Immigration Awareness Week 2019:
In the wake of the aggressive removal of immigrants, both legal and illegal, Immigration Awareness Week serves to inform our audience about the facts and to witness real, undocumented students tell their stories. Within these series of events, members of the Lehigh community will further their understanding on the current topics circling immigration, and to increase their strength on becoming allies.
The Facts of Immigration (Monday, September 16th): It is true that the United States has more immigrants than any other country in the world. As a matter of fact, immigration has long supported the growth and dynamism of the U.S. economy. But how much do we, as citizens, allies, or even immigrants, know about how immigration has benefited America? In this event, Attorney Chris Casazza of Solow, Isbell & Palladino Immigration and Nationality Law, will cover the basis and depths of immigration and how it impacts our society today.
UnDoCuStories (Tuesday, September 17th): Qualifying for state financial aid? Cross that off. Studying abroad while in college? Not a chance. Undergraduate students who fall under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (D.A.C.A.) category are limited to enjoy certain benefits that higher education offer. In this short documentary titled, “Not Like You”, the audience will explore the daily life of students under D.A.C.A. on their college campuses, followed by a panel with the featured students and other D.A.C.A. students.
Navigating Post-Graduation as an International Student (Wednesday, September 18th): As an international student, it can be quite difficult to search for jobs because of the student visa status and the barriers to sponsorship from companies. There are still a few ways, however, in which they can tackle these obstacles. In this information session, Attorney Julie Opet of Piver Law in Wayne, PA, will run down the important information for international students to know in order to navigate their post-college career effectively.
Immigration Misconceptions (Thursday, September 19th): “It’s easy to enter the country legally. My ancestors did! Why can’t immigrants do the same thing today!?” This statement is one of the many misconceptions that people have regarding immigration today. For this real-talk series, led and facilitated by Julius Wibisono, and featuring Attorney Julie Opet, we will debunk some of the popular myths that center around the topic of immigration.
Building Power: Where Do We Go From Here? (Friday, September 20th): The topic of immigration goes beyond immigrants, it includes documented people as well. Here, Peter Pedemonti, of the New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia, will lead and facilitate an interactive workshop to better understand how we could be allies in the Lehigh community.
