The Illinois DREAM Act has the power to make a real difference in the lives of undocumented young people throughout Illinois
and moves the immigration debate forward.

ACT NOW!!

Speak up for accurate information, access to education and a voice for all undocumented youth! There are too many stories of young people being caught in a broken immigration system.

The Illinois DREAM Act (SB 2185) is scheduled to be voted on in the Illinois Senate on Wednesday, May 3rd, and this is your opportunity to right a wrong.

Click here to get your legislator’s contact information and take a few minutes to call or email your legislator and make sure that she or he is supporting Illinois DREAM Act (SB 2185). Every little bit counts!

South Asians for Immigration Reform

Children of our undocumented community grow up in the U.S, and become like other “American kids.” But they cannot work or pursue their dreams because they don’t have legal status. Every year, roughly 65,000 undocumented students graduate from high school, but many don’t apply for college. HOW CAN YOU CHANGE THIS ?

Some of the SAPACers got to meet Prerna Lal in D.C. last month when she received the Changemakers award from South Asian American Leaders of Tomorrow (SAALT). Prerna is a Co-Founder and Online Coordinator of DreamActivist , a online immigrant youth community  that has mobilized thousands to action. Last month, Prerna received notice to appear in court for removal proceedings and could face deportation to her native Fiji despite having parents who are legal permanent residents. Prerna is an example of how our immigration system is broken.

What is the Illinois DREAM Act? Here are the 3 things you need to know about the proposed bill!

ACCURATE INFORMATION: DREAM youth too often get incorrect information from high school counselors and college admissions officers regarding their college options. This bill will encourage these counselors and officers receive regular training regarding educational opportunities for immigrant youths. Having accurate information would give DREAM youths the hope they need to continue their educations and help reduce the rates of high school dropouts.

ACCESS TO EDUCATION: Many qualified DREAM students do not have the financial resources to pursue college.  The Illinois DREAM Act would establish a privately-funded Illinois DREAM Fund, administered by a volunteer state commission, to make scholarships available to undocumented students at no cost to taxpayers. The bill would also open up college savings programs and prepaid tuition programs to all Illinois residents, so that the families of DREAM students will be better able to pay for tuition. Not one penny comes from tax dollars.

A VOICE: In addition to administering and fundraising for the Illinois DREAM Fund, an Illinois DREAM Commission could monitor implementation of other parts of this law and research the needs of DREAM youth as they make their way through college.

MAKE THE CALL, PEOPLE, &

HELP ILLINOIS

DREAM BIG!!!

BEING BROWN IS NOT A CRIME!

Hey SAPACers,

We have 3 opportunities this week for you to engage in SAPAC’s spring and summer activities:

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YOUTH COMMITTEE MEETING
Monday, March 8, 2010 (tonight!)
7:00pm – 9:00pm
Cafe Bella, 3311 W. Fullerton, Chicago, IL
RSVP to info@sapac.org

Our Youth Committee has been hard at work planning a youth symposium. We have a vision, and at this meeting we’ll be discussing developing a youth application and promotional flyer and strategizing an outreach plan. If you’ve been wanting to work with youth in our community, this is a great time to get involved!

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2010 CENSUS OUTREACH
Saturday, March 13, 2010
12:00pm – 3:00pm
50th Ward/West Ridge neighborhood (Devon Ave.)

12:00pm – Meet & greet at Sukhadia, 2559 W. Devon Ave.
1:00pm – Meet at Indo-American Center, 6328 N. California Ave.

RSVP to info@sapac.org

It’s Census time, and it’s more important than ever to make sure our community is counted! Help us reach out to local business owners and residents and put up informational posters around the neighborhood. We’ll meet at 12:00 at Sukhadia to eat and get to know each other. Then we’ll head over to the Indo-American Center at 1:00 to start our outreach work.

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VOICES OF RESISTANCE 9 KICKOFF MEETING
Sunday, March 14, 2010
3:00pm – 5:00pm
Alliance Bakery, 1736 W. Division St., Chicago, IL 60622
RSVP to info@sapac.org

Join us to kick off planning for one of our most popular annual events! We’ll be discussing venue, theme, sponsors, and setting up a planning calendar.

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We hope you’ll join us for one or more of these meetings!