Cinthia Vazquez, Washington Dream Coalition – Families in Chaos: Undocumented Students, Uncertainty, and Liberal Indifference
The show starts with a note from Nate about Podcast Book Club: Go get Citizen by Claudia Rankine from King’s Books (or wherever you buy books… but you should buy your books from King’s). Read it and let’s have a conversation using @nerdfarmpod and #nerdfarmreads.
Cinthia begins the interview by discussing the complications of being undocumented and claiming her space in this country.
Her Story: Cinthia’s story modestly begins on a Saturday morning when she arrived in this country fresh from Mexico. Two short days later on a Monday morning, Cinthia began her education in America. She couldn’t even begin to understand her own story until she began applying to colleges and realized that, simply because she wasn’t born here, she was ‘different.’ Through trials, tribulations, Act Six, and will of spirit, Cinthia graduated from Whitworth University in Spokane and has done more at 23 than most could imaginee possible at that age.
State Level Policies: Washington State is progressive but not perfect. There are certain benefits in place such as in-state tuition and state financial aid for students but there are also massive gaps and people,like Cinthia are working diligently toward new and better policies.
National Level Policies: During this administration, so many marginalized persons are being targeted and enduring psychological fear. Every day more and more people are being separated from families, being detained, and hiding in fear of their respective next steps, causing community panic. The state of the union has targeted undocumented humans by creating scapegoats and economic fear. The fact of the matter is that no person without documentation can receive federal housing assistance, financial aid, Medicaid, or any other federal government program benefits. In fact, they pay taxes like everyone else. They are paying for programs they aren’t even allowed to use.
This emotional interview discusses what we can do to band together, be a community, and stop criminalizing undocumented humans for existing. Undocumented persons are our neighbors, our friends, and our coworkers.
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Going Further:
Socials:
Facebook: Washington Dream Coalition
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