Fighting for a DREAM: In loving memory of Tam Tran and Cinthya Felix

(originally posted on Standing FIRM)

This past Saturday, I heard from a good friend of mine about the tragic passing of activists Tam Tran and Cinthya Felix. I never got to know Cinthya, but heard about her courage in the struggle for immigration reform. I knew Tam indirectly through e-mail and a few casual encounters. Even though we never got to be friends, her personal story and her activism inspired me and many others.

Their work mostly centered around the DREAM Act, a piece of legislation that would provide a path towards citizenship for undocumented students. Tam most famously testified before Congress in 2007 on behalf of this legislation. Read her words here. Three days later, her family was detained by ICE. Cinthya made waves when she became the first openly undocumented student admitted to Columbia University’s School of Public Health in 2007.

Last night I was thinking about their families and all the hardships they endured. In the face of these hardships, Tam and Cinthya shouldered the burden of their families and became leaders for a better future for all communities. My thoughts are with their families. I hope they know that their memory lives on in our lives and our work.

Three things I’m thinking about coming off this tragedy:

#1 - Life is precious

#2 – Telling our stories is a greater act of courage than we could ever imagine

and #3 – Living our lives in service to our communities is a heroic act.

Cinthya and Tam had more to accomplish in this life, but in the short time that they were with us, they were fearless, hopeful and absolutely inspiring in their dedication to the movement. We all can learn from them.

Here is Tam addressing Presidential candidate Chris Dodd at the Heartland Presidential Forum in 2007:

Here is a video that Tam created about the DREAM Act:

There is memorial happening today at 3 PM-5 PM PST today at UCLA. The memorial will be broadcast here.

If you have any memories of Tam and Cinthya, please share your stories.

Categories: California, Maine

Send to Friend

Tonnywarfare

In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
http://firesaw.wordpress.com/2010/05/17/fighting-for-a-dream-in-loving-memory-of-tam-tran-and-cinthya-felix-%c2%ab-reform-immigration-for-america/ Fighting for a DREAM: In loving memory of Tam Tran and Cinthya Felix « Reform Immigration For America « Firesaw

[...] Cinthya and Tam had more to accomplish in this life, but in the short time that they were with us, they were fearless, hopeful and absolutely inspiring in their dedication to the movement. We all can learn from them. via reformimmigrationforamerica.org [...]
Patrick

Anyone who believes in and wants to have the American Dream is welcome to come and achieve it by the legal means of entering the U.S. legally, applying for citizenship, learning and understanding the english language and the U.S. Constitution, and becoming a dedicated citizen of the U.S.A.. Doing so by, simply, walking across a border illegally and demanding the same rights and liberties afforded to legal citizens is disrespectful and demonstrates that the American Dream is not worth the effort and time it takes to earn it. Illegal immigration is stealing and shows NO alliegance to the U.S.A!!!
http://immigrants2bfree.blogspot.com/ Tim Paynter

My heart goes out to the families and friends of these two fallen warriors for human rights. The sacrifices of the fallen will make victory bittersweet. However, I can only immagine how happy they will be when immigration reform finally comes to this land.
Rory Farmer

Being an independent there are so many undocumented (illegal) immigrants that our states and federal systems are nearing financial collapse. These immigrants will not remain in their countries to struggle for economic and social reform, rather then sneak across the American border taking the ‘easy’ way out. Once in the U.S.A. they ‘demand’ their rights as if they done anything to deserve them.

My wife is a legal immigrant so to us the so called immigration reform offering a pathway to citizenship is a travesty. Legal immigration yes! undocumented immigration under any circumstances, NO!

Fighting for a DREAM: In loving memory of Tam Tran and Cinthya Felix

SHARE THIS ON

FIND US ON

Partner Blogs

Think Globally, Blog Locally

Blogroll