It is hard to be part of the immigrant and mixed status communities in this country and be grateful under Trump’s America.
However, in what seems to be a full-on war against our immigrant communities directly from our country’s top elected official and his hate-driven administration, we must remain thankful for the victories we have been able to accomplish.
The New Mexico Dream Team thrives on the hard work and determination that immigrant youth, their families, and allies dedicate to making this country more inclusive and safe land for our oppressed communities.
We are thankful to be able to provide a space for them to be able to feel safe and welcome, contrary to the message our current administration is spewing. We are thankful for all the victories our membership has been able to accomplish this year in what has proven to be one of the hardest years in recent history for the immigrant community.
From rescinding DACA, to Trump’s public charge changes, this year had been one in which our immigrant, refugee, and mix status communities has been under constant ambush. Yet, we refuse to bow our heads down and take it, for that resilience we are thankful.
We are thankful for the success of our campaigns this year, which sought to improve the protections and well-being of our immigrant communities.
We are thankful for our Dream Campus campaign which had helped towards making our state’s school campus safe spaces for all students, regardless of status. This year we are thankful that NMDT was able to become a charter at Central New Mexico Community College, the second biggest higher education school in Albuquerque.
“In becoming a chartered organization at CNM, we are taking the first step into turning CNM into a Dream Campus,” Selene Vences, NMDT’s Education Justice Coordinator told UndocuNews. “In doing so, we are fostering freedom, opportunity, and inclusion for people of color, LGBTQ folks and immigrant students on campus.”
We are thankful for the success of our Summer of Dreams summer program which provided more than 50 immigrant and mixed status youth across the state with the tools and resources to discover and own their power and the empowerment that comes through community organizing.
We are thankful for the success of our Live Unafraid campaign which empowered our youth, many of which don’t have the ability to vote due to status, to make their voices heard at the polls this election season. Through endless hours of canvassing and phone banking, our membership played their part in changing the power dynamic of our state for the better of our communities.
We are thankful for the success we have had this year and will use it to fuel the drive and determination of our organization to better the wellbeing of our communities as we venture into a new era in New Mexico and continue to navigate the turbulous storm that is Trump’s America.
For this, we are thankful.