UndocuPoet Peer

Ally Training
Office of Equity and Inclusion

Norma De La Rosa
Adriana Granados
Jenny Guerra

April 18th, 2019

4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
 Welcome

1
Office of Equity and Inclusion
Jenny Guerra Kayla Kosaki Adriana Granados Norma De La Rosa
Director Assistant Director Graduate Intern Diversity Ambassador

She / Her / Hers / Ella She / Her / Hers She / Her / Hers She / Her / Hers
 Community Agreements
Use “I” Statements
Speak from your own experiences and perspective.
Vegas Rule
Maintain confidentiality and take away lessons. Always ask if you can share
individuals’ stories.
Share Air Time
If you are sharing a lot, allows other to speak.
Support Learning
Assume best intentions. We’re all in different places in our learning. Work
from your own edge.
Listen to Understand
Be open-minded. It’s okay to agree to disagree.
 Check-In

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What motivated Why do you think What do you
you to attend it’s important to wish to learn
this training? support from this
undocumented
training?
students?

Community Conversation
 What is the
Purpose?

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Importance of Support for UndocuPoets
● Poets fought for Whittier College to be a Sanctuary Campus in 2017
● Students emphasized the need to train faculty and staff leading to
creation of the UndocuAlly Training
● Important to remember that these were student-led movements
“During my time at Whittier, I had a whole community that I could
count on for support and guidance. Prof. Orozco connected me
with key resources on campus. And through that I was able to
become involved with OEI where my support system grew and for
that I’m forever thankful.“ - Alma Corado ‘17
 Peer allies can and will
support, empower, and
Guiding Belief advocate with and for
the undocumented
student community at
Whittier College.
Learning Outcomes
Peers allies will be able to...
Describe the strengths that UndocuPoets bring to Whittier College
as well as the challenges they face;
Identify resources that provide support to UndocuPoets;
Illustrate how to provide support and speak up for UndocuPoets
in different situations;
Construct a short-term plan to advocate for UndocuPoets
and empower peers to do the same.
 History and
Legislation

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Kahoot!
Terminology

Preferred Terms Dehumanizing Additional Terms

● Terms ●
●
● ● ●

● ●
●

Source:
Source: The Education Trust-West
Timeline: Education Source: AB540.com

Illegal Immigration Reform

and Immigrant Responsibility
Act
Plyler V. Doe
Barred immigrants from receiving a
K-12 students regardless of public benefit. This law prevent
immigration status have the right to a non-citizens from receiving any type
K-12 public school education. of federal aid.

1986 1991 2001

1982 1996
Leticia A. V. Board of Regents Assembly Bill 540
Undocumented students who graduated from CA Allows undocumented students who
high school were eligible to attend a UC or CSU and meet certain requirements to pay
avoid out-of-state tuition. in-state tuition in California’s higher
Bradford V. The UC Regents education institutions.

Los Angeles Supreme Court overruled Leticia A.

ruling for both UC and CSU. California Community
Colleges followed.
 Timeline: The Last Decade Source: AB540.com

Assembly Bill 130

Allows for private scholarships Assembly Bill 60 Deferred Action for Childhood
and institutional funding Arrivals Rescission
Provides the possibility to
Assembly Bill 131 apply for a driver license
Rescinded by Trump administration.
Allows for state funding (ie. without the documentation
Implementation of rescission is
Cal Grants) of legal presence in the
suspended for 6 months.
United States.
2012 2014

2011 2013
California DREAM Act Senate Bill 1210 2017
A Financial Aid Application (comparable to
California DREAM Loan
FAFSA) for undocumented AB 540 students.
Program (comparable to
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals direct loans). Students must
be AB 540 eligible.
Individuals who entered the country as minors
were able to apply for a renewable 2-year period
of deferred action from deportation. Provided
eligibility opportunity for work permit.
 Undocumented
Immigrant
Experiences
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 How do you describe undocumented immigrants?

What struggles might they experience when they first come

to the United States?

How might their status affect their pursuit of a college

degree?
Undocumented Immigrant Experiences

Source: Youtube (The Atlantic, Vanity Fair, Define American)

 ● Do not qualify for public benefit
programs
● Job insecurity, low wages, and
labor-intensive work
● Pressure to financially support

Challenges & ●
self and others
Fear of possible immigration

Barriers raids, deportation, involuntary

separation of family, racial
profiling, political unrest
● Uncertainty about life after
college (career)

Source: NACADA
Challenges & Barriers:
Academic
● Factors that influence college decision
○ Cost (87.95%); Location (64.1%), Undocu-Friendly Climate (49.85%); Other
(38.2%); College ranking (34%); Class Size (24.9%)
● Reported experiences of unfair treatment
○ Other students (55.6%), Financial Aid Officers (47.9%), Administrators
(36.5%), Counselors (34%), Security/Police (30.6%)
● Students have to ask a lot of questions
○ Who can they trust?
○ Conflicting information from different personnel

Source: Inside Higher Ed; The UndocuScholars Project, The Institute for Immigration, Globalization, & Education, UCLA
 Challenges &
Barriers:
Academic

Source: Center for American Progress, Infographics: Inside the

Labyrinth: Undocumented Students in Higher Education
 Source: Center for American Progress, Infographics: Inside the
Challenges & Barriers: Labyrinth: Undocumented Students in Higher Education

Academic & Social

 College-bound undocumented
students tend to…
● Be motivated
● Be hard workers
● Be brave groundbreakers
Strengths & ● Be flexible and adaptable
● Pave the way against barriers
Skills ● Honor their families’ sacrifice
● Be activists who know that their
personal fight serves a larger
purpose

Source: NACADA
Snack Break
 Undocumented
Students at WC

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UndocuPoets

This term will be used to refer to students enrolled at

Whittier College who have lived or been affected by
the undocumented immigrant experience.
About UndocuPoets
● Number of UndocuPoets
○ Unknown
○ Expected to be higher than expected

● UndocuPoets are diverse

○ Age
○ Racial/ethnic background
○ Social class
○ Sexual orientation
○ Gender
○ Ability
○ Path to citizenship
Activity
Case Scenarios

1. Summarize your scenario.

2. What is the real issue?
3. What do you say in the moment?
4. What can you do to support all UndocuPoets?
5. Who can you get to help you?
Scenario 1
You are working a shift at your on-campus job.

A DACA-recipient student, Eli, asks if they could talk to you about the existing
services and support programs your office offers undocumented students.

They note that in their two years at Whittier College, there has never been an event
that is tailored specifically to the undocumented student community on campus. In
fact, they claim there is a negative climate toward undocumented students on
campus. They share that they identify as undocumented and part of the LGBTQ
community.

They are frustrated and say that their next step is going to
the President’s Office if you can’t give them a proper
response.
Scenario 2
You are working on a project about immigration policy at the library for your
US/Mexico Border Studies course. As you work on your project, your friend Erin
decides to share she is an undocumented refugee from Cameroon, Africa.

A group member turns to her and says: “So you broke the law? You need to go back
to her country and stop taking our government’s money. You should’ve come to the
US legally if you wanted to be American so badly.”

Erin gets embarrassed and turns her head down in shame.

She suddenly gets up and says she needs to go,
rushing out on the brink of tears.
Scenario 3
Your roommate, Alex, is an undocumented student. He returns from the Financial
Aid Office. He has been struggling to pay for his tuition this semester after spending
all of his scholarship money and savings. He tells you that he just wanted to know
more information about financial aid available to him.

Without asking him clarifying questions, the counselor said that she could easily get
subsidized, unsubsidized, and parent loans to help him out, so he should not worry.

He tries to explain that he can’t take out loans. She cuts him off abruptly and says, “I
know it’s hard to take on loan debt, but it will be an investment in your future. Just
take out the loans. It’s easy to apply.”
Activity: Discussion
 Defining
Undocu-Allyship

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Undocu-Ally

This term is used to refer to people who are not

undocumented or had the undocumented immigrant
experience who verbally and in actions
take a stance to fight shoulder to shoulder with the
affected community.

Source: United We Dream

“I believe the best way to show allyship is to not rely
completely on your undocumented peers to educate
you on their experiences/status, rather take it upon
yourself to conduct your own research. This is not to
say you can’t ask questions, but take the initiative to
be more aware.”
Alma Corado ‘17
Steps to Become an Undocu-Ally
❏ Listen when undocumented voices speak
❏ Educate yourself without hurting the community
❏ Declare your Support unapologetically
❏ Understand and use your Privilege
❏ Move into Action
 Undocu-Allies
in Action

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 1. Use Sensitive Language with UndocuPoets

DO SAY . . . DON’T SAY . . .

Thank you for
trusting in me. Are you illegal?

Can I help you How did you

with anything? Is it okay for me come here?
to ask someone Why don’t you
who knows more just become a
to help you? citizen?
But you don’t look
Can I help you
undocumented
with anything?
and you speak
English.
Source: AB 540.com
2. Offer Support for UndocuPoets

Why would How might you What should you

someone disclose feel? do?
to you?

● They believe you will ● Surprised - not sure ● Assure confidentiality

be understanding and how to help ● Do not try to fix
accepting. ● Impatient - want to everything
● You can assist them, know more ● Understand what
provide information, ● Supportive - want to could cause harm to a
or access specific seek for help student’s immigration
resources. ● Angry - about specific status
immigration issues ● Do not give false hope

Source: AB540.com
3. Declare Your Support for UndocuPoets
1. Use the power of social media
○ #StandWithUndocuPoets | #WCUndocuPoets
○ Follow pages to stay informed *
2. Text “RESIST” to 50409 (ResistBot)
○ Text the word resist via Messenger, Twitter, Telegram, or to 50409
on SMS*
○ Find out who represents you
○ Turns your text into an email, fax, or postal letter, and delivers it
3. Use your power & privilege: Vote!
4. Change the Culture at Whittier College
● Join the First Gen & Allies Club
● Develop events that create support, opportunity
for dialogue, and building community
● Petition for resources and support
○ UndocuAlly training to be mandatory for all
faculty/staff members, and student leaders
○ Additional professional staff
○ Fundraising for scholarships and funding for
UndocuPoets
Action Plan
Take a few minutes to reflect on
material presented.

Think about ways you can take a step to

support UndocuPoets in these four areas:

● Social Media
● Politics
● Your job, internship, class
● Whittier College campus
 Resources

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What to do if ICE comes to campus?
● ICE agents can enter a public or private college's public spaces without prior
notice.
● ICE agents don't have the authority to stop, question or arrest just anyone in
those public areas.
● Agents can't enter private spaces — like offices and classrooms — without
permission or a judicial warrant.
● What can students do if/when this happens?
○ Interim Dean Jeanne Ortiz 562-907-4233 or Dean Darrin Good X4204

Source: LAist.com
Resources at Whittier College
● Office of Equity and Inclusion: Contact Jenny Guerra @ 562.907.4963
○ Undocumented Support Fund, Fellowships, BIAS Incident Reporting Form

● Legal Services: Pro-bono (DACA, religious worker visas, adjustment of

status, soft immigration services, citizenship, marriage petition, fiance
petition, criminal, deportation proceedings)
● Advocates at Whittier
○ Career Center: Sandra Arana
○ Financial Aid: Julie Aldama
○ Faculty: Jose Orozco, Laura McEnaney, Becky Overmyer-Velazquez
○ Counseling Center
Resources - Local and City-wide
● CHIRLA
● Information about AB540, DACA,
and Financial Aid for
Undocumented Students
● Obtain a California Driver
License (AB 60)
Resources - National and Statewide
● My (Un)documented Life
● United We Dream
● TheDream.US
● Immigrants Rising
● Immigration Advocates Network
● National Immigration Law Center
● Define American
● Notifica App
● DREAMER’s Roadmap
● ACLU Mobile Justice
Social Media Accounts
@MyUndocumentedLife
@undocuBlack
@undocuqueer
@unitedwedream
@defineamerican
@yosirey
@undocu_community_college
@undocuscholars
@undocumentedtales
 Commitment
to Allyship

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 EMPOWER SUPPORT ADVOCATE

UndocuPoet Peer
Ally Pledge
I stand with UndocuPoets.
I support undocumented scholars, immigrants, and
individuals from mixed status families from all cultures.
Assessment http://bit.ly/UndocuPoetPeer19
Form
Contact Info
Office of Equity and Inclusion
Location - Campus Center Bldg B - First Floor, Office 163
Number - 562.907.4962
Social Media - @wcforequity
Jenny Guerra
Number - 562.907.4963
Email - jguerra1@whittier.edu
Kayla Kosaki
Number - 562.907.4662
Email - kkosaki@whittier.edu
Questions
To be an ally to our communities under
attack in [2019], people should be ready
and willing to sacrifice comfort and
resources while following the lead of
those at the margins.
Jonathan Jayes-Green
UndocuBlack Network