On April 17, Riverside community members, as well as UC Riverside faculty, staff, and students met at The Cheech in a show of solidarity. The museum for Chicano Art welcomed Dr. Jennifer Nájera, associate professor of ethnic studies, as well as UCR alumni Reyna Sanchez, Rubyd Olvera, and Mafalda Gueta to speak on the topic of undocumented students. 

The event was opened by Professor Alex Espinoza, Tomás Rivera Endowed Chair of Creative Writing. Espinoza then introduced Nájera, who read excerpts from her book, “Learning to Lead: Undocumented Students Mobilizing Education.” Nájera’s book includes the stories of undocumented students as they worked with and against the UC system through meetings, conferences, and even protests as they sought greater support for themselves and their peers. 

Nájera’s research began in 2013, but she began teaching at UCR in 2006. At the time there was very little support for undocumented students; there was no Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), nor was the California DREAM Act in place. But undocumented students had one resource: PODER.

“PODER is different from other resources at UCR because it's student-oriented,” Nájera said. “It wasn't something that the institution started. It's a student org, so they get a certain amount of money from student fees but it's something that, because it is student led, it's really attuned to student needs. It used to be just a talking circle, and then they would do a scholarship banquet, but over the years, they've developed different kinds of programming amongst themselves. They put on a conference for high school students to come to UCR and to understand their possibilities for attending UC Riverside or any UC or college or university as an undocumented person.”

After Nájera’s segment, the evening moved to a panel discussion. The alumni took turns answering questions — about their experiences being undocumented, about the current political climate, and about the support and community they found.

Gueta, who studied liberal studies at UCR, is now the Associate Director of Diversity & Inclusion Programs at Tufts University School of Engineering. He attributes his success to the support of his mother, who helped him find his way from a young age.

“If there's one thing that she could do consistently, it is advocate for her child, and — whether she realized it or not — she was teaching me what it meant to be an advocate and to not let your voice get drowned out,” Gueta said.

It is through both self-advocacy and community that Gueta and his colleagues found success. Not just as members of PODER, but as students at the University of California. According to Sanchez, just by virtue of being a UC student, they were afforded some level of protection; a level that most undocumented people did not have access to. However, she is concerned that that may be changing.

“These are students that are being targeted by ICE,” Sanchez said. “And so, you know, these conversations are happening again, and I know that what will get us through that is being together and leaning on each other, and realistically, that's how we're going to fight fascism, by collectively working together and being in community.”

For information regarding immigration, refer to legalaffairs.ucr.edu/immigration-services-and-enforcement-information. 

More about Undocumented Student Programs and PODER can be found at usp.ucr.edu, and usp.ucr.edu/PODER.

FEATURED PHOTO. A poster advertises the event, which was held at The Cheech Museum.