David Bridges
IMPERIAL — With the hashtag #IVCSupportsUndocumentedStudents, the Undocumented Student Resources social media account shared pictures of Imperial Valley College students with encouraging messages during Undocumented Student Action Week (USAW).
Yareli Rivera-Suamataia, director of Student Development and Activities at IVC, said the campaign also focused on the community that attends the college online as well as incoming students.
USAW is a statewide effort marked in the calendar from Oct. 17 to 21.
“Students in high school, junior high, and even parents are aware that there are services and resources for students here at Imperial Valley College,” Rivera-Suamataia said.
With colorful orange shirts displaying a monarch butterfly – a symbol that represents migration – students promoted awareness online.
“I think it was great,” she said. “We are getting a lot of good followers (online).”
“I think they feel united, supported, happy, and appreciated,” Rivera-Suamataia said.
California enrolls the largest population of undocumented students of any segment of public higher education, according to the the California Community Colleges website.
Ivy Caldwell
