Sample Personal Letter From Lily
Sept. 6, 2010
The Honorable Senator Scott Brown
2400 JFK Federal Building
Boston, MA 02203
Dear Senator Brown,
Imagine that you received the best grades in school and got accepted to the most
prestigious colleges in our country. You are excited to fulfill your dreams of becoming a
lawyer, of taking care of your family, and of giving back to your community. However,
as soon as you try to join the military or to apply for your driver’s license, you find out
that you don’t have a Social Security number. Although you feel like an American and
you believe in the American DREAM—you are effectively denied the right to go to
school, give back to your family, community and economy, and realize your dreams.
What would you do?
Senator Brown, I am urging you to co-sponsor the Development, Relief, and
Education for Alien Minors Act (S.729). As a voter in Quincy, MA, I know that all of
our communities are directly affected by immigration. Growing up in Quincy, I witnessed
immigrant families struggle, saw parents work 2-4 jobs and watched as my peers excelled
in school and had the opportunity to succeed. My mom immigrated to the U.S. in 1985
and has worked at least three jobs her whole life: English teacher, Chinese teacher,
accountant, Real Estate agent. My father has done back-breaking work in a Chinese
restaurant since he moved to the U.S. more than 30 years ago. Due to their hard work and
effort, I excelled in North Quincy High School and had the opportunity to study at Vassar
College in Poughkeepsie, NY. Studying Geograhy and Hispanic Studies, I was able to
study immigration, specifically how immigrant communities revitalize our towns and
cities, as well as visit the U.S.-Mexican borderlands and southern Mexico. Because of my
own history and my years of studies and service, I know that the DREAM Act is the right
thing to do for America—for our society, our economy and our communities.
Senator Brown, please do not deny the dreams of the 65,000 high schools students
without proper documentation that graduate every year. As many as 2.1 million
undocumented youth could benefit from the DREAM Act and, in turn, better our
economy and society. We have invested in these youths from kindergarten to high school
and it only makes sense that they further their education and give back to the United
States, their home. Senator Brown, they are Americans just like you and me.
Best,
Lily