I corresponded some years ago with "Franko Music", a DREAM act student who wanted information on the Legislation. Years later a friend of his tells me he is in detention. His "crime": not to set a foot on the ground (a complete stop for a motorcyclist) in an intersection. Dulce Matuz, ADAC Chair and I, go around Maricopa County Sheriff Office and ICE- Phoenix to see where he is being held while making calls to coordinate a quick campaign. Genie Zavaleta works the connection with DC. State Legislator Catherine Miranda contacts local ICE officials.
Before attending CPLC Esperanza Awards (all decked up) we get the word he would be released. (Don't even have time to write a constant contact e-mail and start a campaign). Franko is released the same day of our intervention. You can see Franko here at time of his release. I always wanted to liberate persons in high heels.
Tucson DREAMer.
Great team work saves Juan Manuel Munoz from deportation. Lawyer Jose Penalosa, always ready to help DREAMers, provides all the professional help. Thanks to advocates Matt Matera, Yadira Garcia and friends in Tucson we coordinate a quick case.
I felt so honored to have Congressman Grijalva's office monitoring the situation and offering help.
I felt so honored to have Congressman Grijalva's office monitoring the situation and offering help.
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During 2011 I was happy to continue supporting DREAMers initiatives like Carla Chavarria's I DREAM Campaign and Angelica-goes- to-Washington with press releases and pro-bono work by Critical Mass Communications, LLC.
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How can I forget? I owned Paris for two and half weeks ! Thanks MEGA.
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Complete sadness: Maricopa County Community Colleges (MCCCD) raised their tuition, pricing out DREAMers and some citizens out of higher education. Yes, part of the Pearce legacy. More damaging, they plan to implement an obscure law HB2008 full extent, full force, extreme interpretation. Thanks to hours and hours of pestering the Board, Chancellor and Machiavellic general counsel, Lee Combs with my friend Daniel Rodriguez we managed to tone down some of the implementation of HB2008 (like asking the immigration status of students riding vans to student' congresses). Next semester 5,000+ students dropped out of the Maricopa system.
If you ask Mr. Combs, he will deny he intended to ask MCCCD student's immigration status " on a case by case scenario".
To this date, the press, nobody cares about it. #couldhavebeenevenworse.
To this date, the press, nobody cares about it. #couldhavebeenevenworse.
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ADAC protests the Maricopa County Community College Boards for pricing out DREAM Act students taking 1 to 2 hours. I run a national campaign to ask the Chancellor to re-consider. Great help from Jackie Mahendra and team from Change.org. At least we take it national and it is not an unknown pain. Sadness, anger.
Students paid good money for their education. They will take their money other place. A grear option is State Legislator Catherine Miranda's Manzana Foundation partnering with the Navajo Technical College.
Potential lost estimated for MCCCD: FTSE 2,265 Revenue $3,222,777.00 ( I think it is even more as now).
Potential lost estimated for MCCCD: FTSE 2,265 Revenue $3,222,777.00 ( I think it is even more as now).
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Thanks to educational devastation created by MCCCD's Legal Counsel Lee Combs, we kind of figure out there were a lot of things going wrong at the Community Colleges. I replicate the craft of the journalists (my friend Gregory Pratt comes to mind) and I start requesting information to MCCCD invoking Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). It opened a new world of possibilities and learning. POWERFUL tool. Now, I know too much (I should be killed). #Iwanttoknowmore! BUT #nobodycares!
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Carl Hayden Robotics continues kicking robotic butt. So honored to work on their press releases and know in advance how they are going to be profiled on the media. Very proud of student leader Maria Castro (profiled in a CNN special) Dulce Matuz (a robot named after her- welcome to the club!) and all the past, present and future Falcons.
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I got a phone call. An ASU student's best friend is in detention. Did an intensive research in a matter of hours. Great, beautiful young lady. Got really upset since she was about to get transported to Florence or other of the detention holes (I know what might happen there. If you do not know, read this study by UofA).I get determined to get her out QUICK. Sent my constant contact online petition. Great help from Mohammad Abdollahi to make the petition GO NATIONAL. Nallely is out by the evening. (Michelle Dallacrose has been gaining weight ! Haha).
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Starting 2011, we were able to save Pedro Gutierrez from deportation thanks to Mohammad Abdollahi, Lawyer Mo Goldman, the great ADAC and Pedro's mentors. Here is one of the many media clips on Pedro and the awesome PR job.
So honored to have coordinated the campaign (even when I was shivering with fever and the flu).
So honored to have coordinated the campaign (even when I was shivering with fever and the flu).
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I'm looking forward 2012 for more advocacy and great times !
Good bless you all, dear readers!
Good bless you all, dear readers!
