Education is the top priority of 21 year-old Ruddy Mirabal. Born in the Dominican Republic, his family immigrated to the United States when Ruddy was 8 years old. His parents came in search of the now seemingly mythical, all too elusive American Dream, one in which the paths their children were to follow would hopefully be laced with more happiness and opportunity than their own.

Ruddy was enrolled in school and fell in love with New York city, exploring parks and playing in street games with the concurrent mission of learning English. Though boxing soon came a passion he possessed the talent for, Ruddy’s push for academics continued to drive him as he entered middle school. In his words, “My main goal was and still is to make my mother, Irma Calderon, very proud of me and at the same time bless her with a life she’s never had, full of joy, love, happiness and stress-free.” Ruddy’s family has struggled with poverty and homelessness since his early childhood, finding shelter on the couches and in the basements of numerous family members, sometimes having to miss a meal.

In the 7^th grade, Ruddy progressed to English-only classes, excelling in math. Through junior high, he received many academic awards, which he always gave to his mother. Looking forward to high school, Ruddy found a job to pay for his clothes and shoes. Though his budding boxing career posed a slight setback, Ruddy persevered in his goal of graduating from high school, passing the most of his Regents exams by the spring of 2010. With one exam and a few credits left, his mission for his mother was almost guaranteed success.

However in April, Ruddy was arrested in a complex case involving his older cousin, who was a known drug dealer. This left turn in Ruddy’s story takes on a plot we know all too well: a young male person of color, in this case with an immigrant with no prior criminal background, who comes from a childhood of poverty, instability, and poor educational access sees his future potential derailed and instead spends the end of that childhood in jail. We, as a society, are programmed to give up on these youth of color, to expect very little for them in terms of rehabilitation and potential, and instead continue to further criminalize and dehumanize them as ‘punishment.’

Ruddy refused to become another statistic. Working with social worker Iris Kupferstein and the Director of Education at Hudson County Correction Facility, where he was being held, Ruddy was allowed to craft the first-of-its-kind program that would allow him to complete his few remaining high school credits and graduate with an actual high school diploma, as was his goal. He refused to simply pursue his GED, previously the only correctional facility option, for he was wary of the stigma and potentially fewer opportunities it would afford him later in life. Ruddy became the first inmate ever to receive such a diploma in the Hudson County system, and there is now a permanent program in its place named after him for other inmates who refuse to give up on their education.

Ruddy’s one mistake has cost him dearly, and though he is on parole, he is awaiting deportation in a detention center due to his lack of immigration status. Though his entire family resides in the U.S., and he has a pending application for permanent residency, Ruddy’s charge puts him at risk of immediate deportation. Sending Ruddy back to the Dominican Republic, with no family, no money, and no prospects will certainly be punishing him for his lifetime, something he does not deserve. He has served his sentence time, during which he became an educational pioneer, assisting other inmates in the pursuits of their own educations. Armed with a high school degree and the promise he made to his mother, Ruddy was ready to integrate back into society and give back to his community using his skills and knowledge.

Ruddy is a perfect example of the importance of juvenile reform programs, especially when they are so successfully used in conjunction with a push for educational reform and access. These reforms are crucial for young youth of color, whose numbers far outweigh other youth in the correctional system. After taking on the prison industrial complex and winning his battle for educational access, Ruddy’s dreams are once again threatened, this time by the quota-driven detention and removal system of immigration.

As Ruddy says, “I am upgrading my mission in order for me to continue my studies and help others pick themselves up, even when they feel that it’s impossible.” He has defied the odds once, and he is determined to do so again.

Will you join us in stopping Ruddy’s deportation?

1. Sign the petition to keep Ruddy home in New York. Spread the word to at least 5 others.
2. Make a phone call to Janet Napolitano and John Morton to halt Ruddy’s deportation:Sample Script: “I am calling to ask that DREAM-Eligible student Ruddy Mirabal (A# 200-522-731) be allowed to stay in the U.S. Ruddy came to the U.S. when he was only 8 years old. Now 21, he has dreams of continuing his education so he can contribute to his community who supports him. Don’t deport Ruddy.”
3. Share on Twitter and Facebook: 21 year-old Ruddy Mirabal scheduled for immediate deportation. Don’t let Ruddy become another statistic. Help stop his deportation today!http://bit.ly/v0LdFb