By Pedro Silva, Organizing and Capacity-Building Strategist
It has been one week since California Governor Jerry Brown fulfilled a campaign promise to the thousands of young Latinos in his state by signing AB 130, a bill that would allow undocumented college students to access private financial aid. The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) applauds Gov. Brown for taking this first step toward ensuring equal access to education for all hardworking students. NCLR is hopeful that he will see this mission through by passing AB 131.
“I'm committed to expanding opportunity wherever I can find it, and certainly these kinds of bills promote a goal of a more inclusive California and a more educated California,” Gov. Brown told reporters, according to the Los Angeles Times.
It's important to remember, however, that while we celebrate this victory, we are far from finished with our work. This is an important benchmark in our race toward the passage of the California “DREAM Act,” but we have not crossed the finish line yet. We must continue to push Governor Brown and California’s state representatives to pass AB 131, allowing undocumented students access to state tuition aid.
Still, it must be noted that signing this legislation is an investment in the future of California. Instead of penalizing young people for decisions that they had no control over, this law embraces talented, hardworking students regardless of immigration status and signals to them that they have a stake in the success of their state and their country. Enabling more students to move on to higher education creates a greater pool of talented young people who can contribute to the economic and social prosperity of California.
This achievement was the result of hard work and NCLR has many of its Affiliates and volunteers to thank for the countless hours they spent on the ground advocating for this bill’s passage. For months, they participated in numerous statewide conference calls, planning meetings, and advocacy trainings to prepare for sit-downs with legislators and influencers in California. Last May, more than 300 delegates from various NCLR Affiliates across the state traveled to the state capitol to rally for the passage of the California “DREAM Act,” conducting well over 100 legislative visits. Their leadership and commitment to this issue undoubtedly served a huge role in the passage of this bill.
We are proud of this important triumph for DREAM advocates, especially in the largest state in this nation. We hope that California continues to lead the way in advancing educational opportunities for all students and that politicians in other states and at the federal level take notice.