Mar 12, 2018 By: yunews
Care Cafe 2-21.
By Michelle Bialeck
In an extremely powerful evening, Wurzweiler School of Social Work at 麻豆区 teamed up with La Colmena Community Center in Staten Island to present 鈥淯nderstanding DACA: Past, Present, and Future.鈥 The event was hosted by the first DACA recipient to become a U.S. lawyer, former advisor to Bernie Sanders, and a strong advocate for migrant reform, Cesar Vargas. Cesar brought to the forum a panel of Dreamers, faculty from the College of Staten Island, and the founder of Safe Passage law group (a group of lawyers working to support immigrant youth free of charge.)
In a crowd filled with community members, DACA recipients, and Staten Island social workers, Dreamers shared their stories in an interactive group environment, before Vargas and other law experts shared practical advice and community resources. Dreamers in the crowd used the platform to dispel certain mistruths about their experience.
鈥淲hat we get is the right to work and the right to go to school,鈥 said one Dreamer, who spoke to the necessity of 鈥渄ebunking myths. We are not taking hand-outs. In fact, we cannot even apply for financial aid or any government aid.鈥
Another young Dreamer who began the CSI Dreamers club and who was studying to be a nurse added, 鈥淲e are your coworkers, we are your peers, we are your neighbors.鈥
Dreamers, including Vargas, spoke of living in families that were broken apart by boarders. 鈥淔amily separation was nothing new for me,鈥 said one Dreamer who described Staten Island as the only home he knows.
With all of his challenges, working several jobs to finish his undergraduate degree, his message to keep fighting and to keep asking for what you deserve, resounded:
鈥淭he answer will always be no unless you ask.鈥
When one social worker in the audience asked advice of CSI鈥檚 Ruth Powers Silverberg, a professor who works closely with Dreamers in the community, she responded:
鈥淎 community tells us what they need. It is up to us to listen.鈥
Our Care Cafe brought Staten Island community, students, leaders, and helpers all together, not only for an immigrant cause, but for a human cause.
Michelle Bialeck
