CALIFORNIA DREAM ACT APPLICATION

According the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights: "Higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit" (Article 26, Section 1).

The Basics!
From the California Education Roundtable

1. What does it mean to be undocumented?
2. If I am undocumented and interested in applying for residency, what should I do?
3. If I am undocumented, can I go to college?
4. If I am undocumented, can I receive financial aid?
5. Where can I go to find out about scholarships for undocumented students?
6. How do I qualify to pay in-state tuition?
7. Do I need to be in the legalization process to qualify for AB 540?
8. Can I utilize AB 540 at a private university?
9. Do adult school students qualify for AB 540?
10. What is the process for applying to college and the university for undocumented immigrant students?
11. Can undocumented students transfer from Cañada College to a 4 year school?
    
    Answer:YES, YES, YES!
    Many of Cañada's BEST students are undocumented.
    Don't give up!

"We must take advantage of the extraordinary talents of undocumented students. These are exceptional young people who have overcome incredible challenges to gain admission to great universities like UC Berkeley. As a society, we should do everything we can to support these top students who have earned the right to a college education. " --UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert J. Birgeneau 
               (Retrieved from http://www.e4fc.org/images/E4FC_TheCase.pdf)

The next time someone tries to tell you that undocumented students don't belong in college, you will be ready to argue back with this document, written by Fermin Mendoza, an undocumented student at Stanford.  Full of  facts and figures!

Also, check out this 2007 report from UCLA's Center for Labor Research & Education, "Undocumented Students: Unfulfilled Dreams". Full of useful background information and testimonies from undocumented students.

Welcome!

Undocumented students are some of the best students at Cañada, but they face difficult obstacles. Cañada College Library is committed to helping undocumented students find the resources they need to succeed in college. Here are resources for undocumented students on this campus, in the community and on the Internet.

"Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot uneducate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. And you cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore" (Cesar Chavez, 1984, Speech given at The Commonwealth Club, San Francisco) 

• Educators for Fair Consideration

• Immigrant Legal Resource Center

• MALDEF

• Pew Hispanic Center

• Immigration Reform on Facebook

• Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities

On March 30, 2011, Magnolia Cruz, former student at Cañada, (Not pictured here!) gave a speech encouraging Cañada's undocumented students to never give up. Magnolia transferred to UC Santa Barbara and graduated with a bachelor's degree. She told Cañada students about the many obstacles she faced. Instead of buying textbooks, she photocopied them to save money. At one point, she and her roommate ran out of money and food, except for rice and milk. They ate rice and milk for a week. Magnolia told the students to stay focused on their goals.

Information for parents in English and Spanish

This year's Undocumented Student Forum on April 25, 2012 follows great work done last year. Awesome Cañada student activists Vanessa Acevez, Vanessa Bains, Lilliam Castellanos, Elizabeth Cornejo, Jose Mayen and Alma Nuñez (none pictured here!) made some noise at Cañada on March 30. 2011. With the help of Professor Kiran Malavade and others, they organized an "Undocumented Student Forum" in Cañada's Main Theater, attended by approximately 200 students, staff, professors, and community visitors. De Anza's IMASS (Integral Movement for AB540 Student Success) students gave an informative presentation, powerful skits, and supportive advice.

Here's a packet of information from the event "Undocumented Student Forum" held at Cañada College's Main Theater on March 30, 2011.

Student Jose Mayen composed this PowerPoint presentation to inspire us. March 30, 2011