“Together We Dream” Community Forum Inspired Many

by Ann Endris

On Wednesday, February 25^th, CCFT organized an evening of advocacy and education focused on supporting undocumented students in higher education.
CCFT believes that empowering educators, allies, and undocumented students with information about how to access resources and succeed in higher education encourages students to seek higher education pathways in Santa Cruz County. In the Community Forum, Educators for Fair Consideration (E4FC) provided information and best practices for supporting undocumented students, including the Dream Act, AB-540, Deferred Action, and how to create safe spaces for undocumented students. In addition to providing straight-forward information regarding complicated policies, the E4FC facilitators dispelled myths about immigration and recounted their own inspirational stories of the educators who helped them navigate college as undocumented students.

The facilitators stressed the importance of teachers in their lives who said, “We will find a way,” and helped connect them with resources and information that paved the way to attend and finance their college careers.

Simultaneously, E4FC facilitators led student and parent workshops: “Making College a Reality for Undocumented Students” (in English) and “How to Support Your Undocumented Children” (in Spanish) that provided information about legal parameters and scholarships, building a support network, creative expression and student/parent empowerment.

For anyone who could not attend the event, video footage of the community forum can be found here: http://youtu.be/Zm9gb0oVVv0

A committee is being formed at Cabrillo to discuss and implement next steps for supporting undocumented students. If you would like to be involved, please contact Maya Bendotoff at ccft@ccftcabrillo.org.

The event was cosponsored by The Cabrillo College Federation of Teachers, the Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers, the Greater Santa Cruz Federation of Teachers, UCSC Dreamweavers, the Muevelo Student Club and the Cabrillo Student Senate.

Here are 10 best practices for supporting undocumented students, provided by E4FC:

Provide Hope & Encouragement

Reassure undocumented students that college is possible despite the obstacles

Create a Safe Space

Don’t ask undocumented students to self-identify
Make resources easily available for all students
Be mindful of your language; say ‘undocumented’ rather than ‘illegal’
Use E4FC’s posters, bookmarks, and stickers to identify yourself as an ally. Visit www.e4fc.org/onlinestore.html.

Know Relevant Policies & Legislation

Understand admissions and enrollment policies for undocumented students
Understand in-state tuition and state-based aid requirements for undocumented students (if applicable)
Understand Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) eligibility requirements and application procedures. For more information, visit www.e4fc.org/resources/deferredaction.html.
Keep informed about the federal DREAM Act and other proposed immigration policies legislation

Find Scholarships

Keep track of scholarships that don’t require citizenship or residency
Help students apply to as many available scholarships as possible
Encourage scholarships to allow undocumented students to apply
Share E4FC’s “List of Scholarships that Don’t Require Social Security Numbers.”

Visit www.e4fc.org/resources/scholarshiplists.html.

Build Support Network

Identify mentors/tutors
Identify allies/advocates/sponsors
Identify mental health professionals/support groups

Identify Role Models

Identify older undocumented students who can serve as role models
Invite E4FC’s Student Outreach Ambassadors to do a workshop or presentation for students at your school. Visit www.e4fc.org/outreachprograms.html.
Refer students to E4FC’s “Life After College” Guide: www.e4fc. org/resources/lifeaftercollegeguide.html.

Involve Parents

Educate parents about why undocumented students should pursue college
Encourage good communication between children and parents
Invite parents into the college application and enrollment process
Share E4FC’s Guide for Parents of Undocumented Students (in English and Spanish). Visit www.e4fc.org/resources/parentguides.html.

Access Reputable Legal Information & Assistance

Identify reputable, affordable legal service providers in your area. Visit www.e4fc.org/resources/gettinglegalhelp.org.
Encourage students to use E4FC’s free, anonymous, and online DREAMer Intake Service to get information about their eligibility for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and other long- term immigration remedies. Visit www.e4fc.org/legalservices.html.
Refer students to E4FC’s “Beyond Deferred Action: Long-Term Immigration Remedies DREAMers Should Know About” guide: www.e4fc.org/resources/legalremedies.html.
Encourage students to pursue potential immigration remedies (if available to them)