Share Your Story as an Undocumented Youth
"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world."
-Harriet Tubman
As undocumented students, it is critical that we use every venue at our disposal to share our stories, to not live with the stigma of being undocumented, and to not lead our lives in fear of the unknown. Every year 65,000 undocumented students are estimated to graduate from high school only to face barriers to higher education. There are an estimated 1.5-2.6 million undocumented youth who would benefit from the DREAM Act but live in limbo. When society fails to acknowledge our existence, let alone write our stories, we must take it upon ourselves to chart and navigate our own course. To know that many students exist in this country who are leading a mirror of our lives is sad but also exciting at the same time. It is an opportunity to get together, use our collective imaginations and build community in the waiting rooms of history. Imagine if all our stories were told?
Maria (Country of Origin - Peru; Nationality - American)
I have decided that a tiny little piece of paper and a 9-digit number are not going to decide what I am or what I am not. I don't define myself by my undocumented status. Yes, I am undocumented, but I am an American first.
There are our archives of stories. Share your story today.
To send us a story and get involved in this project, drop an email to (verve@dreamactivist.org) or contact him via his profile here.
This is an ongoing pledge that should be fulfilled as often as possible.
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Comments, Suggestions and Stories
18 Total Participants
Recent Signatories
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Ileana Reyna
- san antonio, TX
- Signed Nov 18
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Marcos Barajas
- Momence, IL
- Signed Sep 22
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Mayra Cuevas
- bedford, TX
- Signed Jul 31
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susie Yang
- Signed Jun 25
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Kristin Villanueva
- Jersey City, NJ
- Signed Jun 15
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Catalina Geornoiu
- Chicago, IL
- Signed Jun 11
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Guadalupe Loyola
- Signed May 18
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Top Recruiters
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r s
- holmen, WI
- 4 Recruits
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Marcos Barajas Momence, IL @ 06:50AM PT Sep 22
I believe that the dream act should become a reality. I was brought to the United States in 1998 to live with my grandmother. Ever since I have done everything to be able to stay leagl including petitioning under the 245-I that i am eligible through the grandfather clause and my mother and grandmother. I currently am attending a community college but after next year I wont be able to keep going to school unless something is done. I have always had the dream to become a Doctor but this wont be possible unless the dream act is placed. I hope that this bill gets passed so that I may complete my education.
Mayra Cuevas bedford, TX @ 11:33AM PT Jul 31
I think that everyone deserves a better future.
susie Yang @ 06:54PM PT Jun 25
This act applies to me and my sisters who have been residing in the U.S. undocumented for the past 25 or so years, having grown up in the U.S. and knowing nothing of our home country, thus not able to create a life for ourselves there. Although we consider ourselves American, the country does not, and are always subject to this unusual "glass ceiling".
Guadalupe Loyola @ 10:13AM PT May 18
I graduated from a vocational high school. I studied computer management and moved on to community college. Paying full tuition is ofcourse a burden and its even harder to know that you treasure your education while others dont care. Ive seen so many college kids throw their text books on the ground because it didnt cost them a dime. Their parents or the government paid for it. I am so delicate with even a pencil. This sounds so exagerated to some people but the fact is that education is a privilidge for illegal immigrants and we treat it as that. I earned an associates degree but find going to university very hard because of the cost. Upper level classes can cost like 800 dollars. A steep price to pay. I see sooo many scholarships that i could get but its so depressing to know that i cant apply. So we sit here and have to battle it out to save money for one missly class. I should be a Jr in college but am waiting for the dream act to pass or an immigration reform. We need to pass this bill so that we can prove our worth. I have hope that it will pass and eventhough its hard, i will dream of my future. When that bill passes i will aggresively go towards my bachelors with double major. I WILL PROVE MY WORTH!! I will gain the respect the i deserve and i will try to work with high school kids and help them achieve their goals. I want them to dream as much as i do. We latinos need and deserve a future to look forward too. I believe its not all about getting. It's also about giving back. LETS HELP THE DREAM ACT PASS!
norbert malski @ 10:41PM PT May 11
Pledge fulfilled May 11!
I was brought to this country as a toddler. I don't have one clear memory of my home country. It is foreign to me, America is my home now. But because of a peice paper I don't have a future after college. I fear i will be deported and have to work a dead end job and my college education will be for nothing. I am not even literate in my supposed native language or speak it well.. how can I be expected to go back.
Prerna Lal San Francisco, CA @ 08:44AM PT Apr 05
Initiated this Pledge!