Students in Service and Leadership at Harvard

Comparison: From Sea to Sea ​

Growing up, I knew California has led the nation in advocacy and activism surrounding immigration. 

When this project came up, Spring Break fell right around the corner and since I was flying back home, I decided that I would visit my  my local public university to see how they were supporting undocumented students. Given California's protection of the undocumented community as a Sanctuary State and the fact that many more undocumented students are within the UC and CalState system that in the Ivy League, I assumed physical infrastructures that Harvard didn't have would be in place already. I was correct in some ways. 

On March 17th, 2018, I drove with a friend to Cal State Los Angeles, one of the 23 public universities in the California State University system. This university serves 27,000 students, hundreds of which are undocumented. 

A quick google search led me to their admissions page where I immediately found a page dedicated to undocumented students at Cal State LA, not hidden or found after hours hounding Harvard's admissions website. That in itself was a breath of fresh air.

The website had detailed information on recent legislation for undocumented students as well their policies and resources specific for their undocumented students. Through this website, I realized that CalState LA had been given a 1.6 million endowment for the creation of a Dream Center. I was shocked.

According to  the Los Angeles Times, on April 2015, it was announced that the Glaze Erika J. Glazer Family Dreamers Resource Center would be funded for decades to come thanks to a 1.6 million dollar endowment donation from Los Angeles philanthropist Erika J. Glazer. Previously, she had donated $700,00 to create a scholarship for Undocumented students based on academic merit, extracurricular activities. 

Selection Criteria for these Scholarships 

You must meet all of the following requirements to be eligible:

  1. Must be a “Dreamer” student who is undocumented with or without DACA.
  • AB540 or Non Resident undocumented student,
  • Enrolled in school in California during K-12, adult school, or community college,

Who is not eligible:

  • Students in possession of USCIS Nonimmigrant Visas and/or with legal status are not eligible for this scholarship.
  • *Except for holders of U visas and TPS who are eligible.
  1. Demonstrated financial need based on 2016-2017 Financial Aid Award or Non-Resident undocumented student ineligible for AB540 or CA Dream Act.
  2. Undergraduate or Graduate student, minimum GPA of 2.0, completion of at least 6 units, currently enrolled in at least 6 units.
  3. Participation in leadership activities or community service at Cal State LA or in the student’s community.
So far, the University had given out 36 scholarships to undocumented students. 

Further research on the creation of their Dream Center led to a Los Angeles Times article in which the University President was quoted. 
According to the article, at the inauguration of the center, University President William A. Covino said: 

“Cal State L.A. is grateful for the generous support we have received from Erika J. Glazer and her family. They realize that one of our greatest assets is our youth and that investing in them is investing in our future,” President William A. Covino said. “Her gift helps keep the promise of higher education alive for dreamer students.”

While, there, the focus on the promotion of undocumented student success was apparent. Rather than hiding in the shadows, resistance and resilience radiated from the images on the walls. This was a welcoming place where undocumented students of all ethnicities, races, sexualities, and other identities were meant to hang out, study, get financial and legal advice. 

It was apparent that the students and administrators working in the Center believed in its mission as stated on their website and displayed in the center: 

Mission
Our mission is to serve all undocumented students at Cal State LA and the community with information and resources to promote college admissions, persistence, graduation, graduate school, and professional careers. We provide student support services that create a welcoming and supportive environment, enhance the university experience, build leadership skills, and promote civic and community engagement.

Vision
Our vision is to create partnerships, alliances, and relationships will students, staff, faculty, administrators, and community members. We recognize and honor the hard work of undocumented students and their allies in advocating for equity in higher education.

During my visit, the center's student intern was eager to speak about being an undocumented student at Cal State LA. She spoke about the resources she had available due to the center's greater. It was was a one-stop place for her. It was a place of comfort: to do homework, to hang out with friends, to talk to the bro-bono lawyer the center was able to get periodically through grants. 

It was a small place, but for many it was home. People felt comfortable. People felt unapologetically themselves, reminiscent of a popular mantra for social activists within undocumented community: 
"UNDOCUMENTED. UNAPOLOGETIC. UNAFRAID. "
Some of the other services this center provides are: 

After having been there, I was saddened to think that we didn't have a place where undocumented students felt comfortable to go to for any of their needs. Yes, we had a weekly space reserved under Memorial Church, but that wasn't a place specifically for undocumented students.

However, after conversations with a Graduate student at the Harvard Education School, Carlos Aguilar, I realized that that type of physical space would get a lot more use for a university in which hundreds of students were undocumented (whether DACA, TPS, or fully undocumented status) rather than the college in which less than a 100 students were part of the whole University student body. The number itself didn't render their needs unnecessary, but it got me thinking. Is this center the priority? 

At Cal State La, the volunteer interviewed voiced her discontent at the lack of access they had to an immigration lawyer. Funding was limited. It was then, I felt the privilege of having Jason Corral, a full-time immigration lawyer at the disposal of undocumented students at Harvard. A lawyer and the resources at the HIRC were not lacking. Students had voiced their need for the transparent distribution of information and resources. They said they needed emotional, academic, and administrative support. 

Yes, a space was important, but non-spatial but constant internal assistance in a time of political incertitude seemed the most pressing issue after this visit. 

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