Hartnell College will join in a statewide Undocumented Student Week of Action on Oct. 14-18, culminating with a campus appearance on Oct. 18 by award-winning filmmaker Dario Guerrero and a public screening of his film “Rocio,” which chronicles his own journey as an undocumented college student.
The Hartnell Community College District Board of Trustees affirmed the week of action on Oct. 1 with unanimous approval of a resolution from Superintendent-President Dr. Patricia Hsieh that pledges the college to advocate and provide support services for undocumented students.
California Community Colleges have advocated to Congress and the Administration to preserve DACA and respect the contributions of undocumented immigrants with or without DACA, and on Jan. 26, 2017, the Board of Governors passed a resolution expressing its support for DACA and firm commitment to serving all students who can benefit from a postsecondary education.
As the nation’s largest post-secondary education system in the nation and serving the largest number of undocumented students within the state, California Community Colleges are committed to serving all students, regardless of immigration status.
“When undocumented young people are able to pursue education and careers, they can create new, brighter futures for themselves, their families and their communities,” Dr. Hsieh said.
“We are as committed to the success and well-being of undocumented students as we are to all our students. Hartnell is and must remain a safe and welcoming place for people of all backgrounds.”
At Hartnell and the state’s 114 other community colleges, this year’s action week is intended to highlight the challenges that undocumented students face in today’s current climate, while also advocating for Congress to take immediate legislative action on important federal policies and providing resources to better assist undocumented students.
The week is supported statewide by California Community Colleges, the Foundation for California Community Colleges, the Community College League of California, the Student Senate for California Community Colleges and the non-profit organization Immigrants Rising.
While many of the Undocumented Week of Action activities planned at Hartnell are specifically for students and employees, the showing of Guerrero’s film at 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 18 is open to the public. The two-hour event, including the screening and his appearance, will be in Building K, the Center for Performing Arts – in the atrium and room K-125.
The film depicts how Guerrero took a leave of absence from Harvard College, part of Harvard University, to bring his mother to Mexico for treatment of terminal kidney cancer – and his subsequent struggle to return to his studies in the United States.
Adriana Gonzalez-Sebastian, a 2019 Hartnell graduate who serves as a DACA advocate at the college and helped found the Hartnell DREAM Club, said she welcomes the opportunity to meet thriving undocumented students like Guerrero.
“His story is one of great resilience, and it embodies the spirit of hard working undocumented students that just want to be part of this country,” she said.
The public is also invited to attend an “Entrepreneur Chat” at 2 p.m. Oct. 16 with Bo Daraphant, an artist and advocate from Thailand who has his own line of streetwear and vintage clothing called BoThai. He is serving as an entrepreneurship ambassador for Immigrants Rising. Daraphant’s appearance in room K-125 of the Center for the Performing Arts is sponsored by the Hartnell DREAM Club.