Mighty, Mighty DREAMers
Yesterday, May 25th, in commemoration of Memorial Day, over one hundred students, supporters, and members of the press gathered outside the State House to hear a message of hope and courage as the Student Immigrant Movement put on a press conference to highlight the urgent need for the DREAM Act and the immense support that exists from the community.
Under a beautiful midday sun, students shared their stories and their hopes not just for higher education, but also for service in the military. The message was clear: This is our country, and we want to make it better, any way we can. Maria spoke of her remarkable success in High School, and of her dreams of working with underprivileged communities, and Savio told us of how he had always dreamed of joining the military. And together, we spoke of how these dreams are not just our dreams, but also the dreams of our community, all reflected in the hopeful faces of our brave members. In front of our speakers lay several boxes filled with over 1500 completed supporter cards, neatly rolled and tied to symbolize diplomas and the desire for our continuing education.
For long we have all known too well the stories of our DREAMers, but this time it was different. This time, our message reached not just the ears of our fellow SIMmers, but the ears and eyes of thousands through the many cameras and reporters present, and still, it did not stop there. After a very successful press conference we gathered our troops and marched fearlessly alongside the Freedom Trail to the JFK building in Boston, where Senator Scott Brown’s (R-MA) office is located. Chanting “Education, not deportation!” and “What do we want? DREAM ACT! When do we want it? NOW!” the crowd made sure the residents of Boston and Senator Brown knew what we were all about.
While Renata and Savio went to Senator Brown’s office to deliver the supporter cards and request a meeting with the Senator, the crowd rallied downstairs, right in front of ICE officials, and chanted, sung, shared stories, and called for Brown’s vote on the DREAM Act. The Senator was not around, so we packed our boxes back. Our cards are to be delivered straight to the Senator.
And though he was not there to receive them, the action was still very successful. A fire has been lit, and the voices of DREAMers can no longer be drowned out. The momentum is on our side and the community has been pushing Senator Brown harder than ever, and we are certain that the DREAM is coming. In this crucial moment, help us make our dreams a reality by calling Senator Brown at his Boston office (617-535-3170) or DC office (202-224-4543) and asking for his support of the DREAM Act.
-Conrado Santos