Day 1 (June 1, 2010): So it begins…
“Why are you doing this?” asked a concerned New Yorker to a group of young people outside of Senator Schumer’s NYC office. Throughout the day, these young men and women of various nationalities have heard similar questions from inquisitive city dwellers, defiant opponents, and the occasional taxi cab driver. But in reality, the writing is on the wall, or more accurately, on the posters by the curb: “Starving for a Dream!” They are participating in a hunger strike to demonstrate their complete dissatisfaction with unjust immigration laws, and the steps they are willing to take to forge their own futures. After being integrated into American schools, many of their lives follow the same script – disappointment at the inability to pursue higher education, a grim outlook in the job market, and, in some cases, deportation. Oftentimes detractors sling misinformed or outright false accusations toward the undocumented youth, but in fact, the only thing they have ever asked for has been an opportunity. They only want a chance to prove themselves in the same settings as their American counterparts, and as such, they should be commended rather than prosecuted, as America still claims to be a meritocratic society. Now, if using a moralist argument for the validity of the DREAM Act seems futile in such a cynical climate, then perhaps highlighting the economic impact will shed more light on just a few of the many benefits of the DREAM Act.
According to a 1999 RAND study, “although raising the Hispanic college graduation rate to the same level as that of non-Hispanic whites would increase spending on public education, these costs would be more than offset by savings in public health and welfare expenditures and increased tax revenues resulting from higher incomes.” The study goes on to extrapolate the economic impact of, for instance, “a 30-year old Mexican immigrant woman with a college degree [that would] pay $5,300 more in taxes and cost $3,900 less in government expenses each year compared to a high-school dropout with similar characteristics.”
Nevertheless, a quantitative analysis cannot complete the picture,. There needs to be a context with which to form an accurate understanding of the DREAM Act, and so, this is where three Dreamers recounted their first day of striking for all the possibilities that come with this immigration bill.
Oscar, part of Tuesday’s street team, is beaming with optimism as he tells YLC bloggers of his day among the strikers and the inspiration they have all shared thus far. “It is by no means over,” Oscar claims as he sees a long hunger strike ahead, and yet knows that nothing is out of these Dreamers’ reach.
Asked about Schumer’s reaction to the hunger strike, Marisol (another dedicated YLC member) mentioned that he was nowhere to be seen. “It’s a shame, really,” she responded, as her disappointment with the lack of communication between Schumer’s staff and the Dreamers was evident in her body language. What should a person do when faced with such remoteness from the New York senator; Marisol, in true Dreamer fashion, answered, “ We can’t let it get us down one bit – besides, I get the chance to spend some quality time with people that care deeply about an important cause.”
For Jusselia, it had been a very busy day, talking with people on the street that were curious enough to find out more about the motives behind such a public display of defiance from the immigrant community. “It’s been hard just trying to balance the positive support and the negativity that comes from showing our deep concern with this country’s immigration laws,” she said just as another New Yorker stopped by and gave the Dreamers hope that they, too, could shape their destinies. “Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth our time and energy trying to convince someone who clearly doesn’t share our beliefs in this cause, but as what I’ve seen from fellow Dreamers, it is what matters most.”
One such Dreamer happy to talk about the DREAM Act and all the good that can come from it is Jose Luis, a core member of the YLC. “Once we explain what the DREAM Act is and who would benefit from it, people change their minds because they learn that most of the undocumented youth were brought here at a very young age”
“But this issue goes beyond just the Hispanic community, in fact, two young Asians stopped by our demonstration and wanted to learn more about our organization and what could be done to help.” Jose Luis then noticed that they could raise even more awareness in the Asian community if they worked together, and so, a very promising connection was formed that shows that this issue transcends nationalities, ethnicities, and religions.
With this in mind, the hunger strike is poised to make a splash in the hearts and minds of Dreamers, legislators, and beyond.
