Chula Vista’s Southwestern College has a new place for undocumented students to receive support from their campus community.
What was previously a math room has been transformed into what is being called the Dreamer Center, and it made its debut on April 25 with a formal ribbon cutting ceremony.
The Dreamer Center was made possible by a $125,000 grant from the California Campus Catalyst Fund, awarded to the school last year, and will provide undocumented students with workshops, outreach material and scholarship opportunities.
“The campus is really excited that we finally have a space on campus where we can refer students for additional support,” said Dr. Guadalupe Corona, director of the Office of Student Equity Programs and Services.
Prior to the Dreamer Center, undocumented students at the college received support from what is called the Adelante Estudiante Program.
“We supported our undocumented students with a stipend that supported their educational objectives here,” Corona said. “The stipend also incorporated their ability to also learn how to navigate the educational system and be leaders on campus.”
Now undocumented students will be able to receive additional support from the center, which will host outreach programs, workshops on DACA news, help with applying for financial aid and filling out applications and renewals, and receiving information on how to obtain free legal services.
“This is the pride and joy of our campus,” Corona said.
The center is open to all students, and is meant to be a place where everyone can feel safe and receive information and help — no matter where they are immigrating from, or whether the person affected by immigration is themselves, a family member or friend.
“Someone always knows somebody that needs services,” Corona said. “And so we wanted to make sure that people understand that everyone’s welcome, that everybody knows someone that may need some assistance.”
The center employs student workers, who can give people that come in advice on a peer-to-peer level.
Norma Vizcaino, a DACA recipient who was born in Mexico City, said it is important for students to know that there is a place they can go to discuss their immigration status while feeling safe.
“Immigration is something you don’t talk about, like your status,” Vizcaino said. “It’s obviously normal for them to ask me and like investigate a little bit before they get involved. We’re told to not say nothing.”
The 21-year old freshman, who moved to Chula Vista from Las Vegas last year, has been working at the center since before it opened, and she said misinformation is rampant when it comes to what is and is not ok on the topic of immigration.
“When I first did my DACA (a lawyer in Las Vegas) would tell me not to carry my work permit, don’t carry it around anywhere, don’t show it to anybody,” Vizcaino said. “It wasn’t until I got to San Diego and talked to an actual lawyer that she was like, “Oh it’s fine. I don’t know why it would be dangerous, unless you lost it’.”
