Carmen in Arid Zone

The Importance of Knowing Your Rights and How We Stopped Marco's Deportation

2012-01-21T18:25:00.000-08:00

Marco and Gabriella are a young couple. She is a bright and well spoken American citizen, he is an undocumented immigrant without an accent. He came as baby to the USA.
A Scottsdale police in an unmarked vehicle one night stopped the car where Marco was a passenger. He and his citizen friend were carpooling to work.
Marco was asked for his I.D. and gave too much information during the street interrogation. (Marco could have been more prepared if he only had read CADENA's Know Your Rights brochure that you can download and print here. I supervise its content). The police officer let both of them go after getting Marco's job place information.
Weeks later, the same police officer stops by Marco's work place.
He gets accused of criminal impersonation for using a false Social Security Number.
Gabriella does what most will and puts all her trust on a criminal lawyer who unfortunately was not very informed on immigration law and suggest his client to plea bargain for a reduced sentence.
In Arizona it is very easy for immigrants to lose immigration opportunities due to a criminal record, since the passing of laws designing to criminalize undocumented workers charge them with the highest penalties possible, making them ineligible for deferred deportation.
Prosecutors at the Maricopa County Attorneys office tell Gabriella, point blank, they know what legal tools the federal administration has given the lawyers for releasing immigrants and that they know how to invalidate them. These legal tools come with the exercise of Prosecutorial Discretion (PD in legal lingo). This PD focuses on the deportation of the criminal element of our communities, not on workers with invented Social Security numbers or broken taillights.
While Marco spends months in detention for the "crime" he plead bargain for, awaiting immediate deportation after his release, Gabriella contacts me and seeks help, realizing the ignorance of their previous lawyer only made certain her husband's deportation.
First move I suggest: Get a competent immigration lawyer. I gave her three names of lawyers I trust for their knowledge and for keeping up-to date on latest immigration procedures. Also they are really good in working on several fronts: the legal and the advocacy side of the fight.
Second, I put her in contact with Genie Zavaleta who holds the key to our friends in Washington who can present cases in front of ICE for Prosecutorial Discretion to be implemented.
After long days of non-stop negotiations and back and forth, our Washington ICE connections gave up on Marco's case. The penalties Marco sign up during the plea bargain process were too steep for PD. I though Marco was a lost case.
Delia Salvatierra, the expert immigration lawyer Gabriella choose among the names I provided, pulls another legal recourse and after an agonizing day full of bad news, Gabriella announces her husband is being released with Deferred Action.
I was able to hear through the phone the joy and celebration at Marco and Gabriella's home as the family gathered. This was a great Christmas present for CADENA.

Please go to CADENA's web-site www.dreamactaz.org to find information related with Know Your Rights and educational opportunities for DREAMers.

Looking back: Best Idea of 2011

2012-01-01T10:18:00.000-08:00

No doubt a great idea was partnering with Reyna Montoya creating YEA! --Youth for Education in Action- that took the most awesome team in the world Reyna Montoya, Maxima Guerrero, Brax Lopez and all the volunteers to participate in the Mesa special election of 2011.

Outcome. Phase 1: 300 + voter registrations, mostly young people. More than 180 voters were registered on the Permanent Early Voter List (PEVL). Phase 2: More than 3,000 doors were knocked in Mesa District 18 on low propensity precincts inviting people to vote.
We also were on the news several times! Best outcome of all: Russell Pearce the "creator" of SB1070 and Prop 300 was voted out in spite of sham candidate Olivia Cortes. It seems to me that YEA! will survive time and place and can be a valuable platform of civil engagement.
Click here to see YEA!'s work.

Great Moments in 2011

2011-12-31T11:05:00.000-08:00

I corresponded some years ago with "Franko Music", a DREAM act student who wanted information on the Legislation. Years later a friend of his tells me he is in detention. His "crime": not to set a foot on the ground (a complete stop for a motorcyclist) in an intersection. Dulce Matuz, ADAC Chair and I, go around Maricopa County Sheriff Office and ICE- Phoenix to see where he is being held while making calls to coordinate a quick campaign. Genie Zavaleta works the connection with DC. State Legislator Catherine Miranda contacts local ICE officials.

Before attending CPLC Esperanza Awards (all decked up) we get the word he would be released. (Don't even have time to write a constant contact e-mail and start a campaign). Franko is released the same day of our intervention. You can see Franko here at time of his release. I always wanted to liberate persons in high heels.

Tucson DREAMer.

Great team work saves Juan Manuel Munoz from deportation. Lawyer Jose Penalosa, always ready to help DREAMers, provides all the professional help. Thanks to advocates Matt Matera, Yadira Garcia and friends in Tucson we coordinate a quick case.
I felt so honored to have Congressman Grijalva's office monitoring the situation and offering help.

___________

During 2011 I was happy to continue supporting DREAMers initiatives like Carla Chavarria's I DREAM Campaign and Angelica-goes- to-Washington with press releases and pro-bono work by Critical Mass Communications, LLC.

This is More on Carla's I DREAM Campaign.

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How can I forget? I owned Paris for two and half weeks ! Thanks MEGA.

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Complete sadness: Maricopa County Community Colleges (MCCCD) raised their tuition, pricing out DREAMers and some citizens out of higher education. Yes, part of the Pearce legacy. More damaging, they plan to implement an obscure law HB2008 full extent, full force, extreme interpretation. Thanks to hours and hours of pestering the Board, Chancellor and Machiavellic general counsel, Lee Combs with my friend Daniel Rodriguez we managed to tone down some of the implementation of HB2008 (like asking the immigration status of students riding vans to student' congresses). Next semester 5,000+ students dropped out of the Maricopa system.

If you ask Mr. Combs, he will deny he intended to ask MCCCD student's immigration status " on a case by case scenario".
To this date, the press, nobody cares about it. #couldhavebeenevenworse.

______________

ADAC protests the Maricopa County Community College Boards for pricing out DREAM Act students taking 1 to 2 hours. I run a national campaign to ask the Chancellor to re-consider. Great help from Jackie Mahendra and team from Change.org. At least we take it national and it is not an unknown pain. Sadness, anger.

Students paid good money for their education. They will take their money other place. A grear option is State Legislator Catherine Miranda's Manzana Foundation partnering with the Navajo Technical College.
Potential lost estimated for MCCCD: FTSE 2,265 Revenue $3,222,777.00 ( I think it is even more as now).

___________

Thanks to educational devastation created by MCCCD's Legal Counsel Lee Combs, we kind of figure out there were a lot of things going wrong at the Community Colleges. I replicate the craft of the journalists (my friend Gregory Pratt comes to mind) and I start requesting information to MCCCD invoking Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). It opened a new world of possibilities and learning. POWERFUL tool. Now, I know too much (I should be killed). #Iwanttoknowmore! BUT #nobodycares!

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Carl Hayden Robotics continues kicking robotic butt. So honored to work on their press releases and know in advance how they are going to be profiled on the media. Very proud of student leader Maria Castro (profiled in a CNN special) Dulce Matuz (a robot named after her- welcome to the club!) and all the past, present and future Falcons.

____________

I got a phone call. An ASU student's best friend is in detention. Did an intensive research in a matter of hours. Great, beautiful young lady. Got really upset since she was about to get transported to Florence or other of the detention holes (I know what might happen there. If you do not know, read this study by UofA).I get determined to get her out QUICK. Sent my constant contact online petition. Great help from Mohammad Abdollahi to make the petition GO NATIONAL. Nallely is out by the evening. (Michelle Dallacrose has been gaining weight ! Haha).

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Starting 2011, we were able to save Pedro Gutierrez from deportation thanks to Mohammad Abdollahi, Lawyer Mo Goldman, the great ADAC and Pedro's mentors. Here is one of the many media clips on Pedro and the awesome PR job.
So honored to have coordinated the campaign (even when I was shivering with fever and the flu).

__________________

I'm looking forward 2012 for more advocacy and great times !
Good bless you all, dear readers!

Arizona's Special Election and the Unfolding Everyday Drama

2011-10-03T12:41:00.000-07:00

For the first time ever a State Senator President is being recalled and a new election is set for November the 8^{th, 2011.}

The State Senator is not other than Russell Pearce, an early proponent of many anti-immigration l laws that have been copycatted in many states and had devastated Arizona’s economy. He is infamous for pushing SB1070.

Russell Pearce is not only bad for the immigrant and minority population but he had slashed education budgets K to 12, colleges and universities to record lows, affecting all and sabotaging our future In Arizona.

He has introduced the most ridiculous laws like "birthter" bills and made the Colt AZ official’s gun at the time when the economy in the state is in shambles.

Mr. Pearce is notorious for his associations with neo-Nazis groups and recently the media had disclosed his participation on the Fiesta Bowl Scandal where he took illegal gifts and junkets.

State Senator Russell Pearce is one of the most divisive public figures and a well-known bully who intimidates people, even inside his own party, who forces elected officials to follow his extremist agenda. He is notorious to rally support to extremist candidates to eliminate moderate Republican voices from the Legislature.

Now that he has being recalled and the election on Nov the 8^th will take place he has planted, with the help of tea party activist and even members of his own family, a Hispanic woman candidate to divide the vote and confuse Latinos.

Olivia Cortes , has been called to testify on her candidacy and has stated she doesn’t know who paid a petition gathering company to put her in the ballot, does not know the volunteers who are posting signs, or where the supports for her campaign comes from in spite that she handles treasury.

In an unprecedented move probably unique at this time in the nation, and for the sake of the well being of Arizona, the Democratic Party has agreed not to put a candidate in the hopes that a unifying Republican, Mr. Jerry Lewis, can win in which may be one of the most conservative districts in the nation.

New information comes every single day about this election. We are keeping our sights on November the 8th.

If you live in Mesa District 18th participate in this important election. If you are not registered to vote, a group of students will be registering new voters Wednesday October the 5th and Thursday October the 6th at Mesa Community College from 10 A.M. to 7 P.M. by the clock tower.

Why Ban When You Can Price them Out???

2011-08-22T10:08:00.001-07:00

It is like an euphemism. Do not ban undocumented students from Higher Education just price them out. On the day Community Colleges classes start in 10 institutions in the Metro Phoenix area, members of the Arizona DREAM Act Coalition and Education Advocates mark with sadness the elimination of affordable tuition rates for out of state students.

Last March Maricopa Community Colleges District (MCCCD) approved a tuition hike close to 230% targeting “Out of State” individuals including, but not exclusively, undocumented students which already made countless sacrifices to pay for one or two classes each semester.

MCCCD is one of the largest Community Colleges systems in the nation.

“Out of State” students taking six credits hours or less (one or two classes) paid last semester 96 dollars per credit but under the new policies implemented, MCCCD is charging 317 dollars per credit or about 1000 dollars per class even if they take limited schedule. Students taking more than six credits have been already paying triple “In State Tuition” for years already.

Before the tuition hike 1 to 6 credit hours was the little window of opportunity for affordable higher education undocumented students had in one of the largest community colleges systems in the nation.

Beside the tuition hike, MCCCD voted for a harsh interpretation of laws that require the reporting to ICE and DHS of undocumented students by the institution that students are supposed to trust. The financial and admission department’s personnel are forced to report on the immigration status of the students if they disclose it. The powerful and influential Legal Counsel threatens jail time to not complying personnel.

The process in which these changes were implemented was done in secrecy, with original implementation taskforces disappearing and other political interest groups supplanting a cross-section of the departments that deal with enrollment.

The implementation of these measures is contrary to the financial health of MCCCD because they will lose income from thousands of students dropping out and now it takes more personnel time to check on the paperwork of ALL students. Also new forms have been printed, new processes established and hasty personnel training given to have the appearance of compliance also adds to the costs of implementing flawed policies.

The MCCCD board has, in short, betrayed its own mission of providing access to higher education.

The new policies are also affecting programs that MCCCD had in partnership with K-12 institutions including ACE, dual enrollment, and its own charter schools, which prepared students to move into post-secondary education. The reporting issue is also present in these environments, possibly violating Federal laws.

This situation we live in Arizona is contrary with the well-being of the State. Our State will not have a globally competitive workforce if higher education affordability is eliminated for thousands and thousands of students.

What happens in Arizona is also a cautionary tale of the spreading tentacles of a battery of immigration laws passed over a period of time.

Closing the Door of Education in Arizona

2011-05-30T10:28:00.000-07:00

Education in Arizona is having its SB1070 moment and this time there is no Judge or ruling that can come to the rescue.
Since the passing of laws like Prop.300 and several more intended to get rid of undocumented students in Arizona, a policy called attrition through enforcement, the number of immigrant students participating in higher education has been dwindling dramatically from around 1500 students on public universities in 2007, to only 106 in 2010 according with an article by C ronkite News.
Many of these students and freshmen sought access to education through Community Colleges, which thanks to a tiered tuition system charged 96 dls. per credit hour.
However on March 2011 the Maricopa Community Colleges Board voted to increase 230+ % the tuition for "per credit" classification, hitting undocumented students with a hike that puts higher education out of their reach. That decision came through a random revision of a law called HB2008 which relates to public benefits in the state. This law is highly encompassing, vague and troubling and was believed to affect primarily hospitals.
The consensus previous to the hike was that the MCCD was following the law and acting its due diligence to comply.
An internal memo from the colleges acknowledges there was not statutory language requiring the Colleges to restructuring the tuition system or affect or implement changes but an over zealot lawyer, Mr. Lee Combs, drove this decision.
The lawyer's interpretation took administration to order denying access to undocumented students to school related travels for the use of a bus paid with "public funding".
That is when panic started to take over. The decision to raise the tuition was bullied into administrative personnel, MCCD board members, the Chancellor Mr. Rufus Glasper, afraid of an hypothetical backlash of conservative members of the community.
Everyone started to get along with the interpretation of the in house counsel, Mr. Combs aided by the support of Minutewoman Board Member Debra Pearson which made a motion on the Board.
Activist engaged in talks to several members of the Maricopa Community Colleges District and discover several troubling situations:
.The meetings that lead to the change in policy were held away from key administrative personnel and in an unusually speedy manner.
.There was never a detailed tuition cost analysis for regular and on line classes.
.There was never an analysis of the impact of the interpretation of HB2008 on the community colleges program.
.There was never a list of the programs affected by the interpretation of HB2008 or the effect on enrollment.
Officials at the MCCD estimate than 5% of the student population or between 6,000 -8000 students will be affected by the tuition hike and most likely not return to the system. Most of the affected may be out of state citizens, persons in the process to obtain a legal status, snow birds living in Arizona.

Carmen Visits The Lou Show and Talks About the DREAM Act

2011-04-30T12:03:00.001-07:00

Lift the Torch

2011-04-17T02:38:00.000-07:00

Pedro Gutierrez led the crowds and lifted the torch of freedom on the Phoenix Martin Luther King Parade.
He could have been doing so many things that day.. many... like packing his belongings, maybe retreat to his place in shame or bitterness since the following day his deportation had been scheduled, but he decided to attend the Parade. "It was crazy", he said, "I chose to go to the parade".
Lewis and Jane Storey found my name and phone number on Facebook thanks to a lead provided by Luis Avila, hoping I will be able to help Pedro Gutierrez and save him from deportation. The Storeys have been mentoring Pedro for years touched by his story of good behavior in spite of tremendous odds. Being brought undocumented by his grandmother (who had legal status) after his parents wasted their lives lost on drugs. Grandma was later unsuccessful making connections with more relatives in Mexico when she fell gravely ill. When she dies, leaves Pedro at 11 at the care of her African American husband, who abandons him before Pedro becomes an adult.
In spite of the abandonment, Pedro dreams to follow his step grandfather's life in the military and sought recruiters to join. His legal status prevents Pedro to enlist but relentless he "trains" along the new recruits.
Getting all the details on Pedro and his touching story I asked my fellow CADENA members for their permission to use the list of supporters and request their action with phone calls and faxes asking DHS to stop Pedro's deportation. I also connected with Mohammad Abdollahi from dreamactivist network who made possible connections at national level, even finding a terrific Tucson lawyer, Mo Goldman, who took the legal side of Pedro's defense pro-bono. It was an exciting week where we put together a national team with the Arizona DREAM Act Coalition (which took care of the media events and rallies for Pedro), Adam Luna from America's Voice with the social media resources to send on line faxes and extensive distribution list, Mo from Dreamactivist network, CADENA, Lawyer Mo Goldman and the Storeys.
Thanks to the actions of many subscribers to our networks, DHS delayed the deportation date and granted Pedro Gurtierrez eventually deferred action.
Pedro now can be without fear, as long as this administrative procedure is in place.
On Saturday I saw Pedro and the Storeys in Casa Grande along with other students ready to form The Arizona DREAM Act coalition of Pinal County. Hearing Pedro recount of what he thought was his last hours of his life in the USA before being thrown into homelessness, made my own petty life disappointments dwarf by his experience.
"I chose to go to the parade... people recognized me and asked me to lead the Martin Luther King parade...gave me the the torch. What I thought was my last day of my life in the USA was the best day of my life. I could gave everything up for those moments when I had the torch and all would have been worth it".
So I wake up in the middle of the night and I think of Pedro and I get reminded: "live your life like you are going to be deported tomorrow". Lift the torch and lead the parade.

Secrets

2011-04-01T08:31:00.000-07:00

As an advocate sometime people share personal information that I need to keep secret.

There are a lot of things that I keep for myself, minding at all time the best interest for the DREAMers and the DREAM Act advocacy.

I have been given the go ahead to reveal one of the many secrets and now I let you all know Oscar Vazquez has enrolled in the army and will finish basic training in June. This is just an example of the sense of patriotic duty the dreamers have in their hearts. If you follow the DREAM Act advocacy in Arizona, you will remember his story.

Oscar Vazquez was member of the team who beat MIT in the MATE underwater robotics competition and was famous around the world thanks to the article "La Vida Robot", by Joshua Davis. The article was the single most clicked article online on Wired Magazine and was reprinted in Readers' Digest editions in several languages in many countries. Read the original article clicking here.

Notoriety followed.

Watch the ABC Nighline video piece on the mighty Falcon robotics here.

After successfully completing a bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering, Oscar left the country, self deported, frustrated by the lack of action of the federal government and in search for legal venue for re-entry.

It was a gamble, because there are no legal or administrative roads to officially do this. But Oscar and his young family, Karla and Sammy, where ready to endure the hardships. Please read the AZ Republic article on his self deportation here.

I knew of Oscar departure after some weeks he had been living in Mexico. I knew some persons, including some VIPs, were requesting DHS his re-entry but nothing happened.

I decided to look for support in different congressional offices starting for the obvious in Arizona. I was flatly turned back at Ed Pastor's office where they explained only in cases of extreme hardship (i.e. a citizen wife with a malignant cancer in her head waiting for the re-entry of an undocumented husband to assist her and the children ) will be considered. There was no consideration to economic hardship or separation of father and sons, daughters, husbands and wives.

I turned to Raul Grijalva's offices who were a little more sympathetic and willing to explore the possibility but I do not think anything came from it.

I decided to connect with the office of Senator Richard Durbin from Illinois, mayor proponent of the dream act at the national level. That was when things started to move in the right direction.

I was going back and forth exchanging e-mails with Durbin's excellent staff, which arranged meetings with DHS to petition Oscar.

Although it seemed clear to me the impossible may happen, the "legalization" of Oscar Vazquez, Mohammad Abdollahi from Dreamactivist.org confirmed what I suspected in his characteristic unassuming way. " Hey, Carmen ! do you know that Oscar Vazquez is coming home?", he said.

But the family did not wanted all to know until he was actually here. For weeks that seemed like years I kept the secret. Then he finally came home.

Today, Oscar has been away for basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky; since Feb 1, 2011. He went in as a Specialist (Spc) thanks to his BA in Mechanical Engineering. He is a Cavalry Scout/Infantry.His family will be reunited with him again on April ready to face their new adventure.

Dreamer in Detention

2011-03-29T06:55:00.002-07:00

Just as I was getting ready for a dinner party on Saturday, I got a phone call from a young woman who was looking for help for a friend. Somebody had giving her my number and was seeking support for Nallely, who had been stopped and detained a day earlier for a minor traffic violation and had an unpaid ticket in her record.

I promised to get back the next day. I spent Sunday and Monday reconstructing the life of Nallely Farman, sorting through the confusion of her legal name and the name she goes for. It took me several phone calls to have all the facts straight.

There were aspects of Nalleli's life not totally clear to her mother so I also tracked down her friends, asking for more details.

Nallely is a great person. She has a list of community involvement activities that is really remarkable.

She has been a good student all along. She is a former ASU student and a Community College Student.

The thought of a nice,cute girl jailed, subjected to invasive "body searches" if she ends up in Eloy or Florence is really upsetting to me.

On Sunday I got the support from Mohammad Abdollahi from Dreamactivist.org and now the story of Nallely is going national.

Please click here to sign the petition to save Nallely from detention, and possible deportation.

http://action.dreamactivist.org/nalley/

Are Hispanics Only Aspiring to be Gang Members?

2011-03-21T09:33:00.000-07:00

Dear State Senator Klein,

I was very disappointed to read on the Arizona Guardian your comments on the Senate floor quoting a letter from a supposed educator. On it implied that we Hispanics only have aspirations to become gang members and we disregard education.

http://www.arizonaguardian.com/azg/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3057%3Asen-klein-quotes-letter-calling-latino-students-gang-members-and-gangsters&catid=958%3Anewsfp&Ite

Your lack of understanding and knowledge of our (your) community is appalling.

Let me probe your ideas are mistaken.

Last Saturday the Carl Hayden Robotics Team won the FIRST Robotics Arizona Regional that included teams from Arizona, California, New Mexico, 2 teams from Mexico, etc.

Carl Hayden is about 90 % Hispanic.

The Carl Hayden Falcons beat teams of higher income High Schools with students whose parents are college graduates.

Some of the Carl Hayden Team members are undocumented immigrants and all are from low income families.

Along with this big win for the Falcons, another majority minority team from Tolleson offered an spectacular performance and was awarded a pass to the international competition.

Carl Hayden Falcon Robotics will be representing Arizona in the international competition.

These wins are just an example of the continuous successes of our Hispanic, minorities and low income communities.

I demand a public apology for your mistaken words and characterization of our talented youth at the AZ state senate floor along with a recognition of the teams on the Arizona State Legislature.

FYI: This is the Falcon's robot in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fiw9PZ2E08&feature=player_embedded#at=20

Here is the press release:

Press Release
March the 21 st. 2011

MEDIA CONTACTS

Maria Castro: mariac467@gmail.com

602) 312 4886

Carmen Cornejo:carmen0402@aol.com(480)324-6378

Falcon Robotics

Wins the 2011 FIRST Robotics AZ Regional

CNN Captures the Big Win for a "STEM in America" Special

What: Carl Hayden Falcons wins of robotics competition

Best mentor: Fredi, Lajvardi

Best student: Eduardo (Eddie) Fernandez

Best robot design

The Carl Hayden Falcon Robotics Team, which has been profiled on Wired Magazine, the TV show Nightline, and international editions of Reader's Digest, among others, won the 2011 FIRST Robotics AZ Regional this weekend. This event reunited more than 40 teams and from Arizona, California, Mexico and New Mexico.

FIRST is an acronym: For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.

The name of the 2011 Robot is "Dulce's DREAM", to honor Dulce Matuz, a Carl Hayden High School alumni who is an undocumented electrical engineer graduate from ASU.

The Falcon Robotics team also got the awards for Best mentor, Faridodin Lajvardi; best student, Eduardo (Eddie) Fernandez and best robot design. The team also won the competition by wide points margins and to cap it off four Falcon Robotics team members recieved W.W. Graingers scholarships: Gerardo Rodriguez, Ramon Balerama, Glenda Maldonado, Mike Kanaly.

The Falcon Robotics team will be representing AZ in the Championship that will take place in the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis , MO, April 27th-30th 2011.

Dulce Matuz is an inspiration for the members of the team. She continues to participate with the Falcons, offering her technical and fundraising skills, as well as encouragment to the students.

Dulce Matuz, who graduated in 2009 from ASU, actively assists the neighborhood FLL (First Lego League) teams which introduce elementary and middle school students to robotic technologies.

Dulce is a strong advocate for the DREAM Act, and she meets with elected officials at the federal level to promote this legislation that, if passed, will provide a path to legalization for undocumented students brought to this country as minors, like her.

The FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is an event that teams professionals and young people to solve engineering design problems in an intense and competitive way. The program is a life changing, career-molding experience in a fun and positive environment framed by "gracious professionalism".

This year the game for the competition is called LOGO MOTION ^® . In the game, two alliances of three teams compete on a 27-by-54-foot field with poles, attempting to earn points by hanging as many triangle, circle and square logo pieces as possible. Bonus points can be earned for each robot that can hang and assemble logo pieces to form the FIRST logo. Robots can also deploy Mini-Bots to climb vertical poles for a chance to earn additional points.

FIRST Robotic Competition (FRC) Arizona Regional unites teams from High School and their mentors to construct a functional robot in six weeks that can perform certain tasks pre-established by the game . Students participate on the design, construction, testing, and operation of the project as well as other activities like promotion and fundraising. The competion provides the students a hands on experience in the field of science and technology.

Carl Hayden Falcon Robotics team will also participate on a new CNN documentary hosted by Soledad O'Brien. It is scheduled to air in May 2011.

The organizing sponsor for the competition in Arizona is Microchip Technology, Inc. with the support of Science Foundation Arizona, Avnet, Craig and Barbara Barrett Foundation, Steve and Maria Sanghi, Wells Fargo Bank, On Semiconductors, US Airways and Critical Mass Communications LLC, among others.

Now Say Thanks!!!! Republicans who voted NO on Anti-Immigrant Bills

2011-03-18T08:19:00.001-07:00

This is the List of Good Republicans who Voted in Favor of Aizona's Economy, Against Anti-Immigration Bills, according with the AZ Republic (see link below)

SB 1308: Birthright citizenship

• Frank Antenori, R-Tucson.

• Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix.

• Rich Crandall, R-Mesa.

• Adam Driggs, R-Phoenix.

• John McComish, R-Phoenix.

• John Nelson, R-Litchfield Park.

• Steve Pierce, R-Prescott.

• Michele Reagan, R-Scottsdale.

• Steve Yarbrogh, R-Chandler.

SB 1309: Birthright citizenship

• Frank Antenori, R-Tucson.

• Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix.

• Scott Bundgaard, R-Peoria.

• Rich Crandall, R-Mesa.

• Adam Driggs, R-Phoenix.

• John McComish, R-Phoenix.

• John Nelson, R-Litchfield Park.

• Steve Pierce, R-Prescott.

• Michele Reagan, R-Scottsdale.

• Steve Yarbrogh, R-Chandler.

SB 1405: Hospitals checking legal status

• Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix.

• Rich Crandall, R-Mesa.

• Adam Driggs, R-Phoenix.

• Linda Gray, R-Glendale.

• John McComish, R-Phoenix.

• John Nelson, R-Litchfield Park.

• Steve Pierce, R-Prescott.

• Michele Reagan, R-Scottsdale.

• Steve Yarbrogh, R-Chandler.

SB 1407: Schools checking legal status

• Rich Crandall, R-Mesa.

• Adam Driggs, R-Phoenix.

• Linda Gray, R-Glendale.

• John McComish, R-Phoenix.

• John Nelson, R-Litchfield Park.

• Steve Pierce, R-Prescott.

• Michele Reagan, R-Scottsdale.

SB 1611: Immigration omnibus

• Sylvia Allen, R-Snowflake.

• Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix.

• Rich Crandall, R-Mesa.

• Adam Driggs, R-Phoenix.

• Linda Gray, R-Glendale.

• John McComish, R-Phoenix.

• John Nelson, R-Litchfield Park.

• Steve Pierce, R-Prescott.

• Michele Reagan, R-Scottsdale.

• Steve Yarbrogh, R-Chandler.

Contrary to My Own Predictions...AZ Legislators Block Anti- Immigrant Bills!

2011-03-17T18:55:00.000-07:00

Good news for now! Arizona State Legislature blocked anti-immigrant bills among them the so called Omnibus bill and the Birthright citizenship.

Other bills rejected were SB 1405 that would have required hospitals to check an individual's legal status and notify law enforcement if they suspected an individual was in the country illegally. Senate Bill 1407 would have required school districts to collect data on the number of students who were undocumented immigrants.

Also defeated was SB 1611, the so called Omnibus Bill, that included a wide variety of issues. It would have banned undocumented immigrants from attending state universities and Community Colleges or getting any federal public benefits. It would have made it a crime for undocumented immigrants to drive in Arizona and required proof of legal status to enroll a child in a public K-12 school. The Omnibus Bill was a compilation of 16 measures that had failed at various times over the past several years.

There is a small chance that this bill may be revived in what is left of the session. Also there is a possibility that the bill may be sent to the ballot.

Definitely the effective pressure came from the business leaders and the Chamber of Commerce, who months before were lobbying quietly against the passage of these laws.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2011/03/17/20110317arizona-birthright-citizenship-bills-rejected.html#ixzz1GuUEMCxo

You All Are 6 Years Behind, 4 Million Short (at Least)

2011-03-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

60 business executives, among them CEOs, are asking the AZ State legislature to back off the immigration bills that are damaging our economy. You can read the opinion page on the AZ Republic here http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/2011/03/16/20110316wed1-16-new.html.

Is this action having an effect to stop further economic meltdown in the state? Most likely no.

Russell Pearce had made assurances to the business community, before taking the Senate presidency, that he would not bring this bills up for a vote. He had already broken his promise twice.

Before this last minute action, the business community had chosen to deal with the request to hold the bills in a private way. Now this public, desperate action seems too little, too late.

2011-02-14T19:55:00.000-08:00

As I predicted some time ago, State Senator Russell Pearce introduced the challenge to the 14th amendment to the US constitution to deny citizenship to the children of the (at least one of the parents) undocumented. Read here an article by Time magazine.

Today the legislation seemed to be weakening, although there are reports that Pearce will look for ways to vote it in other committees.

Make no mistake. The reason the challenge to the 14th amendment in the AZ legislation is loosing steam is not because cute kids marched in protest, or organized Latinas raised their voices but because the Chambers of Commerce came discreetly but forceful against it.

Money talks and there is not secret that the economy of Arizona cannot endure another

(or the continuation) economic boycott.

Dismantling The Myth of the "Anchor Baby"

2011-02-02T20:54:00.000-08:00

(My comments are in bold)

I have been avoiding the topic just to skip using the jargon the Republicans are abusing.

However now the issue has materialized in 2011 in Arizona and other states with the filling of legislation by nativist politicians as State Senate Presidents (Arizona) Russell Pearce, Congressman Graham and others

The Republican efforts challenging the 14th Amendment, against birthright citizenship is centered by the idea that undocumented immigrants cross the border to have children who will be U.S. citizens. As Senator Lindsey Graham wrote about this, according to a posting from Think Progress -The Wonk Room's Andrea Nill:

“People come here to have babies,” he said. “They come here to drop a child. It's called "drop and leave." To have a child in America, they cross the border, they go to the emergency room, have a child, and that child's automatically an American citizen. That shouldn't be the case. That attracts people here for all the wrong reasons.”

There is a complete intent of dehumanizing immigrants and their families with this theories that also feed conspiracy fantasies.

This is what I found on line following the new report by the Pew Hispanic Center.

"Andrea Nill points that "an overwhelming majority of undocumented immigrants — 91 percent — who became the parents of U.S. citizens between March 2009 and March 2010 came to the U.S. before 2007."

"Contrary to Graham's "drop and leave" theory, only nine percent of undocumented immigrants had children shortly after arriving, and there's a distinct lack of evidence that any of them had children for that reason. Nill writes that these "findings pretty much invalidate the argument that is at the center of the birthright citizenship debate." That's actually not the only information in the Pew Survey that contradicts the views of restrictionists. There's also the news that the undocumented population increased slightly to 11.2 million by March 2010, after falling from 12 million to 11.1 million between 2007-2009"

"Now the Obama administration has tried to take some credit for the decline by pointing to its high numbers ofdeportations and increased resources at the border. But because in the long term border enforcement really does little to stem migration, the decline was more likely attributable to a struggling economy. The waning months of 2009 and early months of 2010 however, saw some economic growth. Maybe that's just a coincidence, but it also might explain the slight uptick in the undocumented population.

The data suggests a really shocking conclusion: People come to the U.S. to get jobs, not to have babies. That means that repealing birthright citizenship isn't likely to stem illegal immigration, because it doesn't alter the incentives that cause people to come here. It will, without a doubt, lead to higher numbers of undocumented immigrants, and the creation of a new, nationless class of children within U.S. borders. If, on the other hand, you're trying to reduce the population of Latino citizens rather than the number of undocumented immigrants, repealing birthright citizenship is one route to take"

I may add that Republicans always seek to dehumanize the undocumented immigrants in diverse ways:

1.-Utilizing humiliating vocabulary.

2.-Describing behavior that is contrary to the socio economic reality.

3.- Ignoring studies and research.

4.-Expecting that future immigration reform will legislate immigrant labor as a commodity, ignoring human realities.

Immigrant laborers, workers that arrive the USA are young and will find love, companionship and their unions will be blessed by the arrival of American citizens).

Mcpocrisy

2010-12-18T22:09:00.000-08:00

Senator John McCain stood up today Saturday, December the 18th, 2010 on the US Senate floor to speak against a legislation that he had co-sponsored in the past, back on the days when he called himself a "maverick" and pretended to be a conciliatory moderate.

Today he lead the parade of anti DREAM Senators who denied a path to legalization to undocumented students who had grown in the USA and succeeded integrating themselves into our communities, many of them professionals with Bachelors and Master's degrees.

During the few weeks that preceded the failed DREAM vote, Mr. McCain's office organized a toy drive for the Holidays.

Awww, how sweet!

I wonder if McCain will check the immigration status of the children receiving the "largess"of the Republican supporters. Thanks to Senator McCain, some immigrant children will be getting a cheap toy made in China and will be denied of a path to legalization as Christmas gift in 2010

Extreme Rhetoric- Who Provides Their Talking Points

2010-12-13T20:29:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered how seemingly educated people, like a Senator or a Congressperson, could parrot some heavy non-sense on the immigration debate?

Well, their talking points on the immigration debate come from organizations with respectable sounding names such as Center for Immigration Studies, Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) and Numbers USA. All of them not only lack academic rigor in their "researches" but have strong ties to white supremacist group and are been monitored by Southern Poverty Law Center.

Journalist and author Terry Greene-Sterling published a great article on the Phoenix New Times were it explores the influence of these organization in the formation, training of politicians and the dissemination of extreme ideas.

Read FAIR-Y tales here.

Hungry for Justice.

2010-12-12T12:35:00.000-08:00

Lucy was in Washington DC on Tuesday, December the 7th, 2010. At the time of this picture she has been 28 days in a hunger strike requesting a meeting with Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson with no success. Lucy wants the Senator to vote YES on the DREAM Act, the narrow tailored legislation that will give a path to legalization to undocumented students brought as children and that fulfill tough requirements. Even tough the Senator supported the DREAM Act in the past, Hutchinson has toughened her stance swayed by the extremist rhetoric that has taken many members of her party hostage: DREAM Act is equivalent to "Amnesty" and rewards "criminals".

Never mind that the DREAM act possible beneficiaries are some of the best and professionally capable citizens this country can wish for.

When Lucy came to Washington, she was debilitated to the point of not being able to walk and was pushed around by fellow dreamers in a wheelchair. She was received in Capitol Hill not by Hutchinson but by her staffers, who ask her to start eating again.

Lucy is not hungry for food but for justice. Her education is worth nothing and she can be jailed in a horrific detention center just because she does not have a social security number.

Her sacrifices for achieving higher education and paying her way to college amounts to zero without the DREAM.

Lucy does not want food but the DREAM,

Where is the Line???

2010-11-21T11:51:00.000-08:00

Everybody seems to have strong opinions on Immigration. Some have opinions of the DREAM Act and the undocumented youth. Few know the facts on Immigration and the DREAM.

One of the recurrent myths of the misinformed is that undocumented immigrants are jumping in front of the line for legalization.

Reality is that the proverbial line never existed for them.

Their parents never had a real chance in a 20 years span to get on any line because Immigration limits the process to a certain individuals with existing family ties (children-parent relationships), income or selected professional access to the "line". This is spite of the demand of labor for certain areas of the labor market.

Immigrant youth (the persons brought as children by working parents) asked ICE last week :"Where is the line so I can get at the end of it?"

The real answer is the DREAM Act.

Here is a video on the DREAMers action on Friday, Nov 19th, 2010.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z54mB6DEncc&feature=player_embedded

Photo and video credit: Leah Jo Carnine.

DREAMers Vs Pearce

2010-11-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

During the GOP Election Day Victory Celebration (Nov 2, 2010 at the Hyatt Hotel), DREAM Activists from the Arizona DREAM Act Coalition confronted State Senator Russell Pearce. He is the creator of anti-immigration laws that had propelled flawed politicians to power in Arizona, including Governor Jane Brewer.

I met Stephen Lemons-aka the Feathered Bastard- (from the Phoenix New Times) at the Anti Defamation League Torch of Freedom Award Ceremony few days later. He knew about the DREAMers confronting Pearce and wanted more information. I happened to know somebody had video taped it. This is the Feathered Bastard Blog which is rated one of the top blogs with more than 322 facebook postings so far. Thanks Stephen for e-publishing the evidence of the courage of the DREAMers trying to unsuccessfully debate rude Russell Pearce, but being able at least to freak him out and throw him out of his comfort zone!

More Bad News After the 2010 Election

2010-11-03T22:36:00.000-07:00

I must confess I'm still in shock about the results of the 2010 elections across the USA but specially in Arizona.

Besides loosing congressional seats and a big GOP win on all possible fronts, re-elected State Senator Russell Pearce has been named Senate President. The introduction of more anti-immigrant laws is inevitable.

Voters have approved prop 107 which bans the so called affirmative action programs (another "gift" from Russell Pearce and sell out State Legislator Steve Montenegro).

On the chopping block will be valuable initiatives like WISE (Women In Science and Engineering) and Hispanic Mother and Daughter Program, among others that encourage the participation of underrepresented groups in higher education. These programs also made important contributions towards the integration of immigrants.

This is what an alumni of the program said about the Hispanic Mother and Daughter Program:

"We all know that the United States is a country of immigrants. Every single person that has come here has had to learn to adapt to a totally different way of life.

Se dice que nosotros los Hispanos nos negamos a adaptarnos... (It is said that we Hispanic are not seeking integration.)

This is precisely what programs like HMPD helps us do. It opens up new doors to Hispanic Mothers and Daughters, by informing us and making us aware of all the opportunities and choices available when it comes to our education. I can honestly say that if it was not for this program, my path toward college would've been a way bigger challenge. And I would hate to see other girls miss the opportunities that I had if this program disappears."

Sad times for AZ when proven programs that support educations for all are not valued.

Genie explains: The DREAM is not dead!

2010-09-22T11:17:00.000-07:00

A letter to DREAMers and Advocates:
I am so disappointed - again -about the votes in the Senate yesterday. I am so sorry for the students who have worked so hard.

THE DREAM ACT IS NOT DEAD. It still exists as S.729. It has NOT been voted down.

We all knew it was risky to bring it up now. We knew we probably did not have the votes. And we were dealt an expected blow from the Republicans in the Senate.

Please note that two Democrats failed to vote for this first procedural motion: Lincoln and Pryor. Also - some senators continued to speak for the DREAM ACT after that vote.

What is the strategy now? Have heard from two national groups with suggestions. There will be more tomorrow.

NILC reported over 100,000 calls made to senators, but they still knew the vote might fail. They are already working on strategy.

It is possible that the senators may not bring this up until the lame duck session. But it will come up, one way or another. Reid can call them back for extra sessions until he gets a vote.

As CADENA we do not want to do anything too quickly until we have direction.

I think we need to wait for instructions from Senator Durbin as well as all the national organizations that supported the DREAM ACT.

We just need to be sure everyone knows that the DREAM ACT IS NOT DEAD - in spite of what some news anchors said today.

Please do not be too disappointed.

Let's continue supporting the DREAM Act and the young students and professionals.

Genie Zavaleta,

Chairwoman, CADENA

The Dream and the Military Component

2010-09-20T21:27:00.000-07:00

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's initiative to attach the DREAM act to the defense authorization bill is appropriate due to the strong military component of the DREAM.
There are many successful ROTC trained young persons, willing to sacrifice, defend the country they consider theirs and serve honorably on the armed forces of the USA. They are just happen to be here since childhood, undocumented and without a path to a legalization.
Senator McConnell's assertion that the DREAM act attachment to the bill as "extraneous" is a disservice to the many members of the armed forces that choose to serve, some even died, without the benefit of the citizenship for themselves or/and their families, or many in the past that have served even as undocumented immigrants, before more strict laws and scrutiny was passed.
Right now only persons who are legal residents can enroll.
The young persons affected only need a chance to access a process of legal status only provided by legislative change trough the DREAM, because the" line" for them never existed.
Joe Arvizu, an ROTC member who died tragically after being medically deported is a great example of the aspirations of these dedicated youth. Honoring his dreams of service with the passage of the bill will be a great homage.

Dream Act has military connection

2010-09-20T21:19:00.000-07:00

Dream Act has military connection