A Mexican American's Musings

New website

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 05:35:00 +0000

I am now posting on the following website:

http://joelperez.net/

Working with Undocumented Students

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 05:47:00 +0000

Below is a link to an article I wrote for Koinonia, the newsletter for the Association of Christians in Student Development.

http://www.acsd.org/detail/working-with-undocumented-students/

The Power of the emerging Latino market

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 03:43:00 +0000

Interesting interview with Manny Espinoza, CEO of the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting.

The Masters of Hispanic Destiny

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 18:02:00 +0000

This taken from a recent article in the Wall Street Journal. You should read the entire article as it makes very good points.

Democrats are so intent on making Hispanics the next victimized minority seeking entitlement programs and all that, that the Republicans are starting to believe it!” exclaims Mr. Rangel. “And they’re wrong on both ends. This is a great community that’s poised to do great things—but you gotta challenge it. Don’t pander to it.”

That’s the essence of Mr. Rangel’s message, and answering the call is the mission of UNO, which he has led since 1996. Inspired by the community organizing philosophy of left-wing theorist Saul Alinsky, UNO got its start tapping the latent power in the small Hispanic-Catholic churches of 1980s Chicago. Its premise today is that Hispanics in the U.S. are masters of their own destinies, responsible for their affairs good and bad, and duty-bound to invest in American civic life.

The nation’s largest dropout rate, gang violence, and teenage pregnancy, among other problems, have for decades created a rift between Hispanic potential and accomplishment,” says its mission statement, adding that these pathologies can’t be excused by “politically-expedient and media-driven agendas . . . portraying Hispanics as a victimized community in need of social justice.” Instead, UNO insists that “Hispanics must be challenged to take full advantage of American possibilities through civic participation and deep investments in family, neighborhoods, and education."

30 Days Immigration Episode

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 03:49:00 +0000

Tonight my wife and I viewed an episode of 30 Days on immigration. Below I have embedded a scene from the episode. I would encourage you to view the segment as well as the episode. It is available on Netflix for streaming.

A bit of a reprieve

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 03:46:00 +0000

On Thursday the Obama administration issued an order for the Department of Homeland Security to prioritize the deportation of those who are currently in proceedings. The priority will be on those who have criminal records and not those that are "low priority." The statement below is taken from the White House press release.

Under the President’s direction, for the first time ever the Department of Homeland Security has prioritized the removal of people who have been convicted of crimes in the United States. And they have succeeded; in 2010 DHS removed 79,000 more people who had been convicted of a crime compared to 2008. Today, they announced that they are strengthening their ability to target criminals even further by making sure they are not focusing our resources on deporting people who are low priorities for deportation. This includes individuals such as young people who were brought to this country as small children, and who know no other home. It also includes individuals such as military veterans and the spouses of active-duty military personnel. It makes no sense to spend our enforcement resources on these low-priority cases when they could be used with more impact on others, including individuals who have been convicted of serious crimes.

This is a step in the right direction, especially for those students that are eligible if the DREAM Act were to be enacted, although it appears that unless immigrants are in deportation proceedings their cases will not be heard. This is hard for me as an educator as I know several students that would benefit immensely from legislation like the DREAM Act. What is needed is comprehensive reform, but our leaders are not willing to take the necessary steps to have the hard conversation. We need to continue to put pressure on our lawmakers to pursue comprehensive reform.

California DREAM Act, AB 130

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 05:05:00 +0000

On Monday, July 25th Governor Jerry Brown signed the California DREAM Act (AB 130) into law. This is a good first step to providing financial aid to undocumented students. The financial aid that will be available to students will be from privately funded scholarships. The problem is that AB 130 benefits primarily undocumented students who want to attend schools in the University of California (UC) system. The reason is that UC's have access to privately funded scholarships where community colleges and schools that make up the California State university system do not. The majority of undocumented students in California primarily enroll in community colleges and the Cal States. The bill that would benefit the majority of undocumented students is AB 131. This bill would allow undocumented students to be eligible for the Cal Grant program. It is the hope of immigration advocacy groups that AB 131 will become law.

Amigo Leadership

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 03:25:00 +0000

Below is an article I wrote the National Association Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Latino Knowledge Community emagazine. I think that you will find it helpful if you are someone who is involved in trying to communicate a vision that requires significant change.

I have been reflecting much on the term “amigo leadership.” I first heard the term from Noel Castellanos, CEO of the Christian Community Development Association, in the context of what we as Latinos bring to the table in regards to our leadership styles. The main reason I have been reflecting on this term is that it directly relates to my work as the Chief Diversity Officer on my campus. I believe that the cultural value of friendship goes a long way in helping me bring people along in the institutional change process. I believe that as change agents we need to move away from beating people over the head with a 2x4 when it comes to doing diversity, or any work, for that matter. I have found it much more effective to walk alongside people in this process. I also believe that this approach earns immediate rapport with institutional leaders.

There is a balance between coming alongside and pushing for change. There is a healthy tension that exists and one should continually ask questions about how hard to push for change and when to nurture people along in the process. My opinion is that when you nurture change it becomes much more sustainable. We all know that acquiring social capital can go a long way in helping us in change efforts as well as how we progress in our careers. I believe this approach to leadership is a way that we can demonstrate the benefits of diversity on our campuses. Amistad means valuing someone’s friendship. How many times have we been in a room where we are able to get a lot more done when we have a friendship with a colleague sitting across the table?

How does one develop these types of friendships? I’ve provided a few examples below.

· Take people to coffee

· Have lunch

· Ask about hobbies

· Ask about their passions and values

· Allow them to hear your story

· If they have been at the institution for a long time, ask them why they have been there so long.

· If they are resistant to the type of change you are promoting, ask them why

Will this approach always work? Most likely not, but it is better than the alternative and it will save you from burning out and feeling like you need to leave your position sooner than you should. Reflect with me on what other aspects of our culture add to the concept of “amigo leadership.”

Higher Education for Undocumented Students

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 02:40:00 +0000

Below is a news story that the Chronicle of Higher Education ran today. This verifies what I tell people when I speak to students and their parents that are undocumented. That if the choose to go to private institution they are more likely to receive more aid than if the choose to go to a public institution. There are still financial barriers that need to be overcome, but a private school has more flexibility when it comes to this issue.

Public colleges are more likely than private colleges to admit undocumented students as a matter of policy, but they are less likely to offer such students financial aid, according to a new survey.

The survey by the National Forum on Higher Education for the Public Good, at the University of Michigan, was sent to members of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators in February. It found that 36 percent of public colleges and 21 percent of private colleges had policies that allow undocumented students to enroll, while 29 percent of public colleges and 57 percent of private colleges provide them with institutional aid. The initial survey findings were released Sunday at Nasfaa's annual conference here in Boston. The final report will be released in late August.

The New Mestiza

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 23:03:00 +0000

Blog by Sara Mata

From my office window I look out for a view of inspiration, a calming sight, or just a mental break from the computer. Wanting to be out in the beautiful sunny day, I have to remind myself of its deception. Here I stand in a comfortable cool (sometimes cold) room, out there the heat index is close to 100 degrees-quite a contradiction but only the first I ponder. Sitting at my desk I hadn’t noticed but standing at the window, the strong scent of freshly cut grass is in the air. The culprit responsible for the scent in the air and the noise, there below me, stands a man with a weed-eater—a brown man. From my initial sizing him up, I conclude he is Latino. My minds inquiries begin making many assumptions about the man as I watch him carefully edge around the steps of the building. In that moment, a great sense of guilt overwhelms me. Placing the initial reasoning for the guilt, I find difficult to pinpoint. It then dawns on me; it is my guilt of privilege.

How do I have privilege? On many levels, privileged I am not. As I look down, literally and figuratively, from the walls of the ‘ivory white tower’ I see through the eyes of my privilege. This man represents so many Latinos in todays’ society. The sad reality, there are more Latinos like him, working in 100 degree weather making a living, then there are like me, college educated with air conditioning. With thoughts of guilt-ridden gratitude, my mind spans back several generations to that of my great-grandparents. Although work brought them to the United States, it was Santa Fe Railroad that went to Mexico looking for workers. My great-grandparents paid their five cents to cross the border and a life they began in America. Although five cents sounds pretty cheap, it definitely came with a huge cost. At a time when assimilation was the remedy for culture, and a language other than English was forbidden, a Mexican heritage for several generations was diluted. The man below me is no longer in sight but I can still hear his weed-eater. This Hispanic heritage is something he and I both share however our experiences are vastly different. My struggle to reconnect to my culture, as an adult is one the weed-eater man has most likely lived his entire life. Despite the loss of language and culture it is my education I know brings me privilege.

This privilege I have been afforded I manifest into social activism for those who are not given the same opportunity I have had. Immigrant issues, specifically for students who are undocumented are my most fueled passion. There is something completely anger invoking about refusing education to those who seek it. But this also brings contradictions. My brown skin blends in with others who look like me, but on the inside, I am separate; countries apart. My life is lived in the words of Gloria Azuldua for I am la mestiza. “…a struggle of flesh, a struggle of borders, an inner war.” The war will always remain internal but will be a source of fuel for me. I know when I walk into a room my brown skin represents all those who look like me-to include the brown man with the weed-eater. I will continue to take this as a responsibility in everything I do. My accomplishments are not self-gratifying. I carry with me the blood of my people and am reminded within this skin I am more than me.

“The new mestiza copes by developing a tolerance for contradictions, a tolerance for ambiguity. She learns to be an Indian in Mexican culture, to be Mexican from an Anglo point of view. She learns to juggle cultures.” These cultures I juggle, this privilege I will foster, and I will live with purpose, where I fit best, within my skin.

Sara Mata serves as the Grant Coordinator for College of Human Sciences at Oklahoma State University.

What Does record Low Migration from Mexico Mean for Immigration Reform?

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 04:01:00 +0000

A recent report from immigration impact reports that immigrants coming from Mexico to the US has fallen. A part of that report is cited below. For the full story you can click on the following link.

W hat does record low migration from Mexico mean for immigration reform.

In what could be an historic event, the number of unauthorized immigrants coming from Mexico to the United States has fallen drastically in recent years—dropping from 525,000 annually in 2000-2004 to fewer than 100,000 in 2010. In fact, unauthorized immigration from Mexico has dropped to a net rate of zero—meaning that the number of new migrants entering the United States each year is roughly equal to the number who leave or die. That is one of the central conclusions to emerge from new research by the Mexican Migration Project (MMP) at Princeton University and the Universidad de Guadalajara.

Educating the undocumented

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 17:55:00 +0000

On Friday undocumented.tv posted a guest entry that I wrote on their blog. Below is what I wrote for them.

Introduction: Many of us are familiar with the national political debate surrounding immigration reform. These debates spill over into many of the communities in which our institutions reside. In addition, this issue is salient for us in private Christian colleges, because some of our institutions have decided to admit students who are undocumented. This decision, whether you agree with it or not, raises an important question that each institution needs to answer. How does one support and assist these students in being successful at our institutions?

History: In order to consider how to support these students one must gain a historical perspective on the issue of immigration as it relates to education. In 1982 the Supreme Court ruled in Plyer v. Doe that undocumented students must be given the right to public education. Currently this decision affects approximately 1.8 million children under the age of 18; about one-sixth of the total undocumented population. An estimated 65,000 undocumented students graduate from our nation’s high schools each year. Our country has made a substantial investment in the education of these students. For many the dream of higher education is an elusive goal, as only about ten percent of undocumented high school graduates enroll in college. These students do not qualify for federal aid, and only have access to state financial aid if they live and attend schools in the following states: New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma. These states allow them to apply for state grants in addition to paying in-state tuition at state schools. Other states that provide undocumented students with an in-state tuition benefit are California, Utah, New York, Washington, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, and Wisconsin.

Characteristics: It is important to note the characteristics undocumented students exhibit. Perez’s research states that these students exhibit academic achievement, leadership participation, and civic engagement patterns that exceed their US citizen counterparts. His research is based on case studies of undocumented high school, community college, university, and graduate students who are valedictorians, honors students, and other exceptional student leaders. For many of these students their stories begin at a young age when their parents decided to cross the border illegally to gain access to the American dream. These children did not have a voice in determining whether their families should make this journey. For many of them arriving at a young age has allowed them to grow up as Americans, therefore these undocumented immigrants consider themselves Americans.

Current Status: It is not illegal for institutions to permit undocumented students to attend. The federal government is currently allowing institutions to develop their own policies. Some of our colleges and universities do not require students to provide a social security number (which are not available to the undocumented) in order to enroll, or in some cases, qualify for institutional aid. Therefore undocumented students do attend colleges and universities. Institutions do not need to provide that information unless federal authorities request it.

Institutional Support: The challenges that these students must overcome in order to complete their education are many; and many of them have already shown resiliency by gaining admittance to our institutions. That being said, institutional support is critical to their success.
Undocumented students do not qualify for work-study positions and will therefore not be able to work on campus. Institutions can begin to think about how they could provide financial support by creating think tanks to brain-storm ideas. One idea would be to develop a fund that is accessible to these students and supported through private donations.
Admissions and Financial Aid staff should be informed about outside resources that are available to undocumented students. The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), the University of Southern California Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis, the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute, and the National Council of La Raza have extensive lists of scholarships for which these students are eligible.
Admissions and Financial Aid staff should also be trained on how to guide these students through the application process. Staff should be made aware of ways to avoid making these students feel as if they are being criminalized. In addition, student life staff should be informed about the issues so they can better support these students.

In the spring of 2010 as part of our institution’s commemoration of Cesar Chavez we screened the film Papers (papersthemovie.com). This film documents the experience of five undocumented youth and provides a platform for engaging students and staff about issues surrounding the DREAM Act and immigration. The institution believed that it was important to educate our community about this national issue so as to provide a space to talk about the experiences of undocumented students. Other films that engage immigration issues include El Norte and The Visitor. Books on this topic include We ARE Americans, A Home on the Field, and Enrique’s Journey. You can also visit my blog A Mexican American’s Musings as well as William Perez’s.

Conclusion: Ultimately, it is my belief that institutions need to ask themselves whether being open and supportive of undocumented students fits with their mission as Christian Colleges. If it is not a mission fit and does not have the support of the executive leadership then it is better not to attempt to receive these students.

Christians at the Border

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 04:26:00 +0000

Guest blogger Jennifer Perez

Christians at the Border: Immigration, the Church, and the Bible by M. Daniel Carroll R.

For the past two years or so, I have been doing a great deal of reading about the topic of immigration in the United States. A number of resources have been helpful to me in my study, but this book is one of the best. Dr. Carroll is an Old Testament scholar, and so I expected, and found, a well-developed theology of immigration. However, it is the introduction and first chapter (“Hispanic Immigration: Invasion or Opportunity?”) that makes it such a uniquely helpful resource, for two reasons.

First of all, though it may come as a surprise judging by his name, Dr. Carroll is bicultural, having grown up in Central America as well as the United States. As a result, he has a unique perspective on the issue of immigration, as US-born citizen as well as a member of an immigrant community. He is able to discuss the topic with a nuance and balance that I have rarely seen. Secondly, the opening chapter of the book provides the most concise and yet comprehensive overview of the history of Latin American immigration to the US and of the issues relevant to the discussion.

The remainder of the book is helpful, particularly for those thinking through what the Bible has to say about the proper Christian response to immigration, but it is considerably more dense and challenging to read.

Because I am well known in my community for my work regarding immigration, I am frequently asked for recommendations of resources. If I could recommend just one, it would be the first chapter of this book.

Undocumented, not unAmerican

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 18:52:00 +0000

Below is an article written by a student at a college that recently came out of the shadows. I share this with you all as you can see the dilemma that many undocumented college students face on their campuses.

My name is XXX. I sit next to you in class. I am undocumented. That means that I am currently living in the United States illegally, but not by choice. It also means that I am only one traffic stop away from deportation. This is my reality.

My family and others like myself are not considered full participants in society despite having grown up in this country. All we ask for is an opportunity to pursue the American Dream.
I have proven myself to be hard-working and, other than my status, law abiding. Because I am undocumented, I cannot receive financial aid through the federal government nor have I been able to participate in study-abroad programs. I cannot serve as an RA or dorm senator. Above all, I can be deported at any time.

My mother gave birth to me in a hospital without electricity. My family lived in a one-room shack without plumbing. They could not make enough money to put food on the table, much less move to a better or safer home.

It was not my choice to leave Mexico. I immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 7 with my family. They wanted more for their children and that is why they brought us to this country. With only high school educations, my parents have only been able to get manual labor jobs.

Even though I have grown up in the U.S., I do not feel accepted by society. I cannot feel part of a society where laws make it a crime to be undocumented. The more I try to blend in and just be myself, the more I am reminded that I am not welcomed here.

In summers I tutor incoming freshmen at my high school. I am a Young Life leader at XXX High School. I have been an active member of society and above all, I have contributed to this country I call home. Yet, I am an “alien” that does not belong.

I constantly fear being deported out of the country. The fear leaves me paralyzed. I also fear for my family’s safety. I have no interest in returning to Mexico where violence is getting out of control. This country is my home. I just wish I could go through everyday life without having to worry about my safety.

In my four years at XXX I have not been able to participate in study-abroad programs. Every time you asked me if I was planning on studying out of the country I found myself telling a lie: I am not interested. The truth is I was drowning in tears of frustration.

I wanted to go with you to experience Paris, The Great Wall of China and the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru. I have done my best to get the most out of my education at XXX.

Finding scholarship money to help pay for tuition was an entirely different process from yours. Because of my undocumented status I was not eligible for FAFSA or any federal financial assistance. However, through perseverance, I earned my way with three different scholarships to attend this school.

Unfortunately, those scholarships only cover my Bachelor’s degree. If I decide to attend graduate school I am left to scavenge for privately funded scholarships once again. You think you are worried about jobs: I graduate knowing I will be lucky to get a job unpacking your grocery boxes or building your kitchen or mowing your lawn.

The only way I will ever feel “accepted” into society is through passage of the DREAM Act (Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors). This bill will allow me and thousands of students in my situation to obtain citizenship. I feel entitled to my citizenship because I know I have earned it. The DREAM Act will take away my fear of being sent out of the country and above all, it will allow me to achieve my fullest potential.

My hope is that by this point you have gained a better perspective on why I decided to write this article. I hope you understand my story.

Working with undocumented students

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 18:00:00 +0000

Last week I conducted a workshop for our enrollment staff at George Fox University on working with undocumented students. The presentation was well received and people walked away thinking about things they knew little or nothing about before the workshop. The purpose behind this presentation was to help them understand what issues undocumented student face when they attend an institution of higher learning. Not only the students, but parents as well. Increasingly our financial aid staff are working with students who are US citizens, but whose parents are not. I was asked how many undocumented students we have and responded by saying, "I know we have...." But there are probably students that are that I do not know about. This was supported by our VP of Enrollment Services. I composed this presentation that I was able to get from California State Long Beach which conducts this training on a regular basis. I also took information for the Pew Hispanic Center. In addition I shared my experiences of working with students and interacting with my colleagues across the country on this issue. My hope is that other institutions will begin to do the same as I think we will continue to see an increase in this student population. In addition I think that at some point in the next two years some version of the DREAM Act will pass congress and we need to be prepared to assist these students.

Enrique's Journey

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 04:25:00 +0000

On January 4th I posted an entry about the books we were considering for our common book program at George Fox University. The decision by the committee was to use "Enrique's Journey" as this year's book.

In this astonishing true story, award-winning journalist Sonia Nazario recounts the unforgettable odyssey of a Honduran boy who braves unimaginable hardship and peril to reach his mother in the United States.

Our hope is that this book will generate meaningful discourse about immigration. The issue of immigration will continue to be important as we approach a presidential election, as well as a desire by both parties to court the Latino vote.

Defintion of an undocumented student

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 04:58:00 +0000

I thought it important to define the term "undocumented student." I hope this will be helpful to people as they think about the issue of immigration as it relates to students in our country. The definition is provided by the National Immigration Law Center.

An undocumented student is a foreign national who: (1) entered the US without inspection or with fraudulent documents; or (2) entered legally as a nonimmigrant but then violated the terms of his or her status and remained in the US without authorization.

Most of the students that I interact with were brought to the US by their parents and did not have a choice in the matter. Their parents came to this country seeking jobs that would help give their children a better life. I believe that this issue is directly tied to the US economy and needs to be talked about jointly as opposed to trying to make the issue stand alone. You can not talk about immigration without talking about our country's economy. They are directly related.

Another issue that was brought to my attention recently was that it is a civil offense to be in the country illegally, not a criminal offense.

Robert J. Barron, a leading immigration attorney in Colorado Springs, confirmed that it's not a crime to be in the United States illegally. It's a common misconception that feeds immigration hysteria. Federal law says it's a civil infraction — just as it's a civil violation, and therefore "illegal," to send e-mail spam without an "unsubscribe" option. The difference between a civil and criminal offense is colossal.

The key is to educate people about the law and not let people who want to create panic and hysteria rule the day.

Panel discussion on 14th Amendment honors legacy of Chavez

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 05:10:00 +0000

Last night we hosted a panel discussion on the 14th amendment in honor of Cesar Chavez's birthday. We had a good turnout. Most of those in attendance were students. The quote of the night for me was made by Jose Orozco. He stated the following about immigration: "The US could be improved by the integration of immigrants." He made the comment based on what he believed Ceasr Chavez believed in regards to the benefit immigrants can have on democracy in our country. The best approach to immigration in my opinion is to provide a path to legal residency for immigrants along with an educational system to assist immigrants in becoming integrated into our country.

The other thing that was stated by another member of our panel, Dr. Richard Eutalatin, was that this discussion about the 14th amendment is a side show that is being used to take us away from the real issue of immigration reform that needs our attention. The view was shared by the other panel members. All in all the event went well and I believe those in attendance learned a lot about the issues.

Next week I have been asked to be part of a panel on immigration at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. I have been asked to share about the DREAM Act and where the legislation currently stands. I am honored to be asked to be a part of this panel. All I can hope for is that we educate more people about this issue so that people become well informed. The panel starts at 3:30pm and if you are in the area please plan on attending. The others on the panel include an immigration attorney; Rebecca Shine, the producer of the film "Papers"; and a student who is undocumented. This student will share his or her story in the hopes of educating people about the need for comprehensive immigration reform. I'll update you next week about the panel and the discussion we had.

Update on Arizona

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 04:01:00 +0000

Today Immigration Impact reported the following:

Last week, Arizona’s business community worked with state Senators to kill an omnibus package of anti-immigrant bills—bills which included provisions to limit citizenship to the U.S. born children of immigrants and would have teachers and medical professionals checking people’s papers. While the content of these bills seemed like a draconian stretch, many thought if any state was going to pass such measures, it would be Arizona. But common sense prevailed when these anti-immigrant bills were overcome by sensible voices asking the right questions—are these bills economically or politically feasible for our state? The question now is whether other states will again take Arizona’s cue on immigration.

It seems that some of the major businesses in Arizona rallied around immigrant advocates to squash some of the legislation that was being proposed. The question is will businesses in other states do the same. We can only hope.

Panel discussion on 14th Amendment honors legacy of Chavez

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:59:00 +0000

We will be hosting a panel discussion on the 14th amendment in honor Cesar Chavez on March 31 from 6 - 8pm in Hoover 105. If you are around Newberg, OR you should stop by and check it out. I will blog more about this topic after the event. Last year we screened the documentary "Papers." We had a room full of students and community members.

Panel discussion on 14th Amendment honors legacy of Chavez | George Fox University

The Honorable Darleen Ortega

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 15:04:00 +0000

Below is the speech given by my good friend the Honorable Darlene Ortega, Judge of the Oregon Court of Appeals. She gave this speech as a recipient of the Mercedes Diez award at the Oregon Women Lawyers dinner held on Friday, March 11th in Portland, Oregon. I was lucky enough to be in attendance as was moved so much by her words that I wanted to share them with you. In addition you can read Darlene's blog about films at the following site, Opinionated Judge.

Thank you so much! I can't think of an honor that would mean more to me than this one.

I am so honored to be in the company of the prior recipients of this award, and Mercedes Diez herself. I also want to congratulate my co-awardee Kate Brown. I can't imagine anyone I'd rather share this night with.

Thank you to all my friends and loved ones who are here--who support me in and hold me to my best intentions, who inspire me with your questions and your example, who weather my frustrated tirades at the slow pace of change and buoy me up when I get discouraged.

Thanks especially to Alec, and to my other current and former staff members, who are my sounding boards and who make it possible for me to shoulder the load I push myself to carry.

To the many of you who honored me with letters in support of this recognition--I am humbled and grateful. And most of all, I am so, so happy to know that the time we have spent together has benefitted you and helped you to feel heard and welcomed and empowered. Yes! That's the vision that inspires me and fills me with the energy to do what needs to be done!

And that's the vision I would like to impart tonight if I can. It's become popular to tout diversity as a value, which is wonderful--but my own experiences and the experiences of the students and lawyers with whom I interact every week convinces me that we as a community don't yet know how to mean it when we say we value diversity. One of my goals is to help us mean it--I want us to value diversity deep in our bones, to hunger for it, to continually invite the challenges that come with opening up the legal community to people who may question our most cherished assumptions. When we say we value diversity, I want that to mean that we embrace those very challenges.

I began holding what I call "debriefing sessions" with first-year, mostly ethnic minority and LGBT law students, three years ago. These are very open conversations; I don't come with an agenda, other than to listen, to provide support, and to provide a safe context for students to "debrief" their law school experience with each other, to struggle aloud with the questions they may be afraid to ask in class, to challenge anything and everything about what they are being taught and how they are expected to learn.

I began holding these weekly sessions for a couple of reasons. First, I wanted the students to know they were not alone. I understood from my own law school experience and from many of my professional experiences that law school, and law practice, can be very alienating, particularly if you don't easily fit in or if the way things are done seems counterintuitive to you. I wanted students who needed it to have at least one arena in which they are truly invited to express their very own actual reactions to what they were being taught.
But I had another reason for starting the debriefing sessions. Over more than two decades of experience with the legal profession, I have watched over and over again as minority law students and lawyers struggle to find their place in the profession. I have watched people I know to be bright and extraordinarily capable struggle to achieve grades that reflect their true potential; I have watched them struggle to pass the bar exam; I have watched them enter law firms and spend months begging for work assignments; I have listened to their reports of being criticized and dismissed and misunderstood. Part of the reason I started the debriefing sessions was to broaden my own exposure to the stories of minority law students. Perhaps I could gather enough data to find out why minorities so far have not been able to achieve influence in the legal profession that is more reflective of their relative numbers in the population, and more reflective of what they truly have to offer.

Unfortunately, in a world, and a profession, that loves pithy answers, the hours I have spent with minority law students and lawyers have not yielded any silver-bullet solutions. I have not found any shortcuts.

What I have learned instead is that there are no shortcuts; there is no substitute for really listening to the experiences and perspective of those who are outsiders to the dominant legal culture. The kind of listening I am talking about is not yet part of our legal paradigm. What happens instead--and I say this with confidence because I observe it over and over again, and I have experienced it myself--is that we invite in the few people from underrepresented cultures who meet criteria which already may have wrongly disqualified other worthy minority candidates, and we require those lucky few to fit into what already exists. At best, we may think to instruct them on how they need to alter themselves in order to conform to expectations that may be embedded rather than expressed. But we are not yet imaginative enough to recognize the talents they bring that are not already part of our definition of a successful lawyer or judge. We are not very good at honoring their questions about why we do things the way we do by really entertaining the possibility that our existing assumptions are not the best that could be arrived at. When they don't come prepared to succeed on our terms, we don't seriously question that there might be something wrong with our terms. We don't honestly wonder whether we are missing contributions that they are uniquely qualified to bring but that we have not yet thought to value.

When the inevitable communication breakdown occurs, it often does not occur to us to wonder how we might have failed to communicate our expectations, or whether our expectations are even fair. Instead, we feel completely justified in simply informing these newcomers-- who we invited because they were different--that they have failed to meet our expectations.

We can do this because we are part of the existing power structure. We define what is important, what is possible, what competence looks like. Nothing requires us to revisit any of it. I include myself in this because I am now part of the power structure too. As to those who come behind me, I can very easily insulate myself from any serious challenge to my point of view. In fact, that insulation will inevitably happen without effort on my part to prevent it.

But here's what happens if we don't make that effort. And here I want to switch perspectives and speak from the vantage point of the outsider. All of us have had the outsider experience--but those of us who enter law from groups that are underrepresented know the outsider experience particularly well. And here's what we experience:

Nearly every day, we bite grooves into our tongues because we know that people are not ready to hear the reactions that pop into our heads. We know what it is to state an opinion and have people regard us as though we have lost my minds. When that happens, as it so frequently does, it is up to us to rehabilitate our lost credibility if we can. We know what it is to inadvertently cause offense by asking a question before we realize that we have challenged something that people perceive to be beyond question. We know what it is to be told that our idea is not only unworkable, but naive and misguided. We know what it is to leave a meeting frustrated that there is no way to say what we mean to say and be heard--and yet knowing that no one even suspects our frustration. We know what it is to struggle to express our ideas in a language that doesn't do them justice, because our own language won't be heard. When we are criticized, it is up to us to sift through comments that we may find deeply offensive or unfair for advice that we ignore at our peril. When we are advised to change our appearance, or our manner of speaking, or our strategy, it is up to us to struggle over how much of that advice we can take without destroying too much of who we are. We don't get extra credit for weathering these difficulties or engaging in these efforts. Rather, we make these efforts because we must.

As long as these experiences are such a regular part of daily life for members of underrepresented groups, our legal culture will not be a place that can be said to truly welcome diversity. As long as we impose upon those least able to bear it a disproportionate share of the burden of bridging our differences, we hinder them from bringing us their best. We cannot expect them to do their best work when they are demoralized and alienated. We do not receive the benefits of their different perspectives if we are not open to challenges to our own.

This situation will change--is changing--only to the degree that insiders--all of us who have acclimated to the dominant culture--are willing to recognize and give up the privileges of dominance and share in the work of bridging our differences. It will change to the degree that those of us who don't have to change choose to open ourselves to the possibility of challenge to our perspective. That's why, when I speak and write about mentoring, I always emphasize that mentoring must be mutual. The best mentors listen as much or more than they speak. They don't offer advice without learning about the perspective of the person they seek to advise. They enter every conversation expecting to learn as much or more than they teach. They are willing to confront the limits of their awareness, and to listen to problems they don't know how to solve. They commit themselves to helping the outsider find a way to succeed inside, and lead the way to valuing the outsider's unique contributions.

My dream of a community that truly embraces diversity comes true a little bit every year for a long weekend when a group of attorneys and judges, in conjunction with the Oregon State Bar's Affirmative Action Program, puts on a conference we call OLIO--Opportunities for Law in Oregon. It's a law school orientation program for ethnic minority students. This wonderful program--founded by Stella Manabe, a prior recipient of this award and one of my heroes--seeks to help these students prepare for a law school experience which history tells us many of them will find especially baffling and alienating. The content is practical and includes advice on things like time management and networking and introductions to legal writing, exam taking, and professional ethics.

But more important than all of that is what happens over the course of the conference. All these students, who come from quite diverse backgrounds, spend three days interacting with judges and attorneys about things they know nothing about. They arrive tentative, intimidated, even a little lost. And in the course of three days, you can watch them relax. They laugh; they (along with the attorneys and judges) embarrass themselves and survive; they begin to show their personalities and tell their stories. You can see them opening up; you can see they joy on their faces. They feel welcomed. They feel invited to be just who they are. It's a beautiful thing.

I participate in planning this event every year because it inspires me. I know that whatever happens to these students when they leave--and experience tells me they will encounter hardship and disappointment and alienation and perhaps even failure--I know they now have a sense memory of what it is like to feel welcomed into a legal context and invited to contribute whatever is unique to them. I want them to remember that. I want them to know in their bones what that feels like.

And that's my dream for a legal community that truly embraces diversity. I dream of a community where difference is welcomed; where we expect to be constantly changing and are grateful for every opportunity to learn where our perspective is lacking; where at every meeting we look around for who is missing at the table; where the burdens of bridging our differences are shared among both outsiders and insiders. Let's inspire each other to create that community.

Changing demographics

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 05:39:00 +0000

A story ran in the LA Times on March 9 which reported that in California Hispanic non-Whites is approaching that of Whites non-Hispanics. My wife always tells me to avoid the comments section of news articles, but as usual I could not resist. The first comment states the following:

I don't think it is fair to include all the illegal aliens in the population numbers. Take them out and the California Latino population drops by half.

I wanted to respond by saying if you did that then the California economy would even be worse. There has been recent discourse about making available a path to citizenship so we can tap into the earning potential of immigrants and the related tax base. Robert Reich, President Clinton's former labor secretary, has gone on record saying that allowing immigrants a path to citizenship would generate tax revenue that could go a long way toward prolonging the solvency of Social Security.

In a related story in USA Today it was reported that Ohio's population has actually decreased over a ten year period.

Unlike cities in other states, Ohio's cities are gaining few Hispanic residents, says Brookings Institution demographer William Frey.

Hispanics and other immigrant groups are important in providing financial health to communities, contrary to some of the rhetoric about how they are a drain on the economy.

Troubling times in Arizona

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 16:41:00 +0000

I am extremely troubled by what is happening in Arizona. My hope and prayers is that congress will take action to keep similar bills from being considered. Even though I believe some of these bills will not stand up in court. It still is troubling to see the rhetoric that is being used. This is a moral issue that both republicans and democrats must work on together. As people of faith we must intervene through prayer and action to shape the discourse on this topic.

Arizona immigration bills aim for bigger crackdown

Philanthropy and Immigration

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 17:44:00 +0000

Below is a link to a story of a banker that was so moved after an immigration raid that he put up half the money to bail those being held out of jail and the immigrant community responded by raising the other half. He then got the idea of doing the same thing for kids of immigrants that want to go to college. If immigrants raise $1500 his firm will match that amount. This I beleive is a great example of philanthropist getting behind this issue, now if we can get some legislators behind comprehensive reform to give students that take advantage of Mr. Hildreth's generosity a path to legal residency.

Banker to match immigrants' college savings.

Commendable approach that falls short

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Perez) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 04:10:00 +0000

The following link it to a recent article in USA Today about Utah's attempt to find a compromise to the dividing issue of illegal immigration. The idea is to provide temporary work permits while requiring immigrants to go through background checks, pay taxes and learn English. Although, this approach is commendable I do not think it would stand up in court. I believe it is another approach to force the issue so congress will start looking at comprehensive reform.