| BARRIOZONA |
| Bilingual Community Expression Published by the Hispanic Institute of Social Issues |
| Advocacy Work Toward Undocumented Students Earns MLK Award |
| GateWay Early College High School principal Yvonne Watterson earns “Living the Dream" award for her work on behalf of students. |
Not too long ago, I asked our daughter, “What do you want to be when you
grow up?” Without missing a beat, she said, “Happy.” She’s off to a great start
– born in America to legal residents, she has health insurance, a little savings
account, a passport. She has a City of Phoenix library card. In several years, she’
ll have a driver’s license; soon after that, she’ll be able to vote. She has a Social
Security number so she’ll be able to work. She is well documented. Sadly, there
are other daughters and sons in this state who also want to be happy when
they grow up but through no fault of their own, they lack the documentation that
would make their pursuit of happiness more than just a dream. They are the
children of immigrants who have become the collateral damage in this war over
immigration. When hearts harden, dreams diminish and possibilities narrow for
these kids. Unlike my daughter, who can join me today to openly celebrate the
legacy of Dr. King, these students have no choice other than to live in the
shadows, afraid of being forced to leave the country they have always called
home.
Anna Quindlen once said that Immigration is never about today; it is always
about tomorrow - the kind of tomorrow that Dr. King talked about when he
described his dream of an America with a place at the table for children of every
race … and room at the inn for every needy child. The kind of tomorrow I
dreamed about as a little girl in Northern Ireland where one day Catholics and
Protestants would attend the same schools. Basically, Immigration is an exercise
in hope, in deferred gratification, and deferred dreams. Dr. King reminded us,
“disappointment is finite, but hope must remain infinite.” The immigrant children
among us have little other than hope, but recently they have had to face
adversity and disappointment that no child should have to face: disappointed
that Proposition 300 limited their access to a college education, disappointed
that the DREAM Act died in the Senate, disappointed that there are those who
are willing to discard them while, at the same time, import professionals from
other countries to do the very jobs these talented students are qualified to do! I
marvel at the resilience of these young men and women, many of whom have
taken their first steps on Arizona soil, placed their hands on their hearts every
day to pledge allegiance to the flag of the only country they’ve ever known, and
with dedication and gratitude have risen to the educational and social challenges
they have faced. This prestigious award belongs to these undocumented
dreamers and their undaunted immigrant spirit. It also belongs to their tireless,
courageous champions some of whom are here today … brave Manuel, Carmen,
Marcos, Amanda, Ed, Maria, Autumn, Greg, Joel and also to Genie and Hector
Zavaleta who are not here today, but have devoted the past fifty years to
protecting civil rights. In closing, I thank the Arizona Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Celebration Committee for this beautiful morning, and from the bottom of my
heart I thank the Phoenix Human Relations Commission and the city of Phoenix
Equal Opportunity Department for their courage in presenting this award which
hope is the first step in breaking the silence about these children, these future
lawyers, engineers, teachers, doctors. They are here. They are here. We need to
listen to their dreams and we need to act to make those dreams a reality.
Yvonne Watterson
January 18, 2008
grow up?” Without missing a beat, she said, “Happy.” She’s off to a great start
– born in America to legal residents, she has health insurance, a little savings
account, a passport. She has a City of Phoenix library card. In several years, she’
ll have a driver’s license; soon after that, she’ll be able to vote. She has a Social
Security number so she’ll be able to work. She is well documented. Sadly, there
are other daughters and sons in this state who also want to be happy when
they grow up but through no fault of their own, they lack the documentation that
would make their pursuit of happiness more than just a dream. They are the
children of immigrants who have become the collateral damage in this war over
immigration. When hearts harden, dreams diminish and possibilities narrow for
these kids. Unlike my daughter, who can join me today to openly celebrate the
legacy of Dr. King, these students have no choice other than to live in the
shadows, afraid of being forced to leave the country they have always called
home.
Anna Quindlen once said that Immigration is never about today; it is always
about tomorrow - the kind of tomorrow that Dr. King talked about when he
described his dream of an America with a place at the table for children of every
race … and room at the inn for every needy child. The kind of tomorrow I
dreamed about as a little girl in Northern Ireland where one day Catholics and
Protestants would attend the same schools. Basically, Immigration is an exercise
in hope, in deferred gratification, and deferred dreams. Dr. King reminded us,
“disappointment is finite, but hope must remain infinite.” The immigrant children
among us have little other than hope, but recently they have had to face
adversity and disappointment that no child should have to face: disappointed
that Proposition 300 limited their access to a college education, disappointed
that the DREAM Act died in the Senate, disappointed that there are those who
are willing to discard them while, at the same time, import professionals from
other countries to do the very jobs these talented students are qualified to do! I
marvel at the resilience of these young men and women, many of whom have
taken their first steps on Arizona soil, placed their hands on their hearts every
day to pledge allegiance to the flag of the only country they’ve ever known, and
with dedication and gratitude have risen to the educational and social challenges
they have faced. This prestigious award belongs to these undocumented
dreamers and their undaunted immigrant spirit. It also belongs to their tireless,
courageous champions some of whom are here today … brave Manuel, Carmen,
Marcos, Amanda, Ed, Maria, Autumn, Greg, Joel and also to Genie and Hector
Zavaleta who are not here today, but have devoted the past fifty years to
protecting civil rights. In closing, I thank the Arizona Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Celebration Committee for this beautiful morning, and from the bottom of my
heart I thank the Phoenix Human Relations Commission and the city of Phoenix
Equal Opportunity Department for their courage in presenting this award which
hope is the first step in breaking the silence about these children, these future
lawyers, engineers, teachers, doctors. They are here. They are here. We need to
listen to their dreams and we need to act to make those dreams a reality.
Yvonne Watterson
January 18, 2008
| Yvonne Watterson Photo by Eduardo Barraza © 2008 |
| s p e e c h |
| Hispanic Institute of Social Issues © 2006-2008 All rights reserved. webmaster@hisi.org |
Not too long ago, I asked our daughter, “What do you want to be when you
grow up?” Without missing a beat, she said, “Happy.” She’s off to a great start
– born in America to legal residents, she has health insurance, a little savings
account, a passport. She has a City of Phoenix library card. In several years, she’
ll have a driver’s license; soon after that, she’ll be able to vote. She has a Social
Security number so she’ll be able to work. She is well documented. Sadly, there
are other daughters and sons in this state who also want to be happy when
they grow up but through no fault of their own, they lack the documentation that
would make their pursuit of happiness more than just a dream. They are the
children of immigrants who have become the collateral damage in this war over
immigration. When hearts harden, dreams diminish and possibilities narrow for
these kids. Unlike my daughter, who can join me today to openly celebrate the
legacy of Dr. King, these students have no choice other than to live in the
shadows, afraid of being forced to leave the country they have always called
home.
Anna Quindlen once said that Immigration is never about today; it is always
about tomorrow - the kind of tomorrow that Dr. King talked about when he
described his dream of an America with a place at the table for children of every
race … and room at the inn for every needy child. The kind of tomorrow I
dreamed about as a little girl in Northern Ireland where one day Catholics and
Protestants would attend the same schools. Basically, Immigration is an exercise
in hope, in deferred gratification, and deferred dreams. Dr. King reminded us,
“disappointment is finite, but hope must remain infinite.” The immigrant children
among us have little other than hope, but recently they have had to face
adversity and disappointment that no child should have to face: disappointed
that Proposition 300 limited their access to a college education, disappointed
that the DREAM Act died in the Senate, disappointed that there are those who
are willing to discard them while, at the same time, import professionals from
other countries to do the very jobs these talented students are qualified to do! I
marvel at the resilience of these young men and women, many of whom have
taken their first steps on Arizona soil, placed their hands on their hearts every
day to pledge allegiance to the flag of the only country they’ve ever known, and
with dedication and gratitude have risen to the educational and social challenges
they have faced. This prestigious award belongs to these undocumented
dreamers and their undaunted immigrant spirit. It also belongs to their tireless,
courageous champions some of whom are here today … brave Manuel, Carmen,
Marcos, Amanda, Ed, Maria, Autumn, Greg, Joel and also to Genie and Hector
Zavaleta who are not here today, but have devoted the past fifty years to
protecting civil rights. In closing, I thank the Arizona Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Celebration Committee for this beautiful morning, and from the bottom of my
heart I thank the Phoenix Human Relations Commission and the city of Phoenix
Equal Opportunity Department for their courage in presenting this award which
hope is the first step in breaking the silence about these children, these future
lawyers, engineers, teachers, doctors. They are here. They are here. We need to
listen to their dreams and we need to act to make those dreams a reality.
Yvonne Watterson
January 18, 2008
grow up?” Without missing a beat, she said, “Happy.” She’s off to a great start
– born in America to legal residents, she has health insurance, a little savings
account, a passport. She has a City of Phoenix library card. In several years, she’
ll have a driver’s license; soon after that, she’ll be able to vote. She has a Social
Security number so she’ll be able to work. She is well documented. Sadly, there
are other daughters and sons in this state who also want to be happy when
they grow up but through no fault of their own, they lack the documentation that
would make their pursuit of happiness more than just a dream. They are the
children of immigrants who have become the collateral damage in this war over
immigration. When hearts harden, dreams diminish and possibilities narrow for
these kids. Unlike my daughter, who can join me today to openly celebrate the
legacy of Dr. King, these students have no choice other than to live in the
shadows, afraid of being forced to leave the country they have always called
home.
Anna Quindlen once said that Immigration is never about today; it is always
about tomorrow - the kind of tomorrow that Dr. King talked about when he
described his dream of an America with a place at the table for children of every
race … and room at the inn for every needy child. The kind of tomorrow I
dreamed about as a little girl in Northern Ireland where one day Catholics and
Protestants would attend the same schools. Basically, Immigration is an exercise
in hope, in deferred gratification, and deferred dreams. Dr. King reminded us,
“disappointment is finite, but hope must remain infinite.” The immigrant children
among us have little other than hope, but recently they have had to face
adversity and disappointment that no child should have to face: disappointed
that Proposition 300 limited their access to a college education, disappointed
that the DREAM Act died in the Senate, disappointed that there are those who
are willing to discard them while, at the same time, import professionals from
other countries to do the very jobs these talented students are qualified to do! I
marvel at the resilience of these young men and women, many of whom have
taken their first steps on Arizona soil, placed their hands on their hearts every
day to pledge allegiance to the flag of the only country they’ve ever known, and
with dedication and gratitude have risen to the educational and social challenges
they have faced. This prestigious award belongs to these undocumented
dreamers and their undaunted immigrant spirit. It also belongs to their tireless,
courageous champions some of whom are here today … brave Manuel, Carmen,
Marcos, Amanda, Ed, Maria, Autumn, Greg, Joel and also to Genie and Hector
Zavaleta who are not here today, but have devoted the past fifty years to
protecting civil rights. In closing, I thank the Arizona Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Celebration Committee for this beautiful morning, and from the bottom of my
heart I thank the Phoenix Human Relations Commission and the city of Phoenix
Equal Opportunity Department for their courage in presenting this award which
hope is the first step in breaking the silence about these children, these future
lawyers, engineers, teachers, doctors. They are here. They are here. We need to
listen to their dreams and we need to act to make those dreams a reality.
Yvonne Watterson
January 18, 2008