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Post by Admin on Oct 2, 2019 7:08:27 GMT
In the 1970s, my aunt crossed the border from Mexico to the United States hidden in the back of a truck. My grandparents followed, and my father was born in Texas soon after. In 1992, I was born a U.S. citizen thanks to their bravery and sacrifice. Over the past four decades, members of my family have worked hard to gain United States citizenship. Undocumented immigration is an issue I think about every day, and I never forget how blessed I am to have been born in this country thanks to my family and the grace of circumstance. But when I read the news headlines or see debates about immigration rage on social media, I feel afraid for those in similar situations. I feel afraid for my country. Immigration is a divisive political issue. It’s the subject of endless arguments and countless news stories. But immigration goes beyond politics and headlines. It is a human issue, affecting real people, dismantling real lives. How we deal with it speaks to our humanity, our empathy, our compassion. How we treat our fellow human beings defines who we are. I don’t claim to be an expert. I’m not a politician, I’m not a doctor, and I don’t work in the system at all. I understand it’s flawed and that we need rules and regulations, but we also have to remember that our country was formed by people who came here from other countries. It’s time to listen to the people whose lives are being directly affected by immigration policies. It’s time to get to know the individuals whose complex stories have been reduced to basic headlines. In 2017, I was approached about getting involved in a new documentary series called Living Undocumented that would shine a light on eight immigrant families in the U.S. from different countries and backgrounds, all facing possible deportation. I watched footage outlining their deeply personal journeys and I cried. It captured the shame, uncertainty, and fear I saw my own family struggle with. But it also captured the hope, optimism, and patriotism so many undocumented immigrants still hold in their hearts despite the hell they go through. Last month I met three of the young people documented in the series: A Dreamer named Bar whose family left Israel when she was six months old to escape violence in Tel Aviv, and brothers Pablo and Camilo Dunoyer whose family fled Colombia in 2002 to seek asylum when their family was repeatedly threatened by narco-guerillas — threats their family still receive to this day. Bar told me she wanted to study interior design. She also told me that she’s lived in fear her whole life. A week before we met she had been violently robbed but was afraid to call the police. She didn’t want them to discover that her parents are undocumented and report them to ICE. Pablo was accepted to San Diego State University. But he can’t go, because in August his father Roberto Dunoyer left for work and never came home. He was detained by ICE, kept in a cage with other immigrants who slept on the floor with only aluminum blankets for warmth. The lights stayed on at all hours of the day. Pablo said he’d never heard pain like that in his father’s voice, and he’s worried he will carry that pain for the rest of his life. After a horrific eight days, Roberto was deported to Colombia. Since then, the brothers have been in hiding. They can’t go home and they rarely sleep at night. They’re afraid that their time is running out. Camilo told me that his biggest fear isn’t being deported, it’s being forgotten and becoming another faceless statistic. I’m concerned about the way people are being treated in my country. As a Mexican-American woman I feel a responsibility to use my platform to be a voice for people who are too afraid to speak. And I hope that getting to know these eight families and their stories will inspire people to be more compassionate, and to learn more about immigration and form their own opinion. I hope that Bar gets to study interior design. I hope that Pablo and Camilo can return home and sleep at night. When I signed on to executive produce a show about undocumented immigrants, I couldn’t help but anticipate the criticisms I might face. But the truth is, the worst criticism I can imagine is still nothing compared to what undocumented immigrants face every day. Fear shouldn’t stop us from getting involved and educating ourselves on an issue that affects millions of people in our country. Fear didn’t stop my aunt from getting into the back of that truck. And for that, I will always be grateful.
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Post by Admin on Oct 2, 2019 18:00:33 GMT
Selena Gomez says she feels a responsibility as a Mexican American woman to use her platform for those who are too afraid to speak ― and she’s done so in a powerful op-ed about America’s immigration crisis.
The singer and actor penned an article published in Time on Tuesday, in which she revealed the hardships her own family endured as they made their way to the U.S. as undocumented immigrants.
“In the 1970s, my aunt crossed the border from Mexico to the United States hidden in the back of a truck. My grandparents followed, and my father was born in Texas soon after,” she began, going on to say that she was lucky enough to be born as a U.S. citizen as a result of their “bravery and sacrifice.”
She said members of her family had toiled over four decades to gain U.S. citizenship ― and as a result, the issue was one that weighed on her mind daily.
“I feel afraid for those in similar situations. I feel afraid for my country,” she wrote.
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Post by Admin on May 24, 2020 8:04:45 GMT
Selena Gomez has a message for the graduating class of 2020, especially for our Define American immigrads. Commencement is an important milestone for everyone pursuing an education, but it often has a special significance for immigrant graduates. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, many graduations ceremonies had to be cancelled this year. To honor all of the graduating seniors, and especially our 202 Define American chapters graduates, Selena Gomez shared this heartfelt message. Congratulations to the class of 2020!
Amid the coronavirus pandemic -- which has forced high schools, colleges and universities across the country to cancel public graduation ceremonies -- the 27-year-old singer delivered a surprise speech to hundreds of #Immigrads on Saturday, as part of the #Immigrad 2020 Virtual Commencement. Congratulating the Class of 2020, Gomez explained that even though people can't celebrate all together, the students should still be proud of their accomplishments.
"I want you guys to know that you matter and that your experiences are a huge part of the American story," Gomez expressed. "When my family came here from Mexico they set into motion my American story, as well as theirs. I'm a proud third-generation American-Mexican and my family's journey and their sacrifices helped me get me to where I am today."
The "Dance Again" singer continued by saying that "regardless of where your family is from, regardless of your immigration status, you have taken action to earn an education, to make your families proud, and to open up your worlds."
"I’m sending all of my love to you guys today and congratulations and I hope that you guys are set off to be everything that you want to be," Gomez concluded.
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Post by Admin on Sept 25, 2020 19:18:17 GMT
Selena Gomez started 2020 feeling like she got her "step back." "I feel like, 'All right, I'm back in the game a bit,'" she told ET at the January premiere of her movie, Dolittle. The 28-year-old singer was discussing returning to music with her new album, Rare, five years after her last record, Revival. But being "back in the game" described more than just her reemergence on the Billboard charts. Over the last year, Gomez has also found success in film, (Dolittle, A Rainy Day in New York) and TV (Living Undocumented, Selena + Chef) -- while also making headlines and creating an impact for her incredible charitable initiatives and advocacy. The common thread tying it all together seems to be Gomez's renewed connection to her community. Named after late Tejano icon Selena Quintanilla, Gomez was born in Grand Prairie, Texas, in 1992, to a 16-year-old Italian mother, Mandy, and a 17-year-old Mexican father, Rick. Her parents split when she was five, after which she spent most of her time with her mother, but she still felt a connection to her Mexican roots. "I'm a proud third-generation American-Mexican," the performer said in May, via Define American. "When my family came here from Mexico, they set into motion my American story, as well as theirs. My family's journey and their sacrifices helped get me to where I am today." Gomez shared her family's "bravery and sacrifice" in a moving Time magazine piece last October, recalling how her aunt and grandparents courageously crossed the Mexican-American border "in the back of a truck." Her family's story -- described as being filled with "shame, uncertainty and fear" but also "hope, optimism and patriotism" -- is one that many immigrants can relate to, and the reason she wanted to produce the docuseries Living Undocumented. The project, which showcases eight immigrant families in the U.S. from different backgrounds, debuted on Netflix last fall. Like many viewers, Gomez felt moved by the heartbreaking, real struggles immigrant families experience while reaching for the American dream. She felt inspired to do more with her platform. http://instagram.com/p/CA026SejFRg "Undocumented immigration is an issue I think about every day, and I never forget how blessed I am to have been born in this country thanks to my family and the grace of circumstance. But when I read the news headlines or see debates about immigration rage on social media, I feel afraid for those in similar situations," Gomez wrote in her essay for Time. "I feel afraid for my country." Though the actress and activist would like America's immigration crisis to be approached less from a political standpoint and more from a place of humanity, empathy and compassion, she knows how policy is made. Earlier this summer, Gomez was announced as a co-chair of When We All Vote, a national, nonpartisan organization launched in 2018 to increase participation in every election. She has used her social media presence to encourage fans to register to vote, head to the polls, and work for the change they want to see in the world.
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Post by Admin on Dec 1, 2020 5:57:58 GMT
Selena Gomez glammed up in designer clothing for a COVID-safe, outdoorsy fashion spread shot by photographer Darío and styled by Yashua Simmons. 'Make sure you pick up the phone and call frequently,' the 28-year-old 'Texican' pop star advised fans in the December/January edition of Vogue México & Latin America. 'We have to make sure we are aware not only of our family, but also of our friends. People feel lonely and isolated, and a simple call to ask how they are doing is very helpful.' Hairstylist Marissa Marino coiffed the former Disney Channel star's signature raven locks and make-up artist Melissa Murdick brought out her brown eyes and pink pout. In her cover story, Selena revealed her aunt and paternal grandparents Ricardo and Mary 'crossed the border between Mexico and the States by hiding in the back of a truck.' 'Family is everything to me. I am very close to my family,' Gomez - a third-generation Mexican-American - gushed. 'My [maternal] grandparents [David and Debbie Cornett] live with me and I wouldn't have it any other way. In my family we fight a lot and love even more. 'I love when people say that your friends are the family you choose, but your family is the family you are stuck with and I think sometimes that brings other challenges but at the same time it brings a sense of history and connection that doesn't it can be replicated.' And while the Black Lives Matter activist admitted she didn't vote in the 2016 presidential election, she now feels a responsibility to use her platform in a 'meaningful way.' Selena said: 'What I do hope is to continue feeling curious about life, to challenge myself, and learn from my mistakes (there will be many).'
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