It is time for a revisit.

In light of the DREAM Act 5 action in Arizona, several allies and ‘immigration rights advocates’ have raised some crucial points that hinder progressive support for the DREAM Act—points that several activist students have had to encounter in the form of artless dissent from leftist intellectuals and liberals.

We are talking about dissenters like the Association of La Raza Educators, Immigrant Solidarity Network, American Friends and Service Committee, a few Latino immigrant rights activists, and even the National Lawyers Guild that refuses to take a stance on the DREAM Act. Why? They dislike the military provision in the DREAM Act that could make certain ethnic minority students such as Latino kids in the barrios more susceptible to recruitment by military officials. This is not a moot point—it is a cause for concern but it requires several hundred grams of historicizing and perspective.

First, let us clear the misinformation circulating about the DREAM Act in the progressive sphere.

1. No one is forced into joining the military due to the DREAM Act
2. The new version of the DREAM Act allows for federal work study and repeals the 1996 provision that bars states from providing tuition equity and aide for students.
3. Conditional residency comes with the same rights and privileges as legal ‘green card’ residency that is re-evaluated after 6 years and contingent on the completion of these two requirements:

• Get a GED and finish two years of college within 6 years OR
• Join the military

For any conscientious individual, enlisting in a military that fights wars for corporate profit and greed is simply unacceptable. But that is hardly any reason to oppose the DREAM Act.

First, there is already a perpetual war against immigrant youth here at home:

Unauthorized migrant youth are already fighting a war here in the U.S. The war is the product of a targeted campaign by nativist groups that they call “attrition through enforcement.” I encourage you to look it up. Attrition through enforcement means they want to make life so miserable for unauthorized migrants that they leave on their own . They want to make life more miserable than the horrible conditions migrants are fleeing from. And let me tell you, they are succeeding.

- Citizen Orange

Overseas, we are destroying families, communities, killing innocent children, deferring their dreams permanently through a ‘war against terrorism’ and at home we are killing the spirit and dreams of our undocumented immigrant youth by deporting them while destroying families and local economies in ICE raids. Even the beneficiaries of both wars are a similar prototype: CORPORATIONS. While big oil and security companies stand to gain most from the new spaces of neo-liberal globalization created by waging war against sovereign peoples, corrections and security companies also make big moolah with the creation of new spaces of detention. Why create a binary between the two wars? They are both part of United States policy.

Opposing the DREAM Act because one opposes the military draft misses another crucial point. Dissenters often claim in their silly online rants that the act is ‘anti-Mexican American’ because this is the population most susceptible and likely to not make it to college and be drafted by the military. It is true that overall only 1 out of 20 Latino students attend college and the rest may be open to exploitation but that is due to limited options, lack of affordability, and the hopelessness of being undocumented. To borrow from Duke at Migra Matters:

Would the prospect that with an education comes not only legal status but opportunities long denied, have a long term positive effect on educational performance? I think the answer would of course be yes. Would DREAM overnight change failing schools into success stories, or overcome years of government and societal neglect…of course not. But it would for the first time make an education pay off for a population that has not really benefited from one before. This would be an enormous paradigm shift.

Why not work to give the 19 other students help and resources to attend college instead of opposing the opportunity altogether? Why not provide scholarship funds and resources for them instead of shutting the doors on educational access? The DREAM Act provides students with hope that there is something beyond high school and it also contains provisions for higher education assistance. In an unreleased study of the non-partisan Public Policy Institute of California, high school dropout rates for California (a state that provides in-state tuition to undocumented students in college) and North Carolina (a state that bans undocumented students from attending college) were compared and the numbers revealed something hardly surprising: high school graduation rates for immigrant students, especially Latinos, had increased in California despite cutbacks in education whereas the reverse was true in North Carolina. Clearly, providing opportunities for higher education is one way of ensuring that we do not create a permanent underclass of uneducated immigrant youth in our country.

Without a foreseeable future, many undocumented immigrant youth are more susceptible to drop out of school before finishing high school. If there are no opportunities for a child after high school, how does one expect that child to be motivated to continue their education? Once they realize that all doors and windows of opportunity are closed to them, undocumented students find themselves stuck in neutral: unable to move forward of their own volition and too often reminded of the past that created the situation. Can we then claim that opposing an educational opportunity such as the DREAM Act is precisely what creates conditions for military recruitment? You bet.

Undocumented students are joining the military right now, putting themselves at risk of death and deportation, just to get legalized since going to college does not give them that option. A backdoor draft for undocumented immigrant youth already exists because there aren’t enough opportunities for legalization such as H-I-G-H-E-R E-D-U-C-A-T-I-O-N. In effect, opposing the DREAM Act means putting the lives of countless students at risk. So much for opposing militarization–It’s not like opposing the DREAM Act won’t end the military-industrial complex or wars for profit.

On a historical note, does anyone remember the debacle of the Equal Rights Amendment for women which only stipulated that equal rights under any federal, state or local law could not be denied on the basis of sex? The proposed amendment failed to pass in 1982 not due to widespread sexism, but due to conservative women, anti-abortion politicians and feminists with anti-military roots who feared and purported that giving equal rights to women would leave them more vulnerable to a military draft. Hence, this country did not approve a constitutional amendment for equal rights for women. In hindsight, that is despicable and we must ensure that the same does not happen to immigrant youth as we fight for our own civil right to exist in the only country we call our home.

That said, it does not matter that these progressives are unable to find undocumented students that openly oppose the DREAM Act on their own accord—they would rather adjudicate about our civil rights from their own places of power and privilege. 715,000 undocumented students aged 5 to 17 could be inspired by the DREAM act to finish high school. Instead of supporting a bill that serves as a tool of empowerment and encouragement or fighting against militarization after the bill is passed, our progressive friends would rather condemn ALL immigrant youth to a permanent underclass of poverty and despair. Congratulations, you are a real ‘progressive.’

For many immigrant youth struggling through school and life, this is offensive and backstabbing behavior. How can anyone sit in the safety and comfort of their privilege and tell us that most of us cannot go to college because others might have to join the military? How can someone profess to stand for immigrant rights when they do not want to enable immigrant youth to work and earn resources for immigrant communities? How does an immigrant rights activist oppose the DREAM Act when it is the litmus test for any comprehensive bill? Why oppose a legislation that challenges the homogenous view of all migrants as criminals, law-breakers and a drain to society—a problem that plagues immigration debate in this country?

Dissenters would call us ‘Me-First’ and trumpet their ‘Legalization For All’ in all-caps much like nativists. Great, call Congress as Matias suggests here and fight for just and humane immigration reform. If we cannot pass the DREAM Act, we cannot possibly conceive of getting any sort of just and humane immigration reform passed. That is why the pro-enforcement nativists clamor against the moderate, bipartisan DREAM Act—they know giving in to immigrant youth means empowering a whole new generation of promigrant activism and setting the stage for the passage of more comprehensive bills. THAT is their real nightmare. Therefore, finding oneself aligned with Michelle Malkins and Faux News is hardly a sign of progressivism and change.

This is political but ultimately, it is also personal. An undocumented student, Maria, tells us that:

When a person is given one shot at something that they have been denied all their life, that one person will not take such an opportunity for granted. A perfect example would be when African Americans were not allowed to attend the same schools as whites, and instead of giving up, they fought hard for that chance that they knew they deserved. Years later, we are in the 21^st century where the first African American president has been elected. This would not have been possible had African Americans not fought for what they deserved, and had they not been given a chance. Therefore, it is my firm belief that if undocumented students were to be given that same opportunity, other smart, driven, and successful leaders would emerge.

The million dollar question for the progressive dissenters: Are we going to let immigrant youth lead and support each other with hope or try and squash them from a position of privilege out of fear of unknown hypotheticals?

And what about youth that do want to serve in the military? How does one look Noe Guzman and Pablo in the eye and tell them “Sorry, we don’t support your right to citizenship because you want to join the armed forces? It doesn’t matter if you are willing to serve in the military and die for this country. That should not give you citizenship.”

There is something that these ‘immigrant rights advocates’ can do and the suggestion comes from Citizen Orange once again:

The DREAM Act originally included a third path to citizenship for unauthorized migrant youth. There used to be a community service provision in the DREAM Act. During the campaign, those of us at The Sanctuary were able to get Barack Obama to reaffirm his support for the community service provision of the DREAM Act.

The Sanctuary: Do you support the community service requirement of previous DREAM Act legislation that would grant provisional (conditional) legal status to immigrant graduates who perform 910 hours of community service?
Barack Obama: Yes.

The Sanctuary (18 September 2008)

Those who are skeptical of the military provision of the DREAM Act should push for the community service provision of the DREAM Act. To oppose it outright though is unfair to unauthorized migrant youth that have so much activism and hope invested in the DREAM Act.

We already have to battle it out with nativists and with our life circumstances. We do not want to be fighting with our friends and allies too. Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

Support immigrant youth. Support the DREAM Act standalone.

The fearless work of undocumented youth is crossing international borders in ways that undocumented youth can’t. Members of the YLC and their work were recently featured in Norwegian Press and Al-Jazeera news.

Check it out! #FAIL for Al Jazeera for using the term “illegal” immigrants

Also check out Dagsavisen!
Here is the original link: http://bit.ly/9I5uSi

Translation:
http://bit.ly/bxB9oK

A night of activism, food, music, fun… what more could you ask for?

NIU is one of the few schools in Illinois that offer scholarships to DREAM Act eligible youth. While community organizations, like KRCC and DREAM Action (not the NIU affiliate) have been fund raising for scholarships for quite some time as well. Still, there can never be enough!

DREAM Action NIU wants you to know that:

DREAM Action NIU understands the obstacles some students face in respect to attaining higher education and we motivate all youth to pursue their educational endeavors because we know that a college education is attainable by everyone. We are proud to offer our first scholarship for NIU students in financial need for the 2010 – 2011 school year.

Help us to reach our goal of raising $3,000 in funds by joining us in a night of dancing, performances, prizes and food at our Culture Night benefit taking place Friday, March 19 at Conexión Comunidad (637 N. 11th Street) in DeKalb!

Opening performances by Back of the Yards Mexican Folkloric Dance Troupe & Chicago break dance crew!

Food from Burrito Loco, Cortes Candy & La Salsa!

Raffle!

Voter Registration!

Music from DJ Jesse “El Grandote” from 106.7 FM La Kalle!

*Text the word “DREAM” to 42363 to join La Kalle’s text club and receive a special offer!!!*

This event is sponsored by the Latino Resource Center, 106.7 FM La Kalle radio station & TCF Bank.

TICKETS ARE ONLY $5 WITH STUDENT ID/ $10 WITHOUT ID AND CAN BE PURCHASED FROM ANY DREAM ACTION MEMBER OR AT THE DOOR!

Location: Conexión Comunidad – 637 N. 11th Street
Time: Doors open at 5:00 PM. Starts at 6:00PM ends at 9:00 PM
Cost: $5 with student ID / $10 without student ID

All proceeds go to the Dream Action NIU scholarship fund.
To view the scholarship, please visit www.niu.edu/lrc

Check out the facebook event!

Part 1

Part 2

Question? Concerns? Contact Yasmeen at yvillasenor323@gmail.com

DREAM Action is certainly putting the “Act” and “action” in the DREAM. Good Luck DREAM Action NIU and good luck to the deserving DREAMer!

My name is Helen Yu and I was brought here at the age of 11, and had no clue about my status until the end of high school (my family overstayed our tourist visa).  Everyone was filling out their college applications in high school, like I was, but everyone except me was filling in their income information and filing for FAFSA.  Every time my friends talked about it, I just stood by listening, silent, as if I had also filed, hoping they would not ask me.  Deep inside, I felt alone and embarrassed.

The place I was born (Belize) is very vivid in my memories.  However, it is not a place I would call home, as these memories are not positive ones.  My parents brought my little brother and I to the U.S. for two reasons.  First, it would provide us with a better education.  Second, we came due to my brother’s chronic asthma (which I tend to prioritize out of the two).  They were not thinking of making a better living for themselves, or of freedom, or of making more money.  They were thinking of the betterment of their children.  They sacrificed their health and business to come.  I recalled being so happy at the airport, leaving for New York, imagining a new life- because that country haunts me.

When I was younger, I was sexually harassed.  To this day, my parents do not know of this as I don’t want to worry them.  I couldn’t think of what to do but just bury the embarrassment far inside of me.  Belize is known as a tourist attraction, but not to me.  It is a poor country with a very high crime rate and poor security.  My parents owned grocery stores and we encountered robbery plenty of times.  I can clearly remember the guns pointing to my father’s head.  It was so shocking for me to witness something like that.  I would not be able to sleep for the night. I don’t ever want to go back, remember pas events, or have to worry if my parents will be dead one day as they try to struggle with thieves.  I don’t ever want to go back.

My home is the U.S.A.  I live, eat, and breathe the same as every American citizen.  We’ve become so americanized we started to neglect our parents, and found them very old-fashioned.  Thinking back makes me feel so horrible.  I remember when I first started school and everyone was wearing brand-name clothing, while I looked terrible. I was envious and I wanted to be just like them, blaming my parents for not giving us what everyone else had.  It has truly changed my brother and I.  My parents own their own business, have to work every day, struggle to make money, and try to earn a living, even as they talk to lawyer after lawyer to help us gain permanent residency.  Every year they age, and it saddens me that the once strong and young-looking parents I knew are now old and fragile.

I am now in college studying aviation management and will be earning my BS in 2011.  But will I be able to find a job?  Find a sponsor? When can I make money and have my parents retire?  These questions are always bothering me and I hope that one day we will all live in peace.

The immigration system is very broken and is quite evil. Should that one piece of paper that identifies us as citizens really separate us from the fact that we are all human beings? Were we not born as brothers and sisters in the first place?

The world scares me- but enough is enough, so I will continue to live.

In anticipation of Coming Out of the Shadows Week,  stories written and submitted by undocumented youth will be published daily. More stories shedding light on the experiences of DREAMers can be found here. Now, without further ado, meet Angela, a DREAMer from California.

Living the double life, I know how this feels. Friends constantly ask me, “Why don’t you drive? Why don’t you have a job?” If I could, there’s no sense in saying it, I would. I’m more than willing to drive and work in order to help my family financially or just to help.

I am truly blessed to have a hard working family who with every cent influence me, motivate me, and finance my college expenses. Yet, knowing I can’t contribute financially due to my legal status creates an endless feeling of guilt.

Although I volunteer in my community and learn from new experiences, my own situation makes me feel helpless. I am grateful for friends who offer to take me places, but they never know the real reason as to why I cannot travel. No one knows about my real life. Like previously stated, it’s like we’re living a double life to which only other undocumented youth could relate. I am 18 and limited to the opportunities that are offered. A law keeps us trapped and forces us to live unlike human beings.

I didn’t choose to live and stay in America. If I thought I’d turn out this way, as a baby I would’ve said, “no let me stay in my country of origin!” But I have lived in America more than half of my life.  I’m just as American as any American-born citizen.

It’s disappointing to know that citizens have the chance to work and contribute to society, while the majority are whining, waiting for a better job.

Speaking from experience, undocumented students have more determination, motivation, and willingness to contribute in this society. They are eager to find jobs “legally”. But our current society does not give us this chance.

Why?

Because of our status: a status which we did not get to decide for ourselves. Even so, families didn’t make a bad decision by coming here since they were seeking a better life in the United States of America, the self- proclaimed “LAND OF THE FREE.”

While I experienced many contradictions and rejections growing up, now as an adult, I choose to live here. This is where I was raised, where the people I care about live, and this is what I call home. This society shaped my identity with the morals and values that I maintain.  I have grown to love this country despite its flaws and the rejection of others like me.

I’ve never committed a horrible crime. I have my high school diploma with an accumulated 3.5 GPA. I am a full time student at SFSU. I am involved with school organizations and sports. I wish to persevere, nonetheless, in order to accomplish my career goals. Like many other undocumented youth, I seek a better life and an opportunity. This takes courage… to stay positive, mentally.

We’re not asking for money and we’re not begging for special treatment.  We just hope for the same basic opportunities as every other American-born citizen.

Fair warning to most of you that might read this: this post may sound repetitive to DREAM Activists that advocate for Dreamers to “come out of the shadows” and educate others through your personal stories in order to start taking action already.

For the longest time, I was one of those that would wholeheartedly educate and advocate for the DREAM Act, but would never share my personal story and struggles of being undocumented. At least not in front of meetings of student run or youth-led organizations. The few times that I did share my story was mainly among friends whom I have known for quite some time. It was not until this year, when I began meeting more and more advocates and allies, that I began to do so. However, there is an instance that comes to mind when I witnessed an immediate change in a room full of allies.

Just a few weeks ago, I was stressed out and frustrated that nothing would be agreed on at any of the meetings of an organization that centered around the DREAM Act, one that is largely made up of youth that are documented. Plans would be pushed back each week, everybody disagreed on everything, nothing was getting done, and I had honestly reached my boiling point. I stood up in front of everybody, blurted out my frustration, shared my personal narrative from beginning to end, and held each and every person accountable for their commitment to themselves and each other. The change in the room was like day and night. Every body’s expression in the room changed and I felt a huge burden lifted off my shoulders. I was able to sigh a sigh of relief, and in that moment, I felt empowered and fired up, and it felt great! People began to listen to each other, not talk over each other, and progress was being made.

While this is occurring at school, the situation at home is utterly different. I come from a family of mixed citizenship statuses, and even within my own family, many things are left unsaid. There are unnecessary tensions, stemming from a variety of sources and reasons (both related and unrelated to immigration status) that linger in the air and that, in turn, only create more tensions. My parents and aunts, even those that immigrated to the U.S., sometimes seem to have completely different outlooks on life, one that I could not (at least not at the moment) relate to. They are not very much aware of the youth- led activism, nor do they ever ask, despite me sending actions their way.

Nevertheless, through these and other events that have taken place over the last six years (from when I first learned about what it meant to be undocumented and a series of events that have led to my “self- realization”), I learned several things. I learned that despite me being afraid and at times ashamed (and even ashamed of being ashamed), there is a community that is eager to listen to what you have gone through. I learned that I need to stop apologizing for being undocumented and that I can make a difference as opposed to just nodding in approval. I also learned that although it may have taken me this long to do so, it is never too late to make your voice heard. So if you are waiting for your time, that time is now. I can no longer just be an advocate when my fellow undocumented peers are willing to go to great lengths to fight (i.e. walking hundreds of miles to educate and gain allies, marching to country’s capital, and putting themselves in danger) for the well- being of all of us. Consider the words of Rosa Parks as she says, “I am leaving this legacy to all of you … to bring peace, justice, equality, love and a fulfillment of what our lives should be. Without vision, the people will perish, and without courage and inspiration, dreams will die– the dream of freedom and peace.” Will you join us and get fired up?!

If you are ready to not just dream, but also act, register your event for DREAM Action Week here!

So it is around that time of the year when life after high school may still seem uncertain and scary to think about. I remember going through the grueling process of trying to find scholarships, calling up each and every organization for their application, and later hassling them for a response. Some of you may currently be going through this now. But remember, you don’t have to go through it alone! Here are a few upcoming deadlines and possible pointers to help you out in your scholarship search:

FinAid is a good starting point, regardless of what state you reside in. Other possible resources to help you refine your search include:

Latino College Dollars

MALDEF

MyUSearch

College Success Foundation

Hispanic Scholarship Fund

Some specific scholarships with upcoming deadlines include:

SallieMae

Fulfilling Our Dreams Scholarship

David Putter Foundation

Don’t be afraid to call the schools of your choice for more possibilities, as well as follow up with advocacy groups and organizations within your state. Many state-wide advocacy groups have begun to compile lists (or their own scholarships) and will frequently post them on their respective websites, blogs, or facebook pages.

Finally, don’t forget to read Maria’s post on C.O.R.E.’s “Que Llueva Cafe” Scholarship Program! It is organizations like these that provide students with hope for a better future and who believe in the potential of ALL students, regardless their immigration status.

The deadlines are fast approaching!

If there are other scholarships you want to advertise, feel free to provide the information and link below.

Best of luck!!

by @SoniaG

crossposted from NYSYLC.org and Sonia G

On a chilly October evening the Youth Leadership Coucil hosted the New York City premier of “Papers” the movie . Many students, parents, dreamers, and supporters arrived and filled up the LGBTQ Center(where the movie was being screened). The reaction to the movie was very clear, everyones faced illustrated an appreciation to a documentary that portrayed the undocumented situation in a “to the point” manner but also as a very humane issue.

Not only was there a connection to the movie , but people felt connected to each other on that night. And that is where my connection with Lindsay A. Lazarski occurred. She approached me with the opportunity to be part of her project ( project that in the future would be known as Nine Magic Numbers). Over a period of two months she played “paparazzi”; following me around the city, in my college, and at home. She went with me to events (open mics, Hip Hop shows, etc.) She interviewed me, interviewed my family and took photographs.

All this data and pictures that she was compiling about me was part of a multimedia project that shares the stories of undocumented youth in New York City and their experiences with higher education and the college process. This project is called Nine Magic Numbers .

***Nine Magic Numbers has been embraced by the community, by artist and TV shows in such a great manner:

On Wednesday ,January 7th, Lindsay A. Lazarski( and I where special guest at the Brain Lehrer Live Show ( on CUNY TV). It even received a special shout out on www.wesofresh.com and soon will be screened at an event hosted by Rebel Diaz.

Do your part. Check the website out : www.NineMagicNumbers.com and leave a comment.

Special thanks to writter, Producer, and Editer of Nine Magic Numbers:
Lindsay A. Lazarski
Multimedia Journalist
CUNY Graduate School of Journalism
lindsay.lazarski@journalism.cuny.edu

We are two senators away from in-state tuition in New Jersey:

Targets:

1. Senator Sean T. Kean  — (732) 974-0400
2. Senator Anthony R. Bucco  — (973) 627-9700
3. Senator Michael J. Doherty  — (908) 835-0552

ASKS:

1. Ask Senator Kean (Senate Minority Leader) to vote on in-state tuition for New Jersey’s children!
2. Request Senator Kean brings two additional votes from the republican caucus.

**Always remain polite and courteous with the staff you speak to**

3. Call the Senate Minority Office (609-292-5199) and leave a message for Senator Kean
Call-in Script:

My name is ______. I live in ______. I am a member of ________ and I support S1036 and I am urging Senator Kean to do the same. Immigrant’s rights are human rights and one of those is the right to an education. This bill is budget neutral. These children deserve the opportunity to fulfill their future promise so that they can continue to contribute to our state.

Thank you.

Pass on this message please — VOTE IS AT 2:00 PM

TAKE ACTION FOR IN-STATE TUITION IN NJ NOW — VOTE on BILL at 2:00 pm TODAY

In order of priority:

1.  Call State Senators and urge them to support bill number S1036

Talking points:

Here’s a list of the state Senators:

Senator Diane B. Allen Republican
District Office:  11 West Broad St., Burlington, NJ 08016  (609) 239-2800

Senator Bill  Baroni Republican
District Office:  3691A Nottingham Way, Hamilton Square, NJ 08690  (609) 631-9988

Senator Christopher  Bateman Republican
District Office:  36 East Main St., Somerville, NJ 08876  (908) 526-3600

Senator James  Beach Democrat
District Office:  1916 Route 70 East, Suite 3, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003  (856) 489-3442

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Senator Jennifer  Beck Republican
District Office:  32 Monmouth St., 3rd Floor, Red Bank, NJ 07701  (732) 933-1591

Senator Anthony R. Bucco Republican
District Office:  75 Bloomfield Ave., Suite 302, 3rd Floor, Denville, NJ 07834  (973) 627-9700

Senator Barbara  Buono Democrat
District Office:  Two Lincoln Highway, Suite 401, Edison, NJ 08820  (732) 205-1372

Senator Gerald  Cardinale Republican
District Office:  350 Madison Ave., Cresskill, NJ 07626  (201) 567-2324

Senator Andrew R. Ciesla Republican
District Office:  852 Highway 70, Brick, NJ 08724  (732) 840-9028

Senator Richard J. Codey Democrat
District Office:  449 Mount Pleasant Ave., West Orange, NJ 07052  (973) 731-6770

Senator Christopher J. Connors Republican
District Office:  620 West Lacey Rd., Forked River, NJ 08731  (609) 693-6700

Senator Sandra B. Cunningham Democrat
District Office:  1738 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07305  (201) 451-5100

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Senator Michael J. Doherty Republican
District Office:  127 Belvidere Ave., 2nd Floor, Washington, NJ 07882  (908) 835-0552

Senator Nia H. Gill, Esq. Democrat
District Office:  425 Bloomfield Avenue, 2nd Floor, Montclair, NJ 07042  (973) 509-0388

Senator John A. Girgenti Democrat
District Office:  507 Lafayette Avenue, Hawthorne, NJ 07506  (973) 427-1229

Senator Robert M. Gordon Democrat
District Office:  14-25 Plaza Rd., P.O. Box 398, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410  (201) 703-9779

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Senator Philip E. Haines Republican
District Office:  32A North Main St., Medford, NJ 08055  (609) 654-1498

Senator Sean T. Kean Republican
District Office:  1955 Highway 34, Bldg. 2A, Wall Township, NJ 07719  (732) 974-0400

Senator Thomas H. Kean, Jr. Republican
District Office:  425 North Ave. East, Suite C, Westfield, NJ 07090  (908) 232-3673
District Office:  57 Union Place, Suite 310, Summit, NJ 07901  (908) 918-0414
District Office:  251 North Ave. West, 2nd Floor, Westfield, NJ 07090  (908) 232-2073

Senator Joseph M. Kyrillos, Jr. Republican
District Office:  1715 Highway 35, Suite 303, Middletown, NJ 07748  (732) 671-3206

Senator Raymond J. Lesniak Democrat
District Office:  985 Stuyvesant Ave., Union, NJ 07083  (908) 624-0880

Senator Fred H. Madden, Jr. Democrat
District Office:  129 Johnson Rd., Suite 1, Turnersville, NJ 08012  (856) 232-6700
District Office:  1405 Chews Landing Rd., Suite 15, Laurel Springs, NJ 08021  (856) 401-3073

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Senator Kevin J. O’Toole Republican
District Office:  155 Route 46 West, Suite 108, Wayne, NJ 07470  (973) 237-1360

Senator Steven V. Oroho Republican    
District Office:  115 Demarest Rd., Suite 2B, Sparta, NJ 07871  (973) 300-0200
District Office:  227 Route 206, Bldg. 1, 1st Floor, Flanders, NJ 07836  (973) 584-4670

Senator Joseph  Pennacchio Republican
District Office:  330 Changebridge Road, Suite 102, Pine Brook, NJ 07058  (973) 227-4012

Senator Dana L. Redd Democrat
District Office:  1 Market St., Suite 1F, Camden, NJ 08102  (856) 225-9068

Senator Ronald L. Rice Democrat    
District Office:  1044 South Orange Ave., Newark, NJ 07106  (973) 371-5665

Senator M. Teresa Ruiz Democrat    
District Office:  166 Bloomfield Ave., Newark, NJ 07104  (973) 484-1000

Senator Nicholas J. Sacco Democrat
District Office:  9060 Palisade Ave., North Bergen, NJ 07047  (201) 295-0200

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Senator Paul A. Sarlo Democrat
District Office:  207 Hackensack St., 2nd Floor, Wood-Ridge, NJ 07075  (201) 804-8118

Senator Nicholas P. Scutari Democrat
District Office:  1514 E. Saint Georges Ave., 2nd Floor, Linden, NJ 07036  (908) 587-0404

Senator Robert W. Singer Republican
District Office:  2110 W. County Line Rd., Jackson, NJ 08527  (732) 901-0702

Senator Bob  Smith Democrat
District Office:  216 Stelton Rd., Suite E-5, Piscataway, NJ 08854  (732) 752-0770

Senator Brian P. Stack Democrat
District Office:  5801 Palisade Ave., West New York, NJ 07093  (201) 861-5091
District Office:  301 45th St., 1st Floor, Union City, NJ 07087  (201) 558-7926

Senator Stephen M. Sweeney Democrat
District Office:  935 Kings Highway, Suite 400, West Deptford, NJ 08086  (856) 251-9801
District Office:  14 East Commerce St., 3rd Floor, Bridgeton, NJ 08302  (856) 455-1011
District Office:  199 East Broadway, Suite G, Salem, NJ 08079  (856) 339-0808

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Senator Shirley K. Turner Democrat
District Office:  1440 Pennington Rd., Trenton, NJ 08618  (609) 530-3277

Senator Jeff  Van Drew Democrat
District Office:  21 North Main St., Cape May Court House, NJ 08210  (609) 465-0700
District Office:  1124 North High St., Millville, NJ 08332  (856) 765-0891
District Office:  1028 East Landis Ave., Vineland, NJ 08360  (856) 696-7109
District Office:  Additional Phone, Somers Point, NJ (609) 926-3779

Senator Joseph F. Vitale Democrat
District Office:  569 Rahway Ave., Woodbridge, NJ 07095  (732) 855-7441

Senator Loretta  Weinberg Democrat
District Office:  545 Cedar Lane, Teaneck, NJ 07666  (201) 928-0100

Senator Jim  Whelan Democrat
District Office:  511 Tilton Rd., Northfield, NJ 08225  (609) 383-1388

Bill S1036 is up for a full Senate vote on Thursday, January 7th. The bill was approved in the Appropriations Committee of both the state Assembly and the Senate on Monday, January 4th. We are very close to a victory and we need each of you to take action!

It is crucial that we get this bill on Corzine’s desk before he leaves office and it is URGENT that the Senators hear from everyone in support.  We cannot wait 4 more years! Its up to us to make this happen…. CALL your Senator NOW!

To find who your state Senator is and phone number please follow this link:

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/municipalities.asp

Not from NJ?: Call them anyway, especially if you are from a state with In State Tuition. Tell them how great it is to have in state tuition and therefore access to higher education. Are you from a state without in-state? Tell them how having in-state tuition in your state would help you and your community!