies, and to those who are seriously committed to creating and contributing to their own forms of media .

This workshop will focus on strengthening our media skills ( in multiple platforms of media ) and creating a vision of what and where we want to see undocumented youth media.

Priority will be given to those who are part of a group/organization. Space will also be given to those individuals who are not part of an organization, but want to contribute to the creation of undocumented media.

If you are interested in attending please send the following to undocumedia@gmail.com

Name
Organization ( if you are part of an organization )
What type of media do you create or are interesting in creating ?
What does undocumedia mean to you ?

Space is limited to 30 people, so please submit your information ASAP to secure your attendance to the workshop.

With much love

Dreamers Adrift and Dream Team Los Angeles

CNN en Español profiles Dreamer/Artist Julio Salgado

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Julio is know in the Dream movement for being an amazing artist, and as a member of dreamers adrift. His art work has been seen all over the country and all over facebook whenever there’s anything Dream related going on. His style is unmistakable, simple and to the point each and every time. Recently, Julio was profiled by CNN en Español, talking about his drawing, the dream act movement and how they’re both intertwined.

Governor Brown Signs AB 131 2nd Half of CA Dream Act

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Today Governor Brown signed AB 131, the second portion of the California Dream Act, into law and demonstrated California’s leadership in advancing equal access to higher education for all. Undocumented students applaud Governor Brown’s leadership in investing in the next generation of Californians.

The California Dream Act was first introduced on January 11, 2011 by Assemblymember Gil Cedillo, and will allow students that meet the in-state tuition requirements to apply for and receive specified financial aid administered by California’s public colleges and universities.  It is estimated that there are over 25,000 undocumented students who graduate every year from California’s high schools. Economic projections for the state of California suggest that by 2025 two of every five jobs will require a college graduate. AB 131 brings California a step closer towards fulfilling this need by allowing undocumented students to continue their education.

“As undocumented students we’ve faced a particularly difficult challenge in financing our education because of our ineligibility to apply for financial aid.  The California Dream Act will protect the investment the state of California has made in our education,” said Erick Huerta , a Dream Team Los Angeles member and community college student .

According to a statement released by the Office of Governor Jerry Brown, “The California Department of Finance estimates that 2,500 students will qualify for Cal Grants as a result of AB 131, at a cost of $14.5 million. The overall Cal Grant program is funded at $1.4 billion, meaning that 1 percent of all Cal Grant funds will be potentially impacted by AB 131 when the law goes into effect”

The passage of the California Dream Act sends a strong message of hope to the rest of the country that we will continue to fight for justice until all immigrants are given an equal opportunity to fulfill their dreams.

 

For more information,
Contact: Nancy Meza
Phone: (424) 785-4013
Email: dreamteamlosangeles@gmail.com

 

Dream Team L.A.

California Dream Act (AB 131) Week of Action

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California Dream Act (AB 131) Week of Action May 23 – May 27

The time to take action is now! We need AB 131 out of the Appropriations Committee! We have until May 27 to get the bill out of the suspense file!

Immediate actions you can take:

1) Call, call, call! (see script below)

You can also join us on Wednesday, May 25, 2011 at a call-in center starting at 10 a.m.
675 S. Park View St.
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Contact: dreamteamlosangeles@gmail.com for more details as needed

3) Make sure 5 of your friends do the same

Please call the following key legislators:

  • Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes, Appropriations Committee Chair  (916) 319-2039
  • Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield, Budget Committee Chair  (916) 319-2040
  • Assembly Speaker John Perez,  (916) 319-2046

Script:

“Hi my name is _______I am with________(affiliation or constituent). I am calling to thank Assemblymember (Fuentes, Blumenfield, or Perez)  for his leadership and his support on AB 130, half of the CA Dream Act. I also count on his support for AB 131; which is currently in the Assembly Appropriations’ suspense file. Thank you.”

Es hora de Actuar! Necesitamos sacar la propuesta AB 131 fuera del Comité de Apropiaciones!

Por favor llame a los siguientes legisladores claves:

  • Asambleísta Felipe Fuentes, Presidente del Comité de Apropiaciones (916) 319-2039
  • Asambleísta Bob Blumenfield, Presdiente del Comité de Presupuesto  (916) 319-2040
  • Presidente de la Asamblea John Perez,  (916) 319-2046

Comentario: Ten buenos modales

“Hola, mi nombre es _______ y soy parte de _______ (afiliación o constituyente). Estoy llamando para agradecer al Asambleísta (Fuentes, Blumenfield, Perez) por su liderazgo y apoyo a la propouesta AB 130, la mitad de la Acta del Sueño de California. Espero contar también con su apoyo para la propuesta AB 131, la cual está en suspenso en el Comité de Apropiaciones de la Asamblea. Gracias.”