José Patiño joined Gregory Broberg's "Intro to Justice Studies" course and began the conversation with his family history. José moved from Mexico to the US when he was six years old and early on in his childhood, he experienced many scenarios that undocumented families face; one example being his father getting deported and his family being separated.
Following an overview of Patiño's childhood, another ASU alumna, Abril Valenzuela, also shared her struggle growing up with undocumented parents. As a child, she attended doctor's appointments with her parents and would assist friends who had issues communicating with their teachers.
Both Patiño and Valenzuela's experiences inspired them to advocate for undocumented immigrants, which led them both to Aliento: "a place where human potential is nurtured and not defined by immigration status."
"Aliento serves undocumented, DACA, and mixed immigration status families to transform trauma into hope and action. They are youth-led and directly impact people and allies who are invested in the well-being, emotional healing, and leadership development of those impacted by the inequities of lacking an immigration status."
Within Aliento's programs, Cultiva, Nurture and Transform, they hold workshops, leadership development practices, internships and opportunities for allyship for undocumented individuals. In the community, they are advocating for immigration, education and mental health practices.
Most recently, Patiño wrote Prop. 308: a bill that allows undocumented immigrants to receive in-state tuition and scholarships. The bill was passed in the state of Arizona and shows that this community is "a place of equal opportunity for all students, regardless of immigration status."
Aliento's next goal is a project called "Driver's Licenses for all". Their goal being to allow undocumented individuals the ability to obtain driver's licenses, as the restrictions have increased due to the DACA program being closed about six years ago.
With Aliento's growing community, they will continue to advocate for undocumented families, in the hopes of creating a more seamless transition for immigrants in the US.