Immigration MIC

Best selling author @julissaarce joins Immigration MIC to talk about her new book #SomeoneLikeMe!

We talk about the success of her 1st book, #MyUndergroundAmericanDream, what she’s been up to the last couple of years (working with @crookedmedia, hosting a podcast with @graceparra360, and developing projects with @dianexguerrero), relaunching #30daysoflatinx and what she learned from last year’s criticism, and her recent writings involving her #MeToo experience on Wall St., the figures controlling immigration policy in the White House, and advocating for communities to “not fall into Kanye’s trap.”

Julissa has been a good friend for more than three years now, and I’m excited for you to hear our conversation, so head over to iTunes now!

Dior Vargas, Latina Feminist Mental Health Activist, and White House Champion Of Change recipient is featured in this week’s episode of Immigration MIC. In this candid conversation, she talks about The Color Of My Mind; a book/ photo essay highlighting the diversity in the mental health community, the self-imposed pressures that can come with activism, and how her family’s generational immigration story is important to who she is today.

If you enjoy this episode and want to hear more like it, find Immigration MIC on iTunes, subscribe/ leave a review, and we’ll be sure to bring you more great conversations on immigration and mental health!

Candidate for NYS Senate Jessica Ramos - the “proud daughter of immigrants”, and the former Director of Latino Media for the City of New York joins the Immigration MIC podcast! (Catch the full episode on iTunes, SoundCloud, and YouTube today!)

🔵 Jessica is Colombian-American, born and raised in Elmhurst, and grew up in Astoria, and is currently raising her family in the neighborhoods she grew up in, such as Jackson Heights.

🔴 Jessica’s work with immigrant communities began as a young girl, hosting a radio show teaching Spanish and history to young Colombian-Americans to help preserve their heritage.

⚫️ She tells us her parent’s immigration stories, and how her parents both faced challenges as undocumented immigrants at the time — which makes the current political moment very personal for her.

🔵 When she was younger, her father was arrested as part of a immigration workplace raid in New Jersey and held in a detention center — an experience that impacts her with news of family separations at the border.

🔴 “No matter how progressive city government is, if Albany doesn’t get it together, the city can only do so much” — on why she left city government to run for NYS State Senate. (Driver’s licenses, ICE raids, NYDREAMAct)

⚫️ Jessica is part of an important moment of nationwide progressive candidates running for office in the midterms — it’s a shared vision to taking on issues like the #MTA, the education crisis, immigrant and workers rights.

🔵 “He’s the only one that did it after Trump was inaugurated — so you’re complicit!” — she breaks down for us why it’s important to have new leadership in her district and in Albany, and her motivation to unseat her opponent.

🔴 Jessica leaves us with an INCREDIBLE message that you NEED to hear: an inspiring message on the importance of political engagement, running for office, and advocating for basic human rights.

This episode is followed by a fifteen minute Spanish segment! (begins at 39:00)

¡La candidata para el Senado de Nueva York, Jessica Ramos, se une a nosotros para un segmento de 15 minutos en español en el podcast Immigration MIC! Habla de su carrera, las historias de inmigración de sus padres y cómo los desafíos que enfrentaron inspiraron su trabajo, las razones que se lanzo para representar a las comunidades en las que creció, y la importancia de hacer un cambio al liderazgo en Albany para reflejar el comunidades a las que sirven (el episodio comienza a las 39:00) - disponible en iTunes, YouTube y SoundCloud: ¡haga clic en el enlace!

On a brand new episode of Immigration MIC, Catalina Laverde: co-founder of Civic Action Network, and software engineer at Spotify joins me!

🔵 Currently living in New Jersey, but originally from Bogota, Colombia, Catalina’s first passion was journalism, beginning with hosting a radio program for seven years where kids would talk to adults about socioeconomic issues going on in the world.

🔴 Catalina’s introduction into engineering was unexpected: through a bootcamp course on disassembling computers, a professor encouraged her to pursue systems engineering - and she decided she wanted to take on the challenge.

⚫️ At sixteen, Catalina realized there were limited opportunities to be a well paid engineer: “we don’t leave because we don’t love our country, we leave in the pursuit of happiness and a successful future.”

🔵 Catalina takes me through the extensive visa process, arriving to New Jersey as an international student attending a community college, and later on graduating from Rutgers University. She tells the important story of how her mom had to sell the house back in Colombia to the bank to be able to pay for tuition.

🔴 Her path to an HB-1 visa, the long process it took for her to land an internship at Spotify, the roundtrip 1.5 hour commute she used to do every day, and the moment she was hired as a full time employee. “It was the happiest day of my life.”

⚫️ We talk about the company she co-founded Civic Action Network, which works to create a direct connection between Congress and constituents, and she breaks down how her company helps to remove the layers and make the process accessible to all, including immigrant communities.

🔵 We talk about her recent trip to the World Cup in Russia, the process it took to be able to secure tickets, and the significance of representing Colombia as a fan on the world stage!

🔴 We end the interview with Catalina giving great career advice that she’s gotten from her own experiences, and her take on on how confidence is a journey that can lead to success down the road.

On the final California edition of Immigration MIC, Playwright/ Director, and DACA recipient Rocio Diaz joins the podcast!

🔵 Rocio talks about her mother having to make the important decision to leave Mexico, physically being separated at the border, and as a six year old, coming under the identity of “Jackie”.

🔴 The origins of her passion for art, which she credits for helping develop her as an “authentic, raw, honest” person, and finding acting/ poetry as important outlets.

⚫️ She speaks of being aware of her undocumented status growing up, and how she saw her limitations when wanting to go to college, and the familial pushback, despite being valedictorian of her high school.

🔵 “If money was going to be my challenge, then it was going to be my strength, and I graduated debt free, and turn around and help my family.”

🔴 The difficulties and the intense challenges as president of the student organization on her campus, as a leader, as a woman.

⚫️ The journey to taking a political stance in art, and her plays that incorporates themes such as immigration, domestic violence, and other heavy issues. [Once Upon A Time… Con DACA)

🔵 One of Rocio’s frustrations with the current moment is the lack of people coming together - and gives a great analogy of a team of actors working together to put on a play.

🔴 Rocio’s message to women in leadership roles of being able to make incredible things happen outside of patriarchal societal norms.

On this California episode of Immigration MIC I sit with the founder of Santa Cruz Dreamer Project Gabriela!

In this hour long interview, we cover a complex and multifaceted story, which includes:

🔵 From Oaxaca, Mexico, Gabriela recounts details of the harrowing journey to the United States, including being physically tossed over the fence, and testimonies of violence.

🔴 In the 8th grade, Gabriela learned the limitations of her status, when she wasn’t able to go to a trip to Washington DC - a heartbreaking moment, especially because of her early love of political science.

⚫️ The very complex reasons why her family wasn’t able to be able to gain citizenship through her grandfather, and how an entire side became citizens, and the other side remained undocumented.

🔵 She recounts the very, very personal story of being in a relationship, marrying “now” to build a future “later” right after high school, and filing for divorce a couple years later.

🔴 Gabriela applied for DACA on her own, spending hours researching the process (and having had experience, having researched how-to citizenship books in middle school)

⚫️ She talks about the night of the election, and being unable to react to the announcement Trump was president at a viewing party because no one there knew she was undocumented.

🔵 She talks about her personal reasons for not having been involved in the immigration reform movement, having felt like DACA “was enough”, and making the decision to begin speaking out last year.

🔴 Sharing her story for the first time at a protest, and the important moment amongst allies that inspired her to become a leader, and her experiences sharing her story with national and local media, and wanting to share the platform with others.

⚫️ If you’re in California, or in the Santa Cruz area, you can contact Gabriela through the Santa Cruz Dreamer Project on Facebook, or on Instagram @santacruzdreamerproject

This week, we’re visiting J. Cole fan, immigration reform advocate and self-described ‘nonprofit visionary’ Alix, and she tells us all about:

🔵 From Sinaloa, Mexico, Alix is a recent immigrant to the US, having lived in Georgia, and now California, and balances her time between being a nanny, and doing human rights work.

🔴 When Alix’s father passed away, she could no longer focus in school, lost her scholarship. fell into a depression, and made the decision to move to the US to be able to cope with her loss.

⚫️ She talks to me about having obtained a visa at 13 years old - stating that although she doesn’t understand the visa process, she is living through what it means to have overstayed your visa.

🔵 Alix credits her fashion choices to her overall creativity, whether it’s been her clothes, her work in social good, and connecting with people in general.

🔴 Her faith is her #1 priority: she considers her Christian faith as her ‘base’, saying its “so easy to combine theology and human rights.”

⚫️ She credits her work with Undocumedia for having an important impact in her life, and finds strength from the belief Ivan Ceja has shown in her story and her potential.

🔵 She talks about being in DC with 8,000 other people fighting for immigration reform, and finding inspiration amongst community.

🔴 Alix is hopeful for the Clean DREAM Act one day, and continues to be positive because of her support system, regardless of what happens in the future.

⚫️ “You have a community of people who love you - we’re going to defend like it’s nobody’s business.”

Welcome Karla Estrada (@undocutravelers) to this week’s Immigration MIC (California Edition!)

Episode: “After DACA, it’s like we (the movement) stopped fighting”

In this two hour conversation we discuss:

🔵Karla talks about her identity, and how she struggles internally with her family’s lineage

🔴Having been born premature, along with financial struggles, being the factors that led to her family migrating to the US.

⚫️The challenges of growing up with her parents working, and her and her brother experiencing abusive behavior from their hired caretaker.

🔵Her love for theater in school, being able to touch people by playing different characters, and her favorite play (Les Miserables)

🔴The moment that she first experienced shame for her immigration status: a counselor that told her she should “go back to Mexico” instead of going to college.

⚫️Attending community college, and finding a community of other undocumented students, and collectively pioneering a growing movement in 2009.

🔵The transition from the “DREAMer” narrative, to disruptive actions after the failure of the passage of the DREAM Act in 2010.

🔴Creating the first known step by step online guide to Advance Parole (which thousands have benefited from since), and her amazing experience of studying abroad in Italy.

⚫️“After DACA passed, we stopped fighting. A lot of people retired, and came back when Trump was about to be elected.”

🔵Her work in asylum efforts, and how the current administration’s policy changes are damaging structures/ programs, impacting thousands of refugees.

And much, much, much more, you need to hear!

California Edition: Welcome Ana to Immigration MIC!

🔵 Ana describes herself as a very shy person, but credits her activism work for helping her to breakout, become a part of campaigns and protests.

🔴 A 19 year old student activist, Ana is passionate about running, as well as fighting for healthcare, racial and environmental justice, and immigration.

⚫️ She became involved after the 2016 election; in high school she didn’t think she needed to be involved, but quickly learned the importance of fighting alongside her community.

🔵 She keeps herself humble: she is part of a mixed status family, and grew up with five sisters, and as a result, she is very passionate about helping others, calling it a “duty”.

🔴 She recalls seeing ICE vans where she grew up, and was always fearful of white vans, fearing they may pick her mother up when she would go to work.

⚫️ She works with organizations and organizers in the LA area, collaborating and organizing on issues that affect their families.

🔵 In the future, she aspires to be a lawyer, and maybe one day hold a position in the city of Los Angeles

🔴 “It’s hard to find hope, but know there are activists fighting every day to make change”

Download the full podcast on iTunes/ SoundCloud or watch on YouTube!

Immigration MIC California Edition!

I sat with Valeria (a months long fan of the podcast) at the Plaza de La Cultura Y Artes in Los Angeles to talk about:

🔵 Valeria is a US citizen, who is passionate about one day becoming an immigration activist because of her family’s experience with the immigration system.

🔴 Her parents are from Mexico - at 8 years old, her parents decided to go back to Mexico, knowing that her mother wouldn’t be able to return, dividing their family.

⚫️ “Emotional damage” is the term that Valeria describes to talk about the effects that the immigration system that caused her family to “break apart”.

🔵 In 2011, Valeria went to fashion school to study the creative and development parts of the fashion industry - eventually working as a retail buyer.

🔴Later on, working at American Apparel, inspired by the founder’s commitment to immigrant rights, and by working directly with sewing workers, Valeria became inspired to begin researching immigrant and workers rights.

⚫️ “You come to LA, and a building away, there’s a damn detention center right over there”

🔵 She talks about the emotions she experienced during the election, but also seeing the reaction from her community. “[Trump] makes it OK to say it’s you, versus us.”

🔴 We talk about her future goals, to get her BA in sociology, looking to fuse her education with her inspiration to be an activist.

⚫️ Valeria reads a passage from Valeria Luiselli’s ‘Tell Me How It Ends”, and talks to me about the coincidences she found in setting up our interview - an incredible personal moment.

And much more! Tune in for the next six episodes from California each coming week!