In NY there are many stories of undocumented youth who have to fight every day to be able to make their way and pursue their dreams, with the barrier that not having migratory papers means for them. But at the same time, different organizations and aid groups in the Big Apple counterbalance to ensure that students who want to “eat the world”, who do not have a “Green Card” or a formal statusthey can make their goals come true and walk towards success.
Such is the case of Oyate Groupan organization that last year launched the internship program “Beyond Rising” to provide young undocumented city, the opportunity to gain career readiness skills and a five-week paid internship. This summer, after receiving more than 300 applicationsthe initiative chose 45 high school and university studentsmostly Latino, and placed them in internships in different departments at Fordham and Lehman College, in the county of the Bronx, which in the words of several of them, is putting them on a higher step.
This is how he assures it Ashleya tenth grade student, who at 16 is having her first professional experience in a work environment, and who is clear that being undocumented does not stop her dreams.
“This internship is a goal accomplished. It has helped me, not only to learn new things and to be in a work environment, to work as a team, to learn different formats on the computer, to improve my English and to meet new people, which is difficult for me, because it is difficult for me to socialize but it has also helped me to reconfirm that a document does not stop us”, says the young woman, who when she finishes her studies dreams of studying medicine or graphic design.
The Dominican, who is doing her internship in Lehman College Institute of Mexican Studiesschool of CUNYwhere she is responsible for creating Podcasts, stresses that having had the experience of doing an internship this summer leaves her with more desire to continue.
“Because we young people do not have papers, we cannot give upwe can always give more and even if things look bad, we can always achieve what we want. We cannot let ourselves be stopped by a document, there are sites like this, where you can do many things. It is important that we see that there are opportunities and I think that an internship like this alerts us and wakes us up,” she commented. Lehman College internat the same time that he asked that more programs for undocumented youth be promoted and that the contribution they make to the city be recognized.
“They should support more programs like this, because many times many undocumented people do not have the chance to be in work environments where they feel comfortable, and we we have a lot to offer as immigrants and as undocumented, and many times that is not appreciated but rather denigrated”, said the Latina student. “And just because we don’t have some papers, it doesn’t mean that it takes away our value. We are equal people who want a better future, and not having documents should not stop us but rather give us more strength”.
Elviswho had to learn work related to photography in his internship on the same Bronx university campus, confesses that although his goal is to become a chemical engineer after finishing high school, he is clear that everything he can learn will be useful.
“I had never had the experience of being in a work environment and this practice makes me feel more professional. I understood that you have to be more responsible, be professional and I am glad that they are supporting immigrants to advance more because we are people with great abilities”, said the 20-year-old Mexican, who is in grade 12. “Being undocumented doesn’t stop meIt is a challenge because I can show the community that we are not like what many believe we are”.
At 23 years old, and being an accounting university student, Fernando also recognizes that the internship promoted by Oyate Group at Lehman College, It has changed your perspective.
“This teaches us that we can use everything we have learned to be more leaders. The internship helps us, motivates us, and makes us understand that there are no limits and goals that we cannot meet”, assured the Dominican, whose task in his practice is to analyze and structure the communication project.
About the “Beyond Rising” programwhich promotes paid internships, its director, Augustine Wartonassured that there is an urgent need for more projects that give undocumented students opportunities to grow.
“This program gives more hope and encouragement to move onbecause unfortunately we see that unlike other young people who have documents and can be in summer work programs, students without documents do not have those opportunities, and that is why we are trying to create more awareness about the importance of being give undocumented youth more opportunities,” says the promoter of the initiative, which last year benefited 20 undocumented students.
Neysy Vicente, coordinator of the Oyate Group program, warns that the internship, which this year began on July 7 and will last until August with young people from various countries such as Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Mexico, among others, it gives them “character and discipline.”
“Our goal is to take them to another level, through a program that tries to fill the void in the community that currently exists for undocumented youth. At Oyate we look for gaps in the youth and other groups where we see that we can help and we try to fill those gaps”, said the Hispanic leader, who added that for next year, the application process will begin in February and it is enough for the young people who are interested send your requests.
“We look for them to share something intimate, something they want to do, to tell us who they are and we choose those who make themselves known more and whom we see that we can assist and help train them”, said the coordinator. “Oyate tries to remove the stigma that just because you don’t have papers you can’t achieve your goals. We try to instill in undocumented youth that their dreams are valid and we are clear that in these internships, what they are learning will help them for their future and to be able to contribute to the world.”
Jose Higuera Lopezdirector of Lehman College Institute of Mexican Studiesthe department where several of the selected young people are doing their internship, said that in the Big Apple there are multiple resources and scholarships for undocumented students who want to advance in their professional dreams and invited them to learn more about the available programs.
“It has to be said that in New York there are resources for the undocumented communitythere are many resources, but we need to make that network to know what is happening and sites like CUNY are
open to anyone, regardless of immigration status,” said the Mexican. “There are resources for undocumented people, like this Oyate program, which is a very enriching experience, so that young people do not lose hope of entering and studying for a career, because there are options.”
Higuera added that in addition to participating in the preparation of podcasts and working in the archive and library areas, the young people who are completing their internships at Fordham and Lehman College also work in an educational opportunities initiative helping the community in processes about how to apply for scholarships and get into college and the Lehman Stages plan, which works to produce summer events for the community.
“This is an experiential program, where in addition to seeing what the university has to offer them, they see how they can perform after studying. It is a program that
as work practice. They have to come on a schedule, they are being paid to come and they have experience with professionals,” said the director of the Institute of Mexican Studies, a department that has welcomed Fernando, Ashley and Elvis in their experience as interns.
