As expected, yesterday Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid filed cloture on the DREAM Act, moving things along for a vote tomorrow.

Today across the country there are actions in support of the DREAM Act. In Chicago, today’s action focuses on the psychological impact that being undocumented often has on young people following the suicide of a young DREAMer.

A DREAM DEFERRED A LIFE DENIED
Undocumented youth talk about suicide, mental health and the DREAM Act, in memory of those who took their lives because their dreams and futures were denied.

Tuesday, December 07, 2010
12:00 PM, Federal Plaza

From Reyna Wences, Immigrant Youth Justice League

“I graduated in June of 2009, a day after my graduation I attempted suicide because I was tired, because I did not want to tell my mom we’d have to pay for my education out of our own pocket. And when schools gave me scholarships I didn’t want to put her through the pain of telling me that we still couldn’t afford it. That’s when a funeral started to look less expensive than 4-years of education at the school of my choice. I’ve decided to come out about this because every day that passes by without addressing this is another day another student is probably thinking the same and I don’t want that anymore.

“I know that for the past months we’ve worked under an unpredictable legislative schedule and it has come down to this: a vote in the House and Senate as early as next week. I know that this is something that some of us have experienced, or thought about, and I can only imagine how many other undocumented people there are just like us, who need hope and inspiration. And others need to realize that this is what fighting for DREAM is about, fighting for our lives.”

Reyna Wences,
Immigrant Youth Justice League

If you are undocumented and someone who has thought about, or attempted suicide, or even if you know of someone who has, will you work with us to write and tell your story? Please contact iyjleague@gmail.com.

More Events after the Jump

As information regarding more events come through I will post them to the best of my ability but I really wanted to focus on the above event in Chicago. There has been so much attention paid to how much the DREAMers would contribute to the economy, how much they would contribute to the military, with not enough focus on what undocumented youth already contribute and what they and all undocumented people already contribute. There has been attention paid to the wave of suicides among queer youth. For so many of the DREAMers, they are undocumented and queer, often making the pressure to cope, to survive even heavier.

A personal message : Legalization doesn’t make a “good person”. As human beings, each and every one of us is already valuable and worthy of being on this Earth and being in their chosen country. As we move towards the DREAM Act vote, with so many beautiful young people working so hard, I want them and all undocumented people to know that their value, their worth does not hinge upon one vote,one law, one piece of paper.

Pa’lante

As per Reform Immigration FOR America

In Washington, D.C.:

WHAT: Check Delivery to Members of Congress
WHEN: 10:30 A.M. Tuesday, December 7th, 2010

WHERE: In front of Capitol
WHO: Undocumented immigrant youth from across the country

WHAT: Candlelight Vigil and Press Conference
WHEN: Tuesday, December 7, 5-8 p.m.
WHERE: First Trinity Lutheran Church, 309 E St. NW, Washington, D.C.
WHO: Lucy Martinez, 19 yr-old student on day 27 of hunger strike
United We DREAM Immigrant youth, faith leaders and members of PICO National Network

Around the country:

AZ: Phoenix, vigil at State Capitol: Raquel Teran, raquel@promiseaz.org (602) 326-5854

AZ: Glendale, Fast and press event with Dolores Huerta at Sen McCain’s office, Daniel Rodriguez, xdanielrodriguezx@gmail.com, (623) 206-4243

CA: Los Angeles, candle-light procession & vigil: Jorge-Mario Cabrera, jmcabrera@chirla.org, (213) 255-5043, Olivia Park (213) 605-1255

CA: Bay Area, Candle light vigil, Food drive: Eric Quezada, equezada@dscs.org

CA: San Diego, Vigil at Mesa College, Norma Chavez-Peterson, norma@justicesandiego.org, (619) 696-9474

CA: Los Angeles, Check Delivery to Congressional Offices, Cyndi Bendezu (323) 385-7460, Sofia Campos (323) 854-9265

CO: Denver, Longmont, Alan Kaplan, alan@coloradoimmigrant.org, (917) 776-2388

DE: Check Delivery to Rep. Castle, Alicia Dominguez (302) 983-9302

FL: Check Delivery to Congressional offices in Miami and Orlando, Jose Luis Marantes, joseluis@unitedwedream.org, (407) 520-8714

IA: Marshalltown, vigil, Ruth Schutlz, ruth@iowacci.org

IL: Chicago, Check Delivery to Congressional offices, Ireri Unzueta (773) 653-3665

IL: Chicago, Federal Plaza vigil, Stephen Noble Smith, stephennoblesmith@gmail.com, (773) 444-9557

MA: Boston, Check delivery to Sen. Brown, Renata Teodoro (774) 240-5647

ME: Portland, Check delivery to Congressional office, Martin Lopez

MI: Detroit, Vigil, Ryan Bates, ryan@michiganimmigrationreform.org, (248) 787-6767
MO: Kasnsas City, Check delivery to Sen. McCaskill, Jackie Saavedra (913) 850-1019

NC: Charlotte, Greensboro, vigils at Congressional offices, Ruben Campillo, ruben.campillo@gmail.com, (704) 309-9388

NC: Chapel Hill, Funeral for Broken DREAMs, Irene Godinez, igodinez@latinamericancoalition.org, (919) 491-5627

NY: New York City, Check Delivery, Vigil – Thanu Yakupitiyage, tyaku@thenyic.org, (212) 627-2227 x235, Christina Baal, cabal@thenyic.org, Kevin Kang (718) 791-1447

NY: Corona, Prayer vigil, Jaime Weisberg, 718-637-3054, jweisberg@gmail.com

OK: Check delivery to Congressional office, Kasey Hughart, (918) 403-9532

OR: Portland, vigil
TN: Nashville, Check Delivery to Rep. Cooper, David Morales, david@tnimmigrant.org, (615) 775-1069

TX: Houston, Check delivery to Sen. Hutchison, Cesar Espinosa (713) 459-8923

TX: Austin, Check delivery to Sen. Hutchison, Loren Campos, (832) 618-0602

TX: San Antonio, vigil, Alejandro Siller-Gonzalez, asiller@maccsa.org (210) 732-2156 ext. 7139

UT: Salt Lake City, Check delivery to Senate office, Alonso Reyna (801) 703-7346

VA: Harrisonburg, Check delivery to Congressional office, Rick Castaneda (540) 810-6453

WA: Kennewick, Mount Vernon, Seattle, Vancouver, Yakima: Prayer vigils, Charlie McAteer, Charlie@weareoneamerica.org, (206) 452-8402

WI: Milwaukee, Check delivery to Rep. Ryan, Maricela Aguilar (414) 469-6671