Archive for the ‘Education’ Category
NYC Rally for Puerto Rico: Tues 12/14
8:17 am By Maegan La Mala · Education|New York City|Puerto Rico · Comments Off
13 Dec 2010
Last week, we told you about the student strike in Puerto Rico. Things have gotten more tense with the police taking over campuses in the name of “order”.
Across the United States, Puerto Ricans have expressed their concern over the treatment of the students and over the lack of English language coverage. In Puerto Rico, this past weekend, there was a march in rally in support of the UPR, demanding that talks over the increase in fees, between the University Administration and the students, resume.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, there will be a rally in NYC in support of the people of the island and against the actions of the Puerto Rican colonial government.
The people of Puerto Rico are under siege by the Colonial Administration headed by governor Luis Fortuno. Join us in supporting the people as they struggle to safeguard the right of our youth to education in the University of Puerto Rico, protect public sector jobs and the services they provide. Join us in supporting those on the island who are standing up to defend their democratic and human rights and our culture. Join the National Congress for Puerto Rican Rights (NCPRR) N.Y.C. Chapter and support the people in struggle in Puerto Rico.
Support the People of Puerto Rico: Rally
Tuesday, December 14, 2010 – 5:30pm
Location:
Office of Puerto Rican Affairs, 135 W 50th St New York City
Contact:
panama.alba@gmail.com [2], 917 626 5847
TUESDAY DEC. 14th 5:30 p.m.
RALLY AT THE OFFICE OF PUERTO RICAN AFFAIRS
135 W 50th St New York City
#1 train to 50 St. (at Broadway); B, D, F, M to 47-50 St./Rockefeller Ctr.; N, R, Q to 49 St. (at 7th Av.); B, D, E to 7 Ave. (at 53rd St.); C (not A) to 50 St.(at 8th Av.);
map http://is.gd/iCV6M-/
What Happened With DREAM in the Senate Today
11:53 am By Maegan La Mala · DREAM Act|Education|Immigration|military · 23 Comments
9 Dec 2010The procedures behind what went down in the Senate today around the DREAM Act is complicated and confusing. So I will try my best to explain what went down.
Senator Reid twice asked to vitiate the vote on cloture which means to set it aside. This was objected to, twice. So then Reid moved to table the vote, which means means killing the Senate version of the DREAM Act so that the House version, which passed last night, CAN be voted on later. This motion to table passed, 59-40. We are not sure when vote on the House version of DREAM in the Senate will happen. Most likely it will be next week.
All in all this gives DREAM a better chance in passing, especially when considering that there are Senators on the fence who do not want to be targeted and be in the spotlight twice. And obviously this gives advocates, activists, and you more time to call and ask that DREAM be supported.
What Today’s DREAM Day Looks Like
8:49 am By Maegan La Mala · DREAM Act|Education|Immigration|military|Politics · Comments Off
9 Dec 2010Last night’s House win on DREAM was only half the battle. Today the DREAM makes it to the Senate. According to D.C. sources, at around 11 am EST a motion to invoke cloture on the DREAM Act will be presented.
If you are making pro-DREAM calls this morning, you can call these lines to randomly route to key Senate targets:
English: 866-587-6101
Spanish: 866-956-3902some key targets to keep in mind are :
Senator McCaskill
Senator Landrieu
Senator Hagan
Senator Lugar
Senator Bennett
Senator Murkowski
Senator Voinovich
Senator Collins
Senator Snowe
Senator LeMieux
Senator Hutchison
General Senate lines you can also use:
English: 866-996-5161
Spanish: 866-961-4293
The DREAM is in the House!
9:32 pm By Maegan La Mala · DREAM Act|Education|Immigration|military · 2 Comments
8 Dec 2010No really. The House of Representatives just passed the DREAM Act, Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2010 (DREAM Act, H.R. 6497) with a 216 to 198 vote.
I caught the last few minutes of the C-Span live stream and my heart was racing watching the number slowly get to 210, the number needed to pass, then reach 216. And I won’t front. Mala cried. I cried holding close to my heart all the DREAM Activists that I have met, broken bread with, spoken with, shared wine with and become friends with. I think of the DREAMers who are no longer here and those to come.
But now pa’lante. Tomorrow the DREAM is up for a vote in the Senate.
Who ya gonna call? Check under the jump to find out
Read more…
Different Facets of the DREAM Movement with One Goal
9:45 am By Maegan La Mala · DREAM Act|Education|Immigration|military · Comments Off
8 Dec 2010I know many people, myself included, are watching closely to see what happens today with the DREAM Act. I have the privilege of watching as an observer, as someone who has legal status in the U.S., while many people I know are watching because their lives depend on it.
Just like when I covered the Townhall in Brooklyn earlier this fall, to some there seem to be splits/divisions within the DREAM movement. These lines are drawn around tactics, targets, and to some extent even the content of the DREAM Act itself.
I wanted to share this video that came way, showing a rally that took place in Oakland on December 3rd. The rally here clearly has undocumented youth supporting the DREAM Act but rejecting the military service portion. This has been one of the more controversial portions of the bill , especially for anti-war, anti-imperialist activists. Just like challenging politicians instead of playing nice does not mean non-support of the DREAM Act, challenging the military aspect, does not mean non-support of the DREAM Act.
Students rally for Dream Act from k9sound on Vimeo.
May all our DREAMs come true today.
Video Via : A Dream Deployed
DREAM Act Vote Today!
7:44 am By Maegan La Mala · DREAM Act|Education|Immigration|military · 2 Comments
8 Dec 2010It is expected that today, both the House of Representatives and the Senate will vote on the DREAM Act. Most likely the vote will happen sometime in the early afternoon in the House first, followed by a vote in the Senate. But, of course, all is subject to change so please stay tuned.
It looks like every single vote is going to count, meaning calls to 1-866-587-3023 need to keep happening. Key Democrats in the house, whose votes on DREAM are not clear are :
Bean
Bright
Cooper
Costa
Dahlkemper
Davis (AL07)
DeFazio
Doggett
Donnelly
Higgins
Kirkpatrick
Lynch
Michaud
Perriello
Boucher
Marshall
Boccieri
Boyd
Chandler
Dingell
Ellsworth
Herseth Sandlin
Kaptur
Matheson
Mollohan
Peterson
Puerto Rican University Students on Strike Again
3:36 pm By Maegan La Mala · Education|Puerto Rico · 3 Comments
7 Dec 2010I’ve been seeing from the statuses of some of my friends on Facebook, that the students of the University of Puerto Rico in Rio Piedras (UPR) have called a 48 hour strike which began approximately at midnight. The strike is over an increase in the amount per semester students have to pay back their loans.
As far as I can tell, there is no English language news coverage of what is happening including student barricades and what has been described as aggressive UPR security, private security brought likely hired by the University, and police. At least four students have been injured.
According to reports on Primera Hora, there are two factions of students : students who are against the fee and are for the strike, and students who are against the fee but want for the UPR to stay open.
The students of the Aguadilla Campus have approved a 48 hour strike and in Cayay, a 36 hour strike was approved in support and solidarity with the students in Rio Piedras.
Both Primera Hora and You Tube has videos that media and students themselves are taking.
You will remember that over the summer, strikes in Puerto Rico unleashed violence against the students by police.
California High Court Rules for Undocumented College Students
11:33 am By Maegan La Mala · California|Education|Immigration · 1 Comment
17 Nov 2010
On Monday, the California State Supreme Court ruled that undocumented college students can receive the in-state resident tuition rate, overturning and earlier lower court’s decision. Specifically, the ruling stated that undocumented students who have been studying in California high schools for at least three years fulfill the requirement for in-state tuition even if those students are undocumented because this same benefit is given students with legal residence in the United States and with citizenship.
From Martinez v. UC Regents (PDF here) :
The section 68130.5 exemption cannot be deemed to be based on residence for the simple reason that many nonresidents may qualify for it. Every nonresident who meets section 68130.5‟s requirements — whether a United States citizen, a lawful alien, or an unlawful alien — is entitled to the nonresident tuition exemption. Attending high school in California for at least three years and meeting the other requirements are not the functional equivalent of residing in California. Some American citizens who are not residents of California may also be eligible for the exemption.
The Future of NYC Looks Latino but Puerto Ricans Aren’t Faring Well
11:47 am By Maegan La Mala · economy|Education|Immigration|New York City|youth · 16 Comments
4 Nov 2010According to a report (PDF) by the Community Service Society of NY (full disclosure, I once worked for CSS), the future of NYC is Latino. Hispanics are the second-largest racial/ethnic group in New York City. With 2,290,007 individuals, they make up 27.6 percent of the entire city population, second behind whites, who are the largest racial group at 35.6 percent. Most of the young Latinos in the Big Apple speak English well or very well. however for some of those Latinos, the future looks bleak.
* A greater percentage of Latino youth live in poor and near-poor households than any other racial group. Fifty-six percent of Latino young people live in households with incomes less than 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).
Interestingly enough, according to the report, it is not the immigrant Latinos that are struggling the most. It is Puerto Rican young people.
Roughly 17 percent of young Puerto Rican men were not in school, employed or looking for work, compared with 9 percent of Dominicans and 8 percent of Mexicans. Of those Latinos born in the United States, only 55 percent of Puerto Rican youth were enrolled in school, compared with 68 percent of Dominicans and 67 percent of Mexicans. Regardless of birthplace, about 33 percent of Puerto Rican families lived below the poverty line, compared with 29 percent of Dominicans and 27 percent of Mexicans
DREAM Now Letters to Barack Obama : Gaby Pacheco
6:46 am By Maegan La Mala · DREAM Act|Education|Immigration|youth · Comments Off
14 Sep 2010The “DREAM Now Series: Letters to Barack Obama” is a social media campaign that launched Monday, July 19, to underscore the urgent need to pass the DREAM Act.
Dear Mr. President,
I am a member of the first graduating class of Felix Varela Senior High which is located in Miami, Florida. I had attended school with my native-born friends. Like them, I participated in activities, field trips, dances, and felt the pain of losing a classmate.
It was around 10th grade that I realized my future after high school would not be the same as those of my peers even though I worked just as hard to obtain excellent grades. I understood that I was different. For over ten years I had been in hiding. For days I thought about coming out of the closet. I wanted to tell the whole world who I really was. I thought, “How would this affect the relationships with my friends?” “How would I be judged?” “How will my parents be affected?” I thought about it day and night, hoping that someone would help and wondering about the others, like me, out there.
It took a lot of courage, but one day in 10th grade I told everyone: I was an undocumented immigrant.
Hola!
VivirLatino is a daily publication published by Mamita Mala Media, dedicated to featuring all the latest politics, culture, entertainment of interest to the diverse Latin@ diaspora.
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