In April and May, I was able to witness POWER. I watched and supported to the best of my ability a group of young people gather their resources and get their voices heard. Oakland Community College changed their tuition policy in 2013 for the next fiscal year. The tuition change not meant not only increased prices for international students and DREAMERS, but these new prices were so unaffordable that it meant these students would not have access to education. The exchange on this tuition increase began as a social media campaign. This media campaign grew into a task force led by OCC administration who genuinely were wanting to learn about this new group of students. DACA or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals was put into effect by President Obama through executive order in 2012. It is new. A lot of people do not know what DACA means.
The task force heard the testimony of many, many DACA and undocumented students, researched the issue and issued recommendations to the OCC Trustees. The Trustees unanimously voted YES on May 20th on the recommendations to include DACA students as residents. This is so much more than policy change. This means that if you speak up, that you will be heard. If you never speak up, you will NEVER be heard. This means trying new things in areas that you do not know- imagined and literal landscapes (Oakland County). It means potentially losing a fight that you pick. It means potentially being disappointed and hurt, but it means potentially winning.
The landscape for these young people is now wide open. What now? What next? They have their sights on other colleges. Inclusion is a goal. It is a mission. Affecting change and learning is addictive. I want to thank you, J.M. for leading this crazy thing, for letting me support you, for taking so many personal risks, for lifting up others, and teaching me and your peers by living (not by lecturing). I am so thrilled at YOUR win. I hope to be along for many, many more rides with you AND as I said to you in the Russell Building in Washington, DC in April, one day you will WORK there. I don't know how, but we will figure it out!
Photos here!
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