A Sprinkle of Justice

Today we feel a sprinkle of justice.

Students at Pan Am University hear the news

With the announcement by the Obama administration, immigrant youth in the RGV are feeling a refreshing moment of hopefulness. After years of organizing for the DREAM Act, we are finally seeing a change in policy at the highest levels of government concerning our undocumented youth brothers and sisters. This is a recognition of the value that undocumented youth bring to this nation. Youth are hearing from the President himself that their lives are valuable and that they deserve to stay–and that he is willing to take action to make that happen.

It is refreshing as a cool summer shower.

But make no mistake, DREAMers made this happen. DREAMers have been occupying Obama campaign offices for weeks demanding action. Before that, DREAMers engaged in civil disobedience at universities and city centers, held mass DREAM Act graduations, held sit-ins at Border Patrol offices, and organized protests at President Obama and Mitt Romney Campaign events throughout the nation. The President was feeling the pressure and today had to respond.
On the struggle for justice, former slave and abolitionist Frederick Douglass said “Those who profess to favor freedom and yet depreciate agitation, are people who want crops without ploughing the ground; they want rain without thunder and lightning; they want the ocean without the roar of its many waters.” DREAMers have taught us not to be afraid of thunder and lighting, but shown us the shower that they can bring.

LUPE Community Organizing Coordinator Martha Sanchez says:
“This is a step forward on a longer road toward justice for immigrant and Latino communities. What this shows is that organizing and action–specifically nonviolent civil disobedience–will take us further down the road toward the justice that we so desperately need.”

Today, we feel the sprinkle of justice. And we hope for rain.

(La Union del Pueblo Entero is a RGV Equal Voice Network anchor member)