A Dream Deferred: A Video Look at DACA Students at WSU

The purpose of this video was to explore how deferred action has impacted undocumented students at WSU and what DACA means for them going forward. Essentially, I wanted to capture pieces of their personal stories, but I hoped to retain focus on the changing world of immigration policies. By incorporating news footage with interviews and footage of these students at work, I hoped to show the importance of immigration reform. This topic has great relevancy and impact in our community and country, two of the main reasons why I chose it. Overall, the video allowed me to capture the humanity behind the faces of those embattled in our country’s immigration system.

Clark County Latino Youth Conference Photo Gallery

This gallery contains 18 photos.

Planting the Seed: Latino Youth Claim their Seats in the College Classroom

Esme Farias discussing opportunities for higher education with middle schoolers at the Clark County Latino Youth Conference.

They file into the classroom, warily assessing the large circle of plastic, blue chairs positioned in the center of the room. The twelve middle school students carefully select their seats, clustering in groups at different ends of the circle. A large whiteboard on the wall behind the students has the words “Welcome to La Semilla” scrawled in large, red letters.

Translated into English, “semilla” literally means “seed.” In this case, four Washington State University Vancouver students stand in front of the Clark College classroom preparing to plant the seed of college ambitions into the young minds of the students. This particular workshop is one of several at the second annual Clark County Latino Youth Conference.

Inevitably, some of the students present come from an undocumented background. Many students often remain unaware of their status as a 1079 student until close to high school graduation. Although this lack of knowledge seems of little consequence now, it will grow to face some of the students head on as they prepare for a college experience without access to typical routes of aid.

CREATING CONNECTIONS
Slowly, the energy of the room transitions from hushed chatter to noisy conversation as the workshop leaders insert themselves into the circle and begin to interact with the students.

WSU Vancouver students and workshop leaders (from left to right) Alisa Mason, Leslie Melchor, Pauline Ramos and Esme Farias.

The WSU Vancouver students volunteering their time to lead the workshop include Esme Farias, a junior majoring in human development; Pauline Ramos, a junior in the Creative Media and Digital Culture program; Leslie Melchor, a junior majoring in accounting; and Alisa Mason, a senior majoring in criminal justice and women studies.

“Ok guys, let’s bring everyone in closer together and see if we can’t make this circle smaller,” observes Farias, gesturing to the 10 unused chairs in the circle.

In a clatter of noise and movement, the middle school students excitedly move their chairs in closer, switching spots in a method resembling musical chairs. The 10 empty seats get pushed aside. A subtly grim reminder of those not present, those who may never even have the chance to dream of attending college.

For the students present, the workshop brings an air of excitement. Farias begins introducing herself to the students, only to have one particularly anxious-looking boy in a blue, button-up shirt jettison his hand straight up in the air with a question.

“No offense, but you look short,” he quips to Farias.

This remark elicits giggles from the rest of the students, and prompts Farias to jokingly comment on her own height. The boy, Juan, a 6^thgrader at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, grins widely at the positive reception of his comment. This is, after all, an open environment. The workshop leaders hope to make the students feel comfortable enough to speak freely about their dreams and educational ambitions.

Ramos kicks off the workshop leading the middle school students in an icebreaker called “I Like People Who…” The students laugh and run wildly from chair to chair as they change seats for every comment that applies to them. Statements such as “I like people who… plan on going to college after they graduate” and “I like people who… like playing sports” prompt nearly all the students to jump up and scramble to find a new seat in the circle.

Students scramble to find seats in a game of “I Like People Who…”

The game energizes the middle schoolers, breaking down barriers for some of the shyer students, and prepares them to interact with Mason as she shares her college story.

“It’s not easy. There are a lot of obstacles we all have to work through,” starts Mason as she talks about getting to college.  “You can do it though, you really can.”

BARRIERS TO THE DREAM
As Mason and the other WSU Vancouver students talk about routes to college and types of classes, the students eagerly interject questions.

“How long would it take to become a lawyer?” asks one girl in a soft voice as she glances down at her pink, sequined shoes.

“I want to be a doctor!” announces another boy wearing a striped zip-up sweatshirt and red baseball cap.

For these youth, the dreams are real. However, the overwhelming financial realities still linger just outside the confines of the workshop classroom. Most lawyers require an average seven years of schooling, and the median cost of attendance for a year of medical school comes in at $49,298 for public universities and $66,984 for private universities.

Not deterred, the workshop leaders field the inquiries one by one as the students continue to pepper them with questions.

“Say you want to be professional soccer player or something,” says Juan. “Do they have soccer teams in college?”

Farias uses the opportunity to discuss scholarships for sports and academic achievement, and Juan quickly chimes in, comparing scholarships to “free money.” Farias likens it to a sponsorship and emphasizes the importance scholarships place on maintaining good grades and involvement.

“Do they have classes that teach other languages?” asks Yadira, an 8^th grader at Cascade Middle School. “I want to learn Japanese!”

Ramos gives examples of the languages offered at some colleges and segues into the requirements colleges have for admission, including two years of a foreign language.

The students listen attentively as the discussion progresses, their faces lighting up or growing slightly red with bashfulness as they share their dream jobs. These range from a fashion designer to a sports coach but never deviate from the theme of seeking out higher education.

As one students observes that it “must cost a lot” to go to college, the dark financial re   ality, looming below the surface, tears into the open as if to challenge the students’ dreams of continuing their education after graduation.

For all the students present at the workshop, the rising costs of tuition may ultimately limit their access to higher education, even more so for the 1079 students present. As children, they do not realize the implications of 1079 status. Often times, they do not even know that they fall into this group until they apply for college and discover that financial aid is not an option.

No easy solutions can fix these financial roadblocks, but the seed has been planted. Money or not, the seed will sprout. For some, hopefully for all, the sprout will grow and carry them upward, pushing the students steadily towards their dreams of a college education.