As the State of the Union kicked off at the U.S. Capitol building, WSU Vancouver’s Director of Equity and Diversity, Obie Ford III, took to the stage as Vancouver’s “Messages of Hope” moderator at Fort Vancouver High School. Several local organizations, including the League of United Latin American Citizens Council 47013 and One America Vancouver sponsored the event on Jan 30. Multiple people— including state politicians, local officials and students staff and alumni from WSUV—spoke about the Trump administration’s plan to reform the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) and revoke protectionary measures for dreamers in the United States.
Ford opened the event by reading a letter co-written by WSU Vancouver Chancellor Mel Netzhammer and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Renny Christopher. “We are committed to intentionally creating a community in which people come together across all differences of identity, including national origin and documentational status, in which we can learn, work, grow and thrive.” The letter read, “We are very happy to be involved in this community which seeks to invigorate hope for Dreamers. We are striving to create equitable learning and working conditions for all who are born right here in Vancouver and those who were born in other countries.”
Washington State Attorney General, Bob Ferguson, outlined his success in pushing back against what he called the “ the anti-immigrant policy, hate and discrimination (President Trump’s) administration has brought forth.” Last year alone, AG Ferguson’s office filed nineteen lawsuits against the Trump administration. These lawsuits dealt with environmental protection reform, student loan rollbacks, the ongoing ObamaCare reform and more.
“The beautiful thing about a courtroom is, it is not the loudest voice thatprevails.Youcan’ttweetyourway out of a problem in a courtroom. All that matters is the law and the facts of your case, that’s it,” Ferguson said, recalling his office’s 6-0 lawsuit record against the Trump administration. He spoke with an optimistic tone, yet urged the need for grassroot voices at the local level. Some of those voices were in attendance.
Oswaldo Carmarena read a letter forwarded from a local person identifying as a Dreamer, addressed only as “Edgar.” The letter spoke on the frustrations of applying for college before the Obama administration’s DACA expansion. Edgar stated in the letter that he graduated from WSU Vancouver with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and minored in Chemistry and Molecular Biology.
“I am a tutor for the hard sciences, a volunteer at a dental clinic in my free time and I am currently working in a biochemical research lab. (DACA) allowed me to continue my education past that first year of community college,” Edgar wrote.
Student Ambassador and Senator for the Associated Students of Washington State University Vancouver, Ian Muck also attended the Messages of Hope Event. Muck and his fellow ASWSUV senators have passed a student government resolution that reaffirms WSUV’s commitment to “creating a safe and trusting environment for all students.”
“There’s a lot of confusion and that confusion stems to fear,” Muck explained, speaking on behalf of students concerns in response to the national rhetoric.
Resolution 27.001 establishes the need to “Support undocumented and non-US citizen students attending WSU Vancouver.” The body of the resolution outlines the Student Government’s intent for “students, faculty, staff, and campus police officers at WSUV to uphold the privacy of student records” and to “never divulge or report on another student’s immigration status.”
As the March 5 deadline for a DACA decision approaches President Donald Trump’s administration, voices of hope and urgency ring loud in our community.
To become a part of this conversation, contact or follow the Associated Students of Washington State University Vancouver on Cougsync.
To get involved with the local organizations that sponsored Messages of Hope, contact Southwest Washington League of United Latin American Citizens (WALULAC) Council 47013, Healthy Living Collaborative of Southwest Washington, Latino Community Resource Group, or One America Vancouver.