It's Not Just Me...

Today, at 12:15pm in Athens, GA, Freedom University, Georgia Undocumented Youth Alliance, and National Immigration Youth Alliance lead a rally at the University of Georgia Arch to promote the lifting of the ban on undocumented students at many top Georgia colleges.  Several "Dreamers" shared their stories and struggles with a crowd of over 100.  Participants chanted, "Undocumented! Unafraid!" and "UP! UP! UP! with Education! DOWN! DOWN! DOWN! with Segregation!" Faith based and community leaders joined in, as well as students in caps and gowns from across the state of Georgia.

In Athens, we see these demonstrations and rallies a good bit, but I've never seen so many show up for one cause.  I've never seen so many different people from one community-with a very common goal-come together in our town so successfully.  It's one of the things I love about our little town.  I've mentioned before that Athens is an interesting place full of folks from EVERY way of life.  This was a true example of just that.

Before you think this is just a small town and a tiny group of folks making noise by the Starbucks, think again.  Project U was organized by undocumented students in the state of Georgia attending Freedom University.  Recently, it's made national headlines with an article in the Huffington Post.  Feel free to read it here: "March Calls Out Georgia's National Disgrace: Will Regents Finally End College Ban For Undocumented Students?"  A statement from the article reads:

"All my academic life from K-12," Aldo, a 17-year-old Georgia student, "I was told by the Georgia educational system that if I tried very hard in school, I would someday go to my local college. That gave me hope to overcome all the odds placed in front of me. That was the reason I got up every time I fell in all my academic attempts. But now that I am in my final year of high school I can see that I've been told nothing but lies and all the hard work I've done has been in vain." -Huffington Post, Jeff Biggers

See, it's not just me, but so many more looking for a better way for immigration to impact the U.S. in a positive manner.  To read more about Freedom University and it's roots in the Athens community, read this NPR article, "Undocumented Students Take Education Underground."

I would love to add more, but I think the articles and pictures of attendees speak volumes more than I ever could. Cheers to Freedom University and Project U.