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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: ELLIOT POND
From left to right, Safiya Jameel Shariff, Mounir Nassim El Jamal, Trần Nữ Huyền My (My Tran), Kevin Yusif Peña Aceves, Camila Monegatte
LBCC’s international, immigrant students share their stories. Pages 4-7
Day Without Immigrants DAC students and staff organize a sit-out as part of a national protest
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o demonstrate the significance immigrants hold to the U.S. economy, on Thursday, Feb. 16, immigrants and allies united in a nationwide boycott focusing on the impact immigrants have on our daily lives. Supporters were asked to stay home from work and school, and withhold from shopping. “I’ve organized events before, but not this type of event where I have to sit down like ‘these are my beliefs and this is why I’m doing this,’ said LBCC Diversity Achievement Center student staff member and organizer of the Albany campus sit-out Melisa Lopez, prior to the event. In support of A Day Without Immigrants, students Lopez, Jessica Sandoval, Marta Nunez, Sara Contreras H., and Hugo Chavez, together with Latino Outreach & Retention Specialist Maria Solis-Camarena and Department of Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Director Javier Cervantes convened together at a table in front
of the SLC building to educate students on the Day Without Immigrants. “At the very minimum, it will be a chance for students to engage. If they want to, they can. I think PHOTO: ELLIOT POND there needs to be some After the event, students gathered in the DAC. visible representation of stay home, no one’s going to notice that you’re just who people are,” said Cervantes. Being a documented citizen, Lopez says she hasn’t home. So what if you just come to school, don’t go to personally been affected, but she knows people whose class, bring your own lunch, don’t buy anything, just get a table and put a sign up that says ‘A Day Without lives have been and wants to show support. “There’s been cases in Oregon where they’re [U.S. Immigration: Ask Me Why I didn’t Go To Class,’” said Immigration and Customs Enforcement] taking Lopez. Working at the DAC has been a great advantage immigrants back to Mexico, we just wanted to do for Lopez, who believes LBCC has been doing a great this so people know that we actually contribute job at making others feel safe, by having a space that a lot to the country, the economy, the school, contributes to unity and diversity on campus. everything,” said Lopez. “I just want people to know we can stand up for Included at the table ourselves,” said Lopez. “I consider myself an immigrant, were statistics detailing even though I’m here legally. I was born in Mexico and Living Undocumented: One how immigrants affect the immigrated here. We’re representing people all over.” LBCC student’s story. American economy, and what could be lost if they STORY BY Page 6-7 were not around. ALYSSA CAMPBELL “Javier was like: ‘If you @ALYSSAFAYEC