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Show CIVIL RIGHTS C3 `IS HAVEA DREAM'T00 ome people can picture what the future might hold for them. Not me. Back in high school I saw my future very clearly. I was going to major with a bachelor of science degree in Education, pursue my Master's degree and give back to my community, and of course give back to my parents for their sacrifices. That picture does not exist anymore for me. I am stuck, but I am a DREAMER. This is a term given to certain undocumented students eligible for the DREAM Act. Developmental, Relief and Education for Alien Minors DREAM Act. The DREAM Act is a proposed bill that offers a path to citizenship and opportunity for higher education for talented young DREAMers. The DREAM Act was first introduced in 2001, and more recently reintroduced last May. DREAMers or DREAM Act-eligible students are students that meet the strict criteria for the bill. In December 2010 the bill was also introduced. This time the bill passed the House strict criteria of Representatives but failed there by only a few votes in the Senate. The 2010 failure left DREAMers heartbroken. The DREAM Act would give them the right to full access to higher education and possible citizenship if the bill is passed. The name of this bill is similar to the name of Martin Luther King Jr.'s most famous speech called "I have a dream." Some people draw parallels between those days to recent ones. Teresa Puente wrote an article for www. chicagonow.com , about how she believes Martin Luther King Jr. would feel about the DREAM Act and cites his words: "Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial "outside agitator" idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds." I don't want to feel like an "outsider," or outcast, but I have felt this way my whole life. Out-casted from my community, from military services, from universities, from financial aid and from most scholarships. Most importantly I have been casted out from dreaming. I used to believe that everything would work out for me and my education. I did not want to think about myself I am stuck, but I am a DREAMER. as undocumented. In fact, I consider myself an American, only with the title "undocumented" attached to it. I cannot picture my future because I really do not have one. I cannot complete a degree because of the background checks I can not complete. But after my hard work as an undergraduate student and my parents' sacrifices and efforts, I am left with a simple question: Is it all worth it or am I wasting money and time? The other night a caucasian family friend came to visit my mom. I thought he wasn't aware of my status, but that night he addressed me and said, "I've heard that you have been upset about school." I did not know what he was talking about but I understood when he said "I know you won't be able to complete you teaching degree." At that moment my chest began to burn, my heart sped up and tears came to my eyes. I was not able to hold the tears back and I couldn't talk. I was stuck, frozen. He touched an opened wound. That night it really caught up with me completely. I consider myself an American, but sadly the title undocumented is attached. It hurts to be undocumented, I spend half of my time hiding my true identity. No one outside my family knows about my doomed future, but anyone that knows that I am a DREAMer thinks that I will graduate with my degree in the spring of 2013. Being undocumented hurts, but I find refuge in the word DREAMER. Being a DREAMER means that I won't sit around waiting for laws to change, it means that I will fight for my rights as an undocumented student. Because just as Martin Luther said, "Freedom must be demanded by the oppressed." I will fight alongside other DREAMERS for the DREAM Act. I do not think that it is a coincidence that my birthday is the same week as Martin Luther King Jr. day. To me this holiday marks my birthday with a big "DARE TO DREAM" sign. As the DREAMER that I am, I do dare to dream just as Martin Luther King Jr. did. As a DREAMER I would like to dream. I dream that one day I will be able to look into a clear future. I dream that someday I will have true control of my life. I dream that someday I will have access to a complete education. I dream of the day when I won't be an outcast. I dream that sometime in the future I would be able to complete my background check. I dream that I will be fully recognized as what I am, an American, but without the "undocumented" word attached. I dream of a better future for my community undocumented or not, for my fellow DREAMERS and for my country because like Martin Luther King Jr. I dare to DREAM. Photo by Conner Allen/UVU Review The author of this article chose to remove their name for privacy reasons. Without citizenship, attaining a degree may be too big of a dream. emi —lion week Tuesday Thursday Friday Wednesday 19 17 18 20 10:00-11:15 a.m., LI 120. Panel: MLK and Nations of the Communist Bloc 11:30-12:45 p.m., LI 120. Panel: Henry Louis Gates's Memoir Colored People 1:00-2:15 p.m., LI 120. Panel Unity for Gallaudent: The Second Protest at Gallaudet University 7:00-9:00 p.m., Grande Ballroom. Free Screening of the movie "The Help" Free popcorn and cornbread. 9:00-9:50 a.m., SC 206A. Panel: Education and Business: Contemporary Minority Issues 9:00-9:50 a.m., SC 206C. Panel: Second Wave Feminism 10:00-10:50 a.m., SC 206B. Panel: Women's Rights 11:00-11:50 a.m., SC 206C. Panel: Fearless Speech: Women's Voices for Change 12:00-12:50 p.m., SC 206A. Faculty Presentation Beyond Killing. Social Destruction of a Group as a Comprehensive Violation of Human Rights 1:00-1:50 p.m., SC 206B. Panel: The Occupy Movement: From Academics to Activism 2:00-2:50 p.m., SC 206C. Panel: Changing Definitions of Civil and Human Rights 2:00-2:50 p.m., SC 213A. Panel: Martin Luther King, Social Activism, and the Occupy Wall Street Movement 3:00-3:50 p.m., SC 206A. Presentation: Pre-Law Club Readers Theater: Freedom on the Menu Free Parking Day. 10:00-11:15 a.m., Grande Ballroom. Keynote address: Julian Bond (Former National Director of the NAACP) 11:30-12:30 p.m., Centre Stage. Meet-and-greet with Julian Bond 10:00-10:50 a.m., LI 120. Group Discussion of The Help' (Book) 11:00-11:50 a.m., LI 120. Panel: Discussion of the 'The Help' (Film) 1:00-2:00 p.m., Centre Stage. Informal Student/Faculty Q & A and Conversation with Julian Bond 2:30-3:45 p.m., SC 213A/B. Panel and student presentation Minority Student Experiences 4:00-5:00 p.m., Ragan Theater. School of the Arts Student Presentations: Origional Creative Works 6:30 p.m., Ragan Theater. Arts and Awards Reception 7:00-8:30 p.m., Ragan Theater. Arts and Awards Gala for the best panels, arts award winners. Scholarships Presented For more information visit the UVU website. www.uvu.edu Black Student Union's first year of involvement For 20 years UVU has been celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. day, but this year is unlike the previous ones. This year is the first year the Black Student Union has helped plan and organize the festivities for MLK week. Bill Cobb, professor of History, has been on the MLK committee since it's beginning and was excited about what BSU has added this year. "BSU presidents convinced me that we needed to be more inclusive in listening to students in a way we haven't in the past," Cobb said. "Including them this year was a way to get a lot of involvement on campus." Not only is the BSU involved, but many clubs such as the UVU Spectrum, Single Parents and many other clubs joined in this semester to help with the panels. Students will be speaking on panels from all types of minority groups such as religion minorities, racial minorities, sexual orientation minorities and even single parents. The following are titles of some of the panels happening during MLK week: Contemporary minority issues Women's voices for change Changing definitions of civil and human rights Minority students experiences at UVU BSU has been a club for several years, but this year is the first year which they have more than just participated in events. There are many others to be involved this year including the lead in "Othello" a Shakespeare play put on last year at UVU. A visiting scholar and professional actor named Baron Kelly who is coming back to UVU to perform a play he wrote, called "The Meeting," and even the governor has been invited to attend. The governor also attended part of MLK week last year. "The Meeting, is a play about what it would have been like if Malcom X would have lived at a time when he could have talked to Martin Luther King," Cobb said. "It is an interesting idea because the two of them had the same goals of equality, but Martin Luther King has a more peaceful approach than Malcom." On Thursday there will be school wide free parking all day because of the activities happening that day. By Tiffany Thatcher Special Section Co-Editor |