"Forming a Group"

Hello.

My name is Gerardo Martinez and I am from Mexico.
I live in Jacksonville Florida recently.

I was 16 years old when i came to U.S.A. to looking for my mom. My mom came here when i was 11 years old but we weren't making to much money to survive in Mexico so...she decide to came here and looking for new opportunities but i a lot bad things happen and after fours of waiting for my mom i decided to came here and helped here to work with her and made more money to ...you know.. have something in our lives.

When i came here i started working for year and a few months. After that, my mom met a teacher in Fletcher High School and asked her why i was not in the school so this teacher helped me to continue with my studies and years after i finish the High School and i got my diploma.

I learned a lot things when i was in the school and new languages helped me to open new doors and i found a better job than pick up trash in the constructions.

Recently i am working in a restaurant serving tables and with the money that i make making in this place i am sending the money to my mom and try to keep something for my self and come back to school.

I already lost 2 years. I graduated in 2008 and i mean i don't want to come to my country because almost all my life is here and come back to Mexico is like started from the beginning.
The only person that i have there in my mom and she came back in February 2010 because my grand-mom were sick and that's the only reason.

I am trying to be strong and don't miss to much to my mom and i am working all that i can but my life is here.......my work, my friends, my family, my brother, etc.

Sometimes i feel that...........that is unfair that.. just because we are immigrants we cannot realize our dreams like everysingle person in this country. I am a good person and i never had any problems in the school or in my work ..the only problem that i have is that i am immigrant.

I want to create a group i know some students that have the same situation.

I just want to come back to school like thousand of students, i am just one of them but the difference is that i want to do something and help, fight or wherever. I want to create a group to help and see this Dream Act became real.

Thanks.

I hope you can send me back some information or give me some instructions to follow. After to have the group of students what i have to do? How do i know what i have to do?

Please i hope you can send me back something and i promise to fight until the end.

Here are other suggestions to think about:

-Have you talked to that other person about your ideas? Get together and think about how you can get other people interested in your group.

-Check out this page: http://www.dreamactivist.org/resources/
Read with your friend the "Lobby and Organizing Resources from the United States Student Association". That should be a good resource on how to get involved as a group of organizers.

-Keep checking the thread you made to see if other people are interested or have ideas for you.

Hope this helps. Please keep in touch about how your group is going. I'd be interested to know more!

First go to community organizers in your area. Usually churches already do this kind of work, and they can help you out because they are natural allies. You should also get in contact with the TrailOfDreams group, I think they are from Florida. Hope that helps, good luck!

http://www.swer.org/home.htm

There are many groups of undocumented students up and down Florida that are part of SWER.