Student Speaks Out Against HSF’s Discriminatory Policies

October 19, 2008

Association of Raza Educators Press

Below is the transcript of Xavier’s speech delivered in San Diego, CA, and at the Teachers For Social Justice Conference, San Francisco, CA.

Speech

Hello, my name is Xavier. I am currently a sophomore at Lincoln High School and it pains me to be here in place of someone who truly deserved to be speaking today but was restricted due to the nature of this issue. It is sad when an intellectual cannot speak on an issue that affects him and his community due to the fear of unjust retaliation. This great friend of mine is only one of the many students in our communities who are struggling to keep their dreams and goals a reality. Now I will read a speech written by him.

It is with great displeasure that I cannot be here in person. The issue that I must speak of today affects so many other youth like myself. Something I believe should be taken into account is the understanding of the dreams and goals we as human beings hold very close. When my family and I arrived here in the US about 16 years ago, the greatest moral value I was taught was education. My parent’s motto was always that without education I am just another unsuccessful person.  When we arrived in this country the hardest part was understanding why my family and I constantly lived in fear. The most difficult obstacle that we so called “Illegal Immigrants” have to face is hatred and rejection. Why should I feel as if I don’t belong here when the only place I call home is San Diego? Why should I live in fear when I benefit the community more than the average citizen? My biggest dream is to one day be a successful person and to one day come back to my community and create a change. Should we as youth be prohibited from furthering our education when many of us have the drive and desire that organizations like HSF (Hispanic Scholarship Fund) expect from the student. Yet, organizations such as HSF, whose mission is to increase the amount of Latino college graduates, deny those like me who equally deserve a higher education but due to the trivial requirement of having a simple document are barred from achieving a higher learning. In closing, I along with the Association of Raza Educators, Lincoln High’s MEChA, and ARSO demand that the Hispanic Scholarship fund, who say they represent the Latino community, allow undocumented students access to the 26.6 million dollars in funding you have.  How can you “HSF” deny me and other students like me our right to education when you say you are down for my people, my gente, and my raza? QUE VIVA EL ESTUDIANTE!!

Endorse the campaign to open ALL HSF scholarships to undocumented students,
sign the petition online at:

http://www.petitiononline.com/2college/