We want to start off this message with a story from a student on campus:
“My father and his family left as refugees from Vietnam the day Saigon was lost when he was only 3 years old. They were at sea for weeks and in a refugee camp for a year before they were sponsored by a church in upstate New York. When he and his family arrived in America, they knew no English and my father faced extreme racism as a Vietnamese person coming over after the loss of the Vietnam war. He never taught my sister or I Vietnamese as we grew up in fear, fear that we would receive the same hatred he did as a child.”
The people being targeted today aren’t monsters. They have families, are neighbors, and classmates. They are people who have survived wars and unimaginable hardships, only to be targeted once again. Right now, students on our own campus and their families are living in fear, fear of being racially profiled, fear of being detained during a routine traffic stop, and fear of losing loved ones who have built their entire lives in the United States.
Many students who would typically visit family in Mexico or other countries now hesitate, afraid they would be denied entry to the U.S, even if they are U.S. citizens. Imagine handling the daily pressures of college life while also carrying the weight of uncertainty about whether your family or even you could be deported. Now take a moment and consider how difficult it would be to stay motivated to finish your degree when the current administration appears intent on making life difficult not only for undocumented immigrants but also for those who are here legally.
How does a student maintain the drive to succeed when they don’t know if, by the time they graduate, they will even be allowed to utilize their education?
Many may find themselves drowning not only in student debt but also in legal fees by the time they graduate. How can a student truly find themselves or experience college life to the fullest when these are the burdens they must carry every day? Nobody should have to live with this kind of fear, especially in a country that has long called itself a land of opportunity.
Our intent with this message is to shed light on the burdens your fellow classmates may be carrying. Lend an ear to a friend and let them know you are there for them. For those who are facing these struggles, know that CIC is here to listen and provide a space through our alliances and associations. As we mentioned in our previous letter, do not allow yourself to feel ashamed of your culture. Be proud of who you are and where you come from. Our cultures are far too rich and vibrant to be dimmed. We must remain informed and aware, but never ashamed.
