The California-Mexico Studies Center

Armando Vazquez-Ramos, President & CEO

1551 N. Studebaker Road, Long Beach, CA
90815
Phone: (562) 430-5541 Cell: (562) 972-0986
CaliforniaMexicoCenter@gmail.com
"El Magonista"
Vol. 4 No. 14
March 4, 2016

Website: www.california-mexicocenter.org
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Dreamers to celebrate
Marco A. Firebaugh's legacy

Memorial Vigils Called Upon by

Dreamers to Celebrate Marco A.
Firebaugh's Legacy
Student participants of the CMSC's California-Mexico Dreamers'
Study Abroad Program, call upon all Dreamers and student
organizations to celebrate the legacy of Marco Antonio
Firebaugh, on the tenth anniversary of his passing by hosting a
memorial vigil at their campuses.
California State University, Long Beach students plan to gather at 6
p.m. on March 21, 2016, at the Lough Fountain in front of
Brotman Hall and host a vigil.
It is expected that student leaders from the 18 universities and
colleges, which participated in the CMSC's Dreamers Winter Study
Abroad program will also host vigils at their campuses.

Who was Marco Antonio Firebaugh and

why we should honor him?
By Prof. Armando Vazquez-Ramos and Mayra Castro
Almost ten years since the lamented passing of Marco Antonio Firebaugh at the age of 39,
he is being timely remembered by participants of the California-Mexico Dreamers Study
Abroad Program for his landmark Assembly Bill 540 legislation, and numerous
accomplishments during his trailblazing career.
While Marco Antonio Firebaugh's legacy reflects a wide range of undertakings, foremost
was his dedication to serving the most vulnerable and the underrepresented, and above all,
he stood up for immigrants and working families.

Marco was born on October 13, 1966 in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, migrated to the
U.S. as a young boy and never forgot his humble beginnings. After being diagnosed with
liver disease in 2003, he died on March 21, 2006 from severe complications. He was
survived by his two children, Tlalli Ariana and Nicolas Andres Firebaugh.
Though he died at a young age, his legacy lives on today in particular through his AB-540
bill, signed into law on Oct 12, 2001 by Governor Gray Davis, allowing undocumented
students in California to pay in-state tuition, at public colleges and universities rather than
the out-of-state rate for non-residents. A historic breakthrough precedent in U.S. higher
education, now replicated by several states that benefit the growing student population
now often referred to as Dreamers.
After receiving a Bachelor's of Arts in political science at University of California,
Berkeley, he went on to earn a law degree from University of California Los Angeles.

In an article with the LA Times, state Senator Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles), recalled
Firebaugh's dedication as an intern for his office. "I saw a real spunk, a lot of
determination, and just a lot of passion for wanting to make government work for people,"
Senator Polanco said.
After his internship ended, Polanco went on to hire Firebaugh as a committee consultant.
In 1998, when Firebaugh decided to run for the assembly, Polanco not only endorsed him
but became his political mentor and helped generate endorsements and financial support
for his campaign.
In 1998, Firebaugh became a member of the California Assembly and served until 2004.
During his time in the California Assembly, he played a paramount role as Majority
Leader.
Firebaugh also served six years on the State Allocation Board (SAB). While with SAB,
California invested more than $16 billion toward the construction and modernization of
public schools, making it the largest investment in public school improvements in the
history of the state.
As Chairman of the California Latino Legislative Caucus from 2002 to 2004, the caucus
grew from 22 to 27 members, making it the largest and most influential Caucus in the
Legislature under his stewardship.
Marco was also president of MAF Strategic Consulting Inc., a Los Angeles public
relations firm. He served as a visiting professor and policy fellow at the UCLA School of
Medicine, Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture and also was a commissioner
on the California Medical Assistance Commission.
Marco A. Firebaugh was critically concerned with low-income communities affected by
air pollution and among other pieces of legislation that he introduced, many were
pioneering policies on air pollution, funding for mobile asthma treatment, and a bill to
prohibit smoking in vehicles while children are present.
He wrote legislation funding for a mobile asthma treatment clinic known as a
Breathmobile, which he foresaw would provide free screenings and treatment for school
children in southeast Los Angeles. Firebaugh fought hard in the Legislature to make
California the first state to outlaw smoking in a vehicle carrying young children, and to
protect them from the hazards created by breathing secondhand smoke. Unfortunately, all
three measures that he introduced failed.
In 2005, the Marco Antonio Firebaugh High School (FHS) was founded. He received the
honor of having a school named after him while he was still alive. Today FHS is
nationally rated as a unique High School that offers the International Baccalaureate (IB),
an honor that is mainly granted to private schools. Truly a distinction, given that MAF

High School has a 100 percent of minority enrollment and that 90 percent of which is
economically disadvantaged.
Marco A. Firebaugh always saw the importance of a quality education for all. In an
interview with Mary Johnson, he said, "The responsibility rests with us to make sure the
resources are available to give every child a good education."
Before his death, Marco Antonio Firebaugh was seeking the Democratic nomination for a
seat in the California State Senate, representing the 30th District.
After his death, the "Marco Firebaugh Memorial Children's Health and Safety Act of
2007," was adopted by the legislature and signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on
October 10, 2007.
The Marco Antonio Firebaugh Scholarship Fund was established by the Mexican
American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF), similar to the fund created by
the California Community Foundation and the UCLA School of Law Firebaugh Dream
Fund, in honor of Marco.

As time has begun to erode Marco's remembrance and

even some Dreamers are unaware of his legacy, the
California-Mexico Studies Center along with the 30
participants of the Winter 2015-16 California-Mexico
Dreamers Study Abroad Program, have established a
Marco Antonio Firebaugh Dreamers Scholarship Fund,
to honor him and offer the same opportunity to 100
DACA-mented college students during the 2016 summer
months.

The CMSC Marco Antonio Firebaugh

Dreamers Study Abroad Scholarship
Fund
The California-Mexico Studies Center, Inc. (CMSC) is launching
the
Marco Antonio Firebaugh Dreamers Study Abroad Scholarship

Fund, to raise funding for the CMSC's 2016 Summer CaliforniaMexico Dreamers Study Abroad Program.
The primary purpose of the MAF Dreamers Study Abroad
Scholarship Fund will be to anchor a fundraising campaign with
the goal of securing $50,000 in matching funds by June 30, 2016; in
order to defray at least 50% of the 100 California-Mexico Dreamers
Study Abroad Program participants in four 2016 Summer Projects
being planned by the CMSC through CSULB, CSU Northridge,
UCLA and University of La Verne.

The Summer 2016 California-Mexico Dreamers Study Abroad

Program is a subsequent project that builds upon the CMSC's
California-Mexico Dreamers Study Abroad Program (Winter 2015)

demonstration program, and which offered 30 DACA-protected

Dreamers from 18 different colleges and universities in the Los
Angeles metropolitan area, a unique 3-week travel-study experience
in Mexico City and Cuernavaca, Morelos.
Most important, the participating Dreamers also had the
opportunity to travel to their birthplace for 8 days and spend
Christmas and New Year's with their families and discover Mexico
as adults, given that most had not been able to return for over 20
years since they entered the US as minors.
After their independent family travel, they returned to Cuernavaca,
Morelos, where they were immersed in a comprehensive cultural
and educational program at CETLALIC Institute ( Centro Tlahuica
de Lenguas e Intercambio Cultural). The curriculum included daily
"ctedras" on social movements, the Mexican educational,
economic and political systems, Afromexicanos, various field trips
to museums and historical sites (Templo Mayor, Palacio Nacional,
Tepoztlan, Xochicalco & Taxco), and a 14-day home-stay living
experience with Mexican host families.
The CMSC's fund drive for the MAF Dreamers Study Abroad
Scholarship Fund has already secured a $10,000 grant from
Mexico's Becas IME Program, and is substantially driven by the
30 Dreamers that participated in the CMSC's 2015-16 Winter
California-Mexico Dreamers Study Abroad Program, funded by
the
Juntos Podemos Foundation.
The CMSC plans to solicit seed funding from business and
corporate sponsors, foundations, community-based organizations,
Mexican Home-town Associations, Clubs and Federaciones,
churches, and apply to the Juntos Podemos Foundation for a major
matching grant.

The CMSC's MAF Dreamers Study Abroad Scholarship Fund was

conceived to celebrate the pioneering legacy and trailblazing career
of Assemblyman Marco Antonio Firebaugh, and to commemorate
his passing 10 years ago, on March 21, 2006 at the age of 39 years
young.
Marco's landmark AB-540 legislation forged the rights of
undocumented youth, by allowing them to legally attend public
higher education institutions in California, and to pay the same rate
of tuition as all other residents of the state.
Four days after his passing, on March 25, 2006, the world
witnessed one of the largest protest movements in history, with
demonstrations in dozens of U.S. cities and Los Angeles was
'ground zero', leading up to the May Day marches in over 150 cities
and more than 2 million protesters of all races, ages and
nationalities.

Join and support the Marco Antonio Firebaugh

Dreamers Study Abroad Scholarship Fundraising
campaign:
WAYS TO HELP:

Endorse, volunteer, and promote the Marco Antonio

Firebaugh Dreamers Study Abroad Scholarship Fund
Host a memorial for Marco Antonio Firebaugh on March 21,
2016
Host a fundraising event for the Marco Antonio Firebaugh
Dreamers Study Abroad Scholarship Fund
Become a co-sponsor of the Marco Antonio Firebaugh
Dreamers Study Abroad Scholarship Fund

HOW TO DONATE:

Sponsor a California-Mexico Dreamer's scholarship in your

name for $2,500
Donate now to the MAF Dreamers Scholarship Fund from
$25 to $2,500 !

Latest CMSC News

Five Children Murdered After Being
Deported From U.S. To Honduras
Between five and ten migrant children have been
killed since February after the United States
deported them back to Honduras, a morgue director told the Los Angeles
Times. Lawmakers have yet to come up with best practices to deal with the
waves of...
http://california-mexicocenter.org/five-children-murdered-after-being-deportedfrom-us-to-honduras/

How Mexican immigrants ended

'separate but equal' in California
In the coverage of the 2016 election cycle, you'll
hear this time and again: Latinos - immigrants and
their families - are playing an important role in
electing the next U.S. president. They are the largest minority group in the
nation, and...
http://california-mexicocenter.org/how-mexican-immigrants-ended-separate-butequal-in-california/

Univision Aims to Make Hispanic Voting

Bloc Even More Formidable
About 11 million Hispanics voted in the 2012
presidential election, fewer than half of those who
were eligible. Activists in both major political
parties have been trying to increase that number,
through voter registration drives and appeals over issues like immigration
and...
http://california-mexicocenter.org/univision-aims-to-make-hispanic-voting-bloceven-more-formidable/

LATINO VOTE: Lingering Grievances

Toward Democratic Party
As potential presidential candidates hope to
become elected the country's 45th president,
strategists from both political parties are seeking
support from Latino voters, who will make up 13 percent of all eligible voters
in 2016...
http://california-mexicocenter.org/latino-vote-lingering-grievances-towarddemocratic-party/

Undocumented college students are

studying abroad and returning legally
Southern California university students and
professors have discovered an obscure provision
in U.S. immigration law that allows
undocumented students to leave the country to
study abroad and return legally.
http://california-mexicocenter.org/undocumented-college-students-arestudying-abroad-and-returning-legally/

The 2016 California-Mexico Dreamers

Study Abroad Summer Program
Registration Is Now Open !!!
http://california-mexicocenter.org/dreamers-summer2016/

Program description:
The Summer 2016 California-Mexico Dreamers Study Abroad
Program is a subsequent project that builds upon the CMSC's Winter
2015 demonstration program, which offered 30 DACA-protected
Dreamers from 18 different colleges and universities in the Los
Angeles metropolitan area, a 3-week travel-study experience in
Mexico City and Cuernavaca, Morelos.
The Winter program applied improvements based on the lessons
learned from the original pilot projects for 16 Dreamers during Prof.
Armando Vazquez-Ramos' Spring Break classes of 2014 and 2015,

including a more rigorous academic program with an emphasis on

perfecting Spanish language skills, enhancing their knowledge of
Mexican culture and history, and guided visits to archeological sites
and museums.
Program objectives:

Establish a replicable educational program model for Dreamers'

Study Abroad Projects at other colleges and universities
through the DACA Advance Parole process;
Establish the administrative framework for a model that can be
reproduced by any U.S. institution of Higher Education;
Continue and expand video and photo documentation of
Dreamers' human stories;
Prepare participant Dreamers as ambassadors of the model, for
them to replicate similar programs at their own colleges and
universities, based on their personal experience;
Train the participants to become advocates and providers of
DACA/DAPA services;
Allow the Dreamers to spend 1 to 2 weeks in their communities
of origin with their family and relatives, and to discover their
roots in Mexico on their own;

Requirements:
To qualify, applicants must have current DACA status, commit to
assist other Dreamers upon return and meet all program
requirements, including:

Be 21 years-old or older at the time of travel;

Have a current passport from the Dreamers' country of origin;
Secure Advance Parole authorization from USCIS (after being
accepted to the program);
Commit to travel and participate in all program activities;
Must be responsible for at least $1,500 for airfare, registration,

tuition & Advance Parole fees;

The selected participants will benefit from the Summer 2016
California-Mexico Dreamers Study Abroad Program's educational
and cultural experience as follows:

College course credit, Spanish and Mexican Culture instruction;

Room & Board, field trips, meals and local transportation;
Visit with family and discover Mexico during the study abroad
experience;
Re-enter the U.S. legally and allow Dreamers to clear the prior
unauthorized entry;
Develop leadership skills to create similar programs or other
projects that benefit Dreamers.

ATTENTION: Please note that this is the initial phase of the

application process, and once you complete the online application,
you will be instructed to complete the second phase and you will be
asked to provide 2 letters of recommendation.
The Summer 2016 California-Mexico Dreamers Study Abroad
Program is being organized by the California-Mexico Studies
Center, in conjunction with several L.A. area colleges and
universities.
California-Mexico Studies Center

Website

Latinos & Immig Reform

Dreamers Advance Parole

Media

California-Mexico Studies Center

www.california-mexicocenter.org

THE CALIFORNIA-MEXICO STUDIES CENTER, 1551 N. Studebaker Road, Long

Beach, CA 90815
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