Inspiring students to change the world

"I lived the first forty years of my life in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia; I grew up in a white, blue-collar world. My experience at ASU over the past 7 years has unequivocally changed my understanding of myself as an educator and, indeed, as a person in this world. Why should we care about DACA? Because we are obligated as educators to create conditions of possibility for all of our students, and most particularly for those whose possibilities are not and have never been protected by the privileges accorded at birth."

"As an immigration and education scholar my focus is on how to improve learning opportunities for im/migrant children and their families. Rather than impose restrictions the US has the chance to lead other nations by demonstrating that it will not support measures, which commit our neighbors to lesser lives. Rationally, the measures to stop DACA also do not make sense given that education is a powerful instrument for reducing poverty and inequality and lays a foundation for sustained economic growth."

"As an educator, DACA is important to me because no one should be criminalized for wanting a better life, not these children nor their parents. As someone who also identifies as both Mexican and Filipino, I know that this is not just a Latinx issue, but rather one that both my cultures, and many others experience. We should all be invested in helping these DREAMERS achieve their goals whether they are in college, the military or engaging in small business ventures that contribute to our country economically. When they succeed, we all benefit."

"A key point in ASU’s charter is that we are 'measured not by whom we exclude, but rather by whom we include and how they succeed.' This point is ever present in my planning and teaching, and is even more salient in terms of my support for our DACA students. Our DACA students deserve no less than our full commitment to their personal success. I will never allow a 'label' to hamper my personal and professional commitment to all students, or as two of my past ASU students reminded me: 'their work and success is a direct reflection of me.'"

"It is estimated that there are over 1.5 million undocumented Asian immigrants (comprising 14% of the 11.3 million undocumented population in 2013). As a member of API community, DACA matters for well-being of individuals and families in my own community. As an immigration researcher, DACA matters because empirical evidence supports profound positive effects of DACA on not only DACA recipients but also their families and communities. As a teacher, DACA matters because it directly affects all of my students. DACA matters to me because 'injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,' as MLK said."

"It’s critical that from all platforms we insist on defending DACA—from all platforms of interest, expertise, and argument to extend the impact of social transformation that is the pedagogical mission in the School of Social Transformation at Arizona State University. DACA has direct personal connections and strikes personal chords of the immigrant story. I have always embraced benefited from that double indemnity on being the daughter of immigrants; of being the persona of the immigrant’s story."

"All four of my grandparents left Eastern Europe for the United States as teenagers -- including one who lived in fear for years because she had entered the U.S. without legal permission. All were fleeing war, violence, and poverty, and all believed in the promise of America. Given this history, I can’t help but feel a visceral connection to our DACA students, whose fears and dreams mirror those of my grandparents. As a teacher, I try to ensure that all my students feel valued and respected in the classroom, to avoid making assumptions about students’ backgrounds or experiences, and to reach out to students who need a little extra help to succeed. They are all worth it."

"I've heard about the sacrifices, and fear, DACA students and their families live with and am amazed when these students rise above it and continue their education. In the course I teach on inequality and diversity in education, the voices of some of the DACA students often provide the greatest insight into the course topics: human rights and immigration policy; curriculum that acknowledges the history of our diverse student bodies; educational policies that support multilingual education; family-school partnerships that provide space for parents to learn with and advocate for their children. DACA students are often leaders who help to shape what schools should be--our institutions need their leadership to improve the educational system for all students."

"My entire life has been lived in the margins. I come from a lineage of undocumented parents, family members, friends, partners, colleagues, and now students. As a researcher who studies Latina/o/x populations in the U.S. I interview and work with communities in legal limbo. I hear their stories, shed tears with them, and honor their resiliency. As a faculty member, I have had truly inspirational students who spend all their waking hours trying to prove their worth in our academic and social system. The strength and resiliency of DACA recipients and their families teach us, teach me, about perseverance in ways that many of us born in this country cannot even imagine. They deserve our respect, our admiration, for what they have been able to do and what they will continue to teach us about ourselves."