Win the Right of Undocumented Students to Receive State Financial Aid for College!
Demand that Gov. Schwarzenegger
Sign the California DREAM Act Now!
Turn the Dream of Tens of Thousands of Latina/o and Immigrant Students to Attend College into Reality!
Acting against the sentiments of the vast majority of people in this state, Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed the California Dream Act on Sat., Oct. 13, 2007. Schwarzenegger is continuing the state's practice of legalized discrimination against immigrant students without papers. Schwarzenegger bowed to the racist wing of the Republican Party, which puts their defense of white privilege above the interest of the whole state of California. California clearly needs a larger, more skilled workforce to grow and prosper and simply can no longer institute a policy of relegating Latina/os to second-class status and hope to thrive. BAMN thoroughly condemns Schwarzenegger's racist and outrageous action. We will continue fighting for the Dream Act and against the right wing's attempts to establish a new Jim Crow against Latina/os, immigrants, and all minority people in this state. Latina/os are no longer invisible and will not accept being treated in an unequal and unfair manner. The sleeping giant has awoken and will never be forced back into the shadows. We will continue to fight until we end legalized discrimination and second-class treatment in California once and for all.
Gil Cedillo, sponsor of the bill, has already said that he will bring this legislation back again. One of the most important lessons the movement learned this year was that it is extremely likely that the Dream Act will pass again later this year in the California State Legislature. However, to get the law enacted, it will be critical for the movement to be mobilizing on an independent basis to send a message to the Governor that another veto will be politically unacceptable to the Latina/o youth and communities. We will not allow the politicians to make deals which will compromise the futures of our youth or our state. Schwarzenegger signed the Landlord Act forbidding landlords from asking tenants their immigration status in exchange for vetoing the Dream Act. We need to make sure Schwarzenegger is unable to do this again.
Right now in California, every important political decision revolves around the questions of the rights and protections afforded to California's Latina/o communities with and without papers. Progress in the state, both economically and socially, requires granting the rights of citizenship to all Latina/os and all immigrants. Forces as disparate as the high school students who have repeatedly walked out to win equality and dignity, to the Los Angeles and San Francisco Chamber of Commerce who are largely concerned with the state's economic growth, recognize this fact and find themselves standing together for progressive measures like the Dream Act and against draconian measures like the raids. Turning that broad base of support into victories requires the growth and increased assertion of the movement.
In this fight, in particular, the youth must lead and fight on an independent basis because we need to lead not only our schools, campuses and communities, but we must also lead the politicians who know what we are demanding is right, but who often feel politically constrained to fight to win all that we need and deserve.
The key to winning this in the future will be the continued growth of the new civil rights movement and BAMN. The last few weeks demonstrate the increasing power of our struggle. From our mass march in Sacramento on October 4 and subsequent local actions, we succeeded in breaking through the press blackout and went from ten articles on the California Dream Act on Sept. 30 to 265 articles yesterday. The determination of students and youth to take action for our rights changed the editorial policy of the LA Times and other newspapers, and succeeded in getting Barack Obama to take a public stand in support of the California Dream Act. With even a few more BAMN leaders and groups at other college campuses and high schools, we could have broken through the press blackout sooner and we could have won.
Maintaining our independent focus on fighting for the full rights and equality for Latinas/os and all oppressed people, we can intervene in the upcoming presidential campaign effectively. Over the course of the next year, every candidate will be vying not only for youth votes, but to energize their base to be out campaigning for their candidates. Youth and teachers prepared to energetically work for their candidates will be regarded by these politicians as key to victory. Relying heavily on college student support, Barack Obama declared his support for the California Dream Act because his student supporters were putting pressure on him. With a few more leaders to strengthen the movement, we could have pushed more of the Democrats to feel that they could not get away with simply letting this bill fail. One or two BAMN leaders on any given high school or college campus can make an enormous difference.
This is a moment in history where the decision of young leaders to stand up and fight will be decisive to the future of an entire generation and people. Join BAMN, and build a BAMN chapter to organize your school or community to win the dignity and respect that we deserve.
Also, see the Oct. 10th Update & News Coverage
Listen to BAMN debate against Californians for Population Stabilization on NPR's award-winning program, "Forum"
On September 11, 2007, the California State Legislature overwhelmingly passed a bill, SB 1, known as the California Dream Act. The bill would give students without papers in California the opportunity to receive state financial aid for college. Tens of thousands of poor Latina/o and immigrant students who have been accepted at UCLA, UC-Berkeley, or other UC, CSU, or private college campuses would finally have the opportunity to go to college. Low-income Latina/o and immigrant students would also be eligible for tuition waivers at community colleges. Students who have put off going to college or have dropped out of college because they could not afford to pay tuition would be able to fulfill their lifelong dream of attaining a college degree. Latina/o and immigrant students would make new and important gains towards equality.
The California Dream Act is now sitting on Governor Schwarzenegger's desk, waiting to be signed. The Governor has until October 10, 2007 either to sign the bill or veto it.
A year ago, Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed the Dream Act. This year, unlike a year ago, we must mobilize our communities to get Schwarzenegger to sign the Dream Act into law. Last year, apart from a few politicians, next to no one knew when the Dream Act was passed and was placed before the Governor. We were therefore deprived of the opportunity to assert our power to get the law enacted. This year, if we mobilize the tremendous power of our new civil rights/immigrant rights movement, we can convince Governor Schwarzenegger to sign the Dream Act and begin the long-needed fight to increase financial aid for all students in California.
Mass Mobilization is the Key to Victory
Over the last eighteen months, our new civil rights and immigrant rights movement has won both important legislative and legal victories, and the dignity and respect we deserve. In the spring of 2006, the mobilization of millions of Latina/o and immigrant communities defeated HR4437, the federal anti-immigrant bill. Since the spring of 2006, our decision to continue walking out, demonstrating, and boycotting, even when church leaders and politicians have told us to stay home and stay quiet, has meant that no new anti-immigrant laws have been able to make it through the U.S. Congress. Our mass actions have led to local anti-immigrant laws either being struck down in the courts or defeated in practice. Our powerful new movement has also led to the passage of important new legal protections for immigrants without papers.
On September 21, the State of New York enacted a new law that finally allows immigrants without papers to attain drivers licenses. New Haven, Connecticut has enacted a new citywide ID program, which San Francisco is planning to implement as well. Undocumented residents in these cities will have the ability to open bank accounts and utilize city services. Oakland, San Francisco, Seattle, and other cities across the nation are responding to the terror of ICE raids by refusing to cooperate with the ICE and becoming sanctuary cities. None of these gains toward equality for Latinas/os and immigrants would have been possible without mass actions.
The refusal of Latina/o and immigrant communities to remain invisible and to accept second-class treatment has inspired millions of other Americans to stand up and fight. Tens of thousands of black students and youth traveled to Jena, Louisiana on September 20, 2007 to march and rally against the new Jim Crow. The mass demonstration in Jena was aimed at winning freedom for six black youth who were unjustly charged and prosecuted for standing up against racism and segregation. The outspoken opposition of the vast majority of the American people to the U.S. occupation of Iraq has been immeasurably emboldened and strengthened by the development of our movement.
We are starting to move American society in a positive and progressive direction. Continuing to build our movement on an independent basis is key to maintaining this development. Our power lies in our ability to assert our collective strength. When we stand and fight together, we not only are strong, but also happy and proud. The only way for us to win the dignity, respect, and equality we deserve is through building our movement.
If we continue to act with determination and energy, we can win the Dream Act and open the doors to higher education for tens of thousands of undocumented students across California. We can make this year the year that we win the Dream Act on a national basis. We can increase Latina/o and black student enrollment in the University of California system. Latina/o, black, Asian, Arab, Native American, and white, those with and without papers – We are all Californians! It is time that we all be treated as equals. Our state can become a model for America.
A Political Program and Perspectives for Our Movement
Opening Statement at 10th BAMN National Conference, Los Angeles, March 31, 2007) Click "More from this user" to see other parts.
"Building the New Civil Rights Movement for Immigrant Rights" - BAMN National Co-Chair Shanta Driver and student walkout leaders speak at 9th BAMN National Conference, Los Angeles, May 26, 2006)
• BAMN Declaration on Immigrant Rights
• Where We Go From Here: Report on the March 30, 2007 walkouts and perspective for our how our struggle for dignity and equality can win.
• Call to Action for Leaders of the New Civil Rights Movement: Report and perspectives coming out of the spring 2006 mass mobilizations.
Photo from the XPress Online
The Oct. 4 march and rally at the State Capitol was a big success, with hundreds of students rallying and marching from across the state, 3 busloads of students from UC-Berkeley and the East Bay, and Sacramento high schools walking out and joining the demonstration. The march was extremely diverse, with Latina/o, black, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, and white students marching side by side for equality. Demonstrators cheered and made the commitment to fight until the California Dream Act is signed into law, and to fight for equal educational opportunity and increasing underrepresented minority student enrollment at the UC and CSU campuses.
We will continue to rally and march this week to demand that Gov. Schwarzenegger sign the California Dream Act into law. Organize a local event in your area!
For help in organizing an event in
your local area, contact BAMN:
Northern California: (510) 502-9072
Southern California: (323) 317-7675
On Myspace, ADD Myspace.com/ChavezDayOfAction
- Full & Equal Rights for All Immigrants!
- Latina/o, Black, Asian, Arab, Native American, and White, With and Without Papers—We Are All Californians!
- Increase Latina/o, Black, and Native American Student Enrollment in the University of California and California State University Systems!
- No More Separate and Unequal Education for Latina/o and Black Students!
- Make California a Sanctuary State!
- Build the New Youth-Led Civil Rights Movement!
1. Circulate the petition! Gather hundreds of signatures and organize a press event presenting the petitions to a local representative of the Governor in your area. (The petition is also a great tool for organizing local events, and building the movement network in your area by collecting contact information.) Call BAMN if you need help:
PETITION - ENGLISH
Word file PDF file
PETITION - ESPAÑOL
Word file PDF file (Coming soon!)
Sign the ONLINE PETITION. Forward the URL to everyone you know! The signatures will go to California BAMN and be publicly presented to a representative of the Governor this week.
2. Organize an event in your area! Hold a school rally, community march, or other event! Contact BAMN to form a chapter and to get help.
Partial list of supporters of the California Dream Act:
BAMN
The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC)
University of California (UC) Board of Regents
California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees
California Community College Board of Governors
Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU)
Mexican American Legal Defense Fund (MALDEF)
Asian Pacific American Legal Center of S. California
Los Angeles Unified School District
California Federation of Teachers
California State PTA
California Faculty Association
Associated Students Inc., California
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA)
Los Angeles Area and San Francisco Chambers of Commerce
California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
South Bay Labor Council
Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
313-438-3748
And Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary (BAMN)