Dream Act: A campaign for all!!!!

I have been following Dream Act since 2001 one year before I graduated from High School. I live in Houston, Texas and I was fortunate enough to continue my higher education. Almost ready to graduate from college but with very little hope to be able to follow my plans of the ideal job. I have been resourceful and found opportunities that have given me experience in my field. I know it is a rare case since many of us have very little opportunities but I reassure you that I will take advantage of my opportunities to rally more support for Dream Act.

I have been with all of you during the defeats in 2003 and 2007. I have followed the calls for action to call and sent postcards without hesitation. It is time to take a proactive approach and prove to this country that we have the talent and strength to become a powerful asset of this society. We will no longer take a passive approach and will become the movement that everyone can identify with.

I know that we don't follow our opposition but there is an advantage of knowing what we stand against. If there is something that I have realized is that our opposition has some great qualities. They are very unified, tenacious, and resourceful. They are very clear about their goal and they will take whatever action to succeed. They come from different religious backgrounds but they don't let that get to them. They have individuals that are willing to cough up a few thousand dollars to send letters and rally more support for themselves.

We have to learn from their approach. We will not sit here and expect for Dream Act by continuing to do the same thing we did the last times. We should do that and a lot more. We have to make this cause belong to someone other than us Dreamers!!! We continue to try and convince ourselves of something that we already support. We as individuals have no voice, we live in the shadows, we have uncertainty in our lives!!! But we have succeeded despite that.

We have to find that voice with other people which will find relevancy in this cause. Our educators should be our first allies. Educators should be aware of the relevance of this initiative as it affects their students. They need to protect the investment that they have placed for many years on us. Otherwise we will not be able to continue our path to higher education. Teachers know of that student that has given up and can't comprehend why. This is why because we have no reason to! But many of us have found the strength to go on and they should loan us their voice. I have called upon all of my past teachers and professors with a call for action. I have called upon all of my college friends in the education field with a call for action. We must contact local, regional and national education organizations to give us their voice and support. They have rights and they should be heard!!!!

The minority groups that have struggled to find their place in this country. I read a post on this forum asking the question: "What would Dr. King do?" The African American community should identify with the rights we are being denied of. Let them be our voice. I am contacting my local NAACP for their support and their network to make their voices heard!!!!

Our friends: we have been there for them and they know better than anyone that we are hardworking individuals. Any organization that you have been a part of needs to stand up and speak up for you. Any fraternities, sororities, service organization, volunteer group, church needs to stand up for you!

I will no longer sit here and expect for us Dreamers alone to make this happen. There has to be a proactive approach to this Dream Act. We should not wait and hope that someone else is going to start this movement. Continue to call but get help!!! We are going to start meeting on a weekly basis and starting a campaign which includes everything that I have mentioned above. If we have to spend a day, calling our VOICES to call others to call others than we will. We have to create an effect that will make a difference this time around. If we have to visit schools to rally more support, we will. If we have to have fundraisers to have the funds, than we will and with the help of our allies!

I hope to hear more from everyone, especially those from Houston, so we can make this time around a great impact.

All men dream but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes to make it possible. T.E. Lawrence

First of all, I love your post. It is eloquent and positive. It is inspiring. You are clearly smart and educated.

I do not believe the nativist groups are more organize than us. In a country as big as ours, it easy to find several thousand of individuals who would rather destroy our country than to adjust the status of one undocumented person. There are also 1,000 people who believe the world is flat.

In many aspects, we are a more diverse group than they are. They do not have many openly gays, Latinos, Filipinos, atheists, Christians, Asians, European and Africans members. They do not have many members who speak more than one language. In reality, we have pretty good relationships if you consider how diverse we are.

As also mentioned in other posts, their job is easier. They use fear and anger to further their agenda. For example, the university system, we have a bad system that expensive -tuition, taxpayer $$- and not effective -half students graduate. It is easy to scream that Dreamers are abusing the system and taking the resources from other kids and it resonates with parents who are struggling to keep their kids in college.

Our job is to plead to economics, logic, compassion, justice and core values. People do not get to those issues that easily. It kind a takes a while for the pill to sink in.

I agree completely with you on your biggest argument. Dreamers need to represent themselves. The best argument for the Dream Act are the Dreamers themselves. Not even Josh or Mark or Durbin could sway the masses the way a Dreamer could.

The key is self interest. What would the other person/organization gain? I am not meaning moneys or power- although sometimes it is. Let's face it many dreamers do not move a finger because they see DA as a way to gain a DL and SS and credit and so forth. Most of the Dreamers who are working intensely are moved by ideals. They believe this is an ethics/justice/moral issue.

Of course effective representation will work. Gay dreamers are more successful promoting their cause with organizations that promote gay rights. If you do not believe in God, there is no point to go and try to promote the Dream Act with a pastor, he/she will feel sorry for you but he/she has a flock with issues. On the other hand, if you are an active member of that congregation, your problem will resonate deeply and the pastor will do anything in his/her power to help you. You are part of that community.

Of course, all this long post is probably not going to be read by most members. This are things that you learn by being active in grassroots organizations that take you by the hand and show you the way. I can give pointers but honestly, people need more than pointers. It is easy to give you the theory but the fact is a different matter. That is why I believe in promoting active ground organization and use DAP for communication means.

There are still wonderful effective things someone can do in DAP. The card idea is genial in its simplicity. Sending emails and faxes are other deals that can be done.

Lobby day in DC is a another matter. It is hard, unsexy and expensive. Although it would be cool and probably more effective than anything. I do not want to discourage you because I think you are doing the right thing and going through the right path. Just sharing some of the things learned through mine.

Take Care.

Fantastic posts.

I thoroughly agree with most of what was said in both your posts. I did write that dreamers should do other things in addition to what was done in 2003 and 2007 to make the dream a reality. A campaign asking our educators, religious leaders and social networks is a very good idea.

Our opposition indeed has the easier tasks because fear is usually more persusasive than virtually anything else known to man... except hope and love especially after this past election.

Dreamers need to also speak the language of persuasion better. We need better metaphors and should frame issues more sharply and heed the advise of notable linguists such as Professor Lakov. It is all about how the issue is framed. Objectively speaking there is absolutely no credible argument against the dream act except that it would change the face of america which is the unstated argument that the opposition is making without using those exact words because they have learned not to be overtly racist in order to avoid the backlash.

These days it is really not that expensive to have a media strategy with the technology tools available we just have to blog more, contact news stations and advertisers and let them understand our cause.

Great point that we should not be the only voices to champion our cause. Al Sharpton is also a very strong proponent of CIR and we need every voice especially educators to lend us their voice.

keep the ideas flowing.

Very insightful posts.....I totally agree we need to do more than we've done in past years to get this bill passed this time. I'm wondering if anyone has personal contacts with officials in local school districts who are directly affected by this issue. I say that because I think we do need voices that go beyond individual phone calls, email, or faxes. These are powerful people who can speak to this issue; maybe even University Presidents or student provosts.
I'm hoping to meet with one of our local lawmakers who also has a radio show soon. I think as much as we are the real faces of the DREAM we can also lobby influential people in our local communities to help push the issue. I'm also in houston so maybe we can chat sometime and possibly work together on a strategy out here.