A Barbie to a Ken: My Look at WALKABOUT by Betty Araya

I remember the day the switch went off in my young, naive mind. I began questioning what I now know to be true: I was merely a product of my socialization. My opinions were those of my parents, the same as the ones I secretly heard them argue during dinner parties. My style was that of the photoshopped model, whose insincere smile plastered on the cover of the catalogue fooled me into claiming as my own. The person I chose to show the world was no different than my classmates, who I constantly looked to for approval.

One day, at the ripe age of fifteen, I went to school where I mindlessly copied down the words of my instructors, trusting that I was learning. I sat at lunch with my peers, believing my conversations were substantial. I returned home, sat at my desk, and regurgitated the information my teacher shoved down my throat. I began choking on all the mendacity our capitalized, righteous, bureaucratic society was forcing on me to keep me in line. Like The Girl in Walkabout, I was destined for the fate planned for me before I was born. I was and would be someone's daughter, someone's sister, some man's wife. And like The Girl, I chose the familiar radio instead of the larger world.

Walkabout is a cautionary tale about what happens to most women in Western civilization. We are submerged in a system that religiously uses the banking concept of education, the modern pedagogical approach which is stumping our intellectual growth and identity formation (Freire, par. 2). We are forced to conform to a society that will shame anyone who dares to question their way of life. We alienate anyone who deviates from our cultural and behavioral norms. Director Nicholas Roeg uses minimal characters that symbolize the various corruptions of the first world mentality. The story line is centered around The Girl’s journey through the Australian desert while she searches for the way back to her world. Faced with various obstacles that challenge her to question what she believes—rather than what she is told to believe—she dares to follow her heart, rather than the pop-sugar quiz she took online, during the most crucial part of her life.

This cinematic revolution reminded me I am going to have to keep an open mind regarding all that I do not understand. I realized I am The Girl, and the desert is the world I live in. Roeg uses symbols to shed light on the various obstacles that women have to go through to have an identity different than the ones we are force-fed. The movie begins by depicting the earliest stages of socialization in a family, ending with the inevitable outcome most women are cursed to embrace: becoming a Mrs. to a Mr. For me, the tragedy in conforming to mainstream society is that, three generations from now, my family will no longer be immigrant Ethiopians living in America, but Americans who, caused by the fear to accept who we are, cautiously assert that our lineage began in Africa.

The three main characters that hold the most significance to The Girl’s walkabout is the father, the brother, and the native. The father represents the earliest forms of socialization we are exposed to as well as the detrimental effects of living an entire lifetime striving to please conventional society and the western mindset that is furthering racial hierarchies. Socialization first begins with family. The father tells his daughter to arrange the picnic, while the son plays with his action figures, which represents the gender roles that our families unknowingly impose on us early on in our lives. He also tells The Girl to look after her brother, planting in her mind she has a role of a mother simply for being female as the boy is not her son. This notion that she is a caretaker sticks with her throughout the entire film. In addition, the father is every teenager’s worst nightmare. His dehydrated skin, bloated belly, and bulbous nose hint towards his inevitable alcoholism. He has invested more energy in chasing money then experiencing life; all he has is his bank statement to comfort him at night after spending the day at his mind-numbing, boring job. He is a sorry excuse of a father, who has spent his entire life sexualizing women and cannot seem to draw the line with his daughter. He also represents the flaw in Western civilization as a whole—we would rather burn and die then entertain the idea of living life differently than we are used to. That is why I believe Roeg had the father blow himself up so early on, causing the children to flee. The Girl needed to realize the fate she was destined for if she continued to be guided by social structures to tell her how to think.

The Boy in the film represents the same mindset that The Girl is taught. He is still pure, like most young kids in our society who see a smile, where most others see a skin color. They see a heart, where most see a hair texture. The Boy has not yet suffered through thirteen years of brainwashing, also known as the K-12 program. He asks for a name, where most adults give a label. The Boy does not automatically assume everyone is like him: white. For example, in the scene with the water, the boy realizes he must explain what he wants for the native to understand him whereas The Girl believes the suitable solution is to stick her nose in the air and demand the black man give her what she wants (Roeg, 00:36). This scene was so powerful because it portrayed how similar we all are. We all need food, water, shelter, and companionship. The only thing that differentiates us is our distance from the equator which determines our complexion. The only reason we cannot understand each other is because of our locations on the map and the methods of communication we have adopted. Our geographic differences are what spark the different cultures we all practice, which is actually a beautiful thing. The Boy, the part of society that still has hope, helps his older sister come to terms with the fact that the high society she proudly identifies with will serve her no purpose in the Outback. It will not even get her the simplest thing required for survival: water.

The native represents many things for The Girl, but most importantly, he symbolizes hope. In the endless ocean that is Western civilization, he is the promise of land in the horizon. When she and the native first meet, she is in trouble. She has been taught to view herself as a damsel in distress, and he must play the role of her savior. It is for this sheer fact that she begins to fall for him. She thinks a man’s role is to take care of a woman, and it is the woman's job to need to be taken care of. She completely forgets all she accomplished on her own thus far. Despite her desires for him, The Girl could never get over his skin color. The scene where all three of the children are swimming naked is intentional. Roeg portrays the taboo of having affection for someone who looks different from you. In this scene they all look so happy and free, showing us how liberating it can be to forget the societal norms implanted in our brains and do what makes us feel good. Although I have learned to love being a woman of color, the scene made me imagine how different life would be if I was just a girl, instead of a black girl in a white society. The native also represents the detrimental effects of colonization. He graciously accepts the British kids and attempts to teach them about his way of life. He does not request they conform; he simply coexists and helps when he can. When he saw the hunters kill for sport, he saw his culture diminish before his eyes (Roeg, 01:17). He accepted what history has continuously proven to be true, which is that he has two options: conform or die. He unfortunately chooses death. Despite her desires to embrace him, The Girl turns her back on the native and what life could be like outside the lines. Perhaps she is too scared to be different or  scared she might actually like it. In either case, her lack of bravery haunts her, which we saw in the flashbacks at the end while in the embrace of her husband (Roeg, 01:37).

In my walkabout, the father is the man behind the glass at the DMV absently stamping documents. His vacant expression is what inspires me to strive for knowledge rather than the approved symbol when I swipe my credit card. I crave infinite knowledge, rather than infinite zeros on my account balance. The father in my walkabout is also the sea of white faces that covered the hallways I ambled in school, signaling me out as the dark one. The Boy is the potential I still have, a reminder that it is my choice to resist the constant nudge by society as I begin questioning the world around me. He reiterates that I hold the upper hand in this power struggle, because I am in control of my mind. The native represents the ghosts of immigrants to America. Although I did not resort to hanging myself once acknowledging the power Western civilization has, needless to say, the native represents the fight so many immigrants and minorities have already given up on—preserving their own culture.

I moved from Ethiopia to America when I was four years old. In the States, Ethiopia, one of the earliest civilizations, is more known for poverty than its overwhelming communal culture. I moved to a melting pot of different cultures and a society that stresses individualism, with little preparation for the culture shock I would face. I was unready for a country that defines one's value by one’s ability to contribute to the federal reserve rather than who we are as people. It is a system that believes in creating robots as early as five years old, rather than providing tools to discover an identity of one’s own. Until my teenage years, I was not striving to find myself, but rather to paint over all that made me me: my caramel colored skin, my distinct features, and my curls. I sought to match the white girl who sat next to me in my reading circle in elementary school, the white girl who insisted on touching my hair at lunch junior year to further emphasize my difference, the white girl who was never ridiculed for who she is because at the end of the day, America was hers and I was the alien who chose to invade. 

The Girl in Roeg's drama, like many other millenials obsessed with iphones, social media, social approval, and the Kardashians, chooses the easy route, the mindless route, that further feeds the biggest issue of our time: ignorance. Walkabout is what happens to most teenagers in our society, and it almost happened to me. I am now eighteen years old, attending a prestigious university spending my days focusing on my passion. I have grown to have confidence in myself, but it was not effortless to get to this point. It was not without vigorous effort, tears, and crippling self-doubt that I blossomed from a girl whose stomach dropped when the teacher read out my full name to one who now proudly introduces herself. It was a difficult journey to grow from someone who straightened my wild curls to one who proudly wears my mane. I alleviated the insecure, misguided child I was by embracing what made me different instead of trying to conform.

I do not want to recite what I read in a textbook to prove I have knowledge. I do not want to repeat what I heard my family says to prove I have beliefs. I do not want my identity to be simplified to boxes I check off on a job application. I refuse to spend my life with the mindset that my greatest accomplishment will be the day I say “I do” or the day I have a child. I deny the ending The Girl in Walkabout had, because no matter what our society tells us, I will never sit quiet and look pretty. My walkabout has taught me to treat each person as my equal and embrace that they offer me. It has taught me that the six o’clock news does not cover all that matters in the world. It has forced me to accept that living in America does not require that one become a homogenously white American. It has left me yearning for the day I look in the mirror and only see myself, rather than the array of people I have been taught and forced to be. Although I can still feel the residue of my unwilling socialization clogging my throat, every day I am closer to dropping my radio. I am closer to embracing who I am, where I came from, and the values I hold. Every day I embark on this relentless journey, and the identity I fear the most is growing further away, that of being a Barbie to a Ken.

Works Cited

Freire, Paulo. The "Banking" Concept of Education. Web. 11 Apr. 2015. http://puente2014.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/87465079/freire_banking_concept.pdf.

Walkabout. Dir. Nicholas Roeg. Perf. Jenny Agutter, Jean-Luc Roeg, and David Gumpilil. 1971.

"My Subcontinent Is Always in My Subconscious: Indian Heritage in America" by Alisha Andrews

One’s identity can be found through life and the experiences within it. In our WSC class my peers found their identity in different ways: going into the army at the age of 18, living in a negative town their entire childhood, being a certain religion that is misunderstood in America. The experience that helped me find my identity was being the first generation, American-born citizen and living through the struggles of my immigrant parents.

The process of immigration is difficult, but the process of an immigrant adjusting to America is never ending. Both my parents came to America at the age of 18 with their cousins from India, all without their own parents. All 15 of them lived in a 3 story rental house in Queens Village where everyone lived paycheck to paycheck. My parents had 3 jobs at one point so they could live a decent life. My mom took on a job as a cashier at JC Penney and Walmart and as a bank clerk. My dad took on a job as a limousine driver, bank clerk, and a cashier at a local department store. Even though these jobs seemed simple, it was tough for my parents. They had thick Indian accents and would get yelled at by customers to “learn English” and comments like “you should not be working here.” When my dad was a limo driver he had to learn all of New York City's streets and directions to get his clients to where they needed to be. He had no GPS back in his day and would get awful comments if he made one mistake, but little did the people know that he was just learning about America, let alone these locations! Both my parents always got the comment to “go back to your own country!”

These comments reminded me of Gloria Anzaldua’s remark, “We know what it is to live under the hammer blow of the dominant norte-americano culture” (Anzaldua, par 43). The white Americans around her felt as if they owned this country. They believed not knowing fluent English, not having an American accent, and not having white skin means that you do not belong in America. They viewed people with brown skin as inferior and stupid and that they weren’t “qualified” enough to live in this white man’s world. But my parents had tough skin. They were ready to endure these kinds of indifferences and not let it affect them. I give them so much credit for staying strong because they are humans, too, who have feelings, but were treated like subordinates. They worked 7 days a week to save up money for a car so they could have a vehicle. Before they had a car, they were walking to all their destinations and this was hard especially in the harsh, cold winters of New York. Both my parents and their cousins saved up $3000 to buy an old, used car. Even though it was a junk from a shady store in Queens, it was something they could use to drive places. They gave the car dealer all the money they saved up for months to get a car that stopped working the day after they bought it. Yes, they got played. They were just learning the hustle for money in America. But this experience helped them learn that not everyone is who they say they are. My parents struggled so much their first years in America. They went through these hardships and sacrificed everything they had and started a new life all over again just for my brother and I to live a better life than they had.

My brother, Albie, and I were the first generation to be born and raised in America. We were the first to go to school and to university in our families in America. Both of us were exposed to the American culture right away as we entered the school system. We grew up with English as our first language and Malayalam, which is a South Indian language common in Kerala, India, as our second language. My parents made sure that Albie and I became adjusted to both the American and Indian culture. But these two cultures clash at times. In India there is a hierarchy with gender. The male is the head of the family and is seen as superior and has all the freedom in the world. The female is seen as inferior and taught to be conservative and quiet. My parents immigrating to America and seeing a different viewpoint instead of sticking with India’s traditional ways helped build my identity. “Some women can escape social conformity and become conscious of the incredibly sexist, patriarchal society we live in. Others are trapped and are incapable of realizing their true identity because they are the product of someone else’s identity formation” (Solis, par 2). Since I was fortunate enough to grow up in America, I was given the opportunity to put my education first before anything else. I could get a job that did not include housework and I do not need to settle to be a housewife like in India, where it is common for 18-year-old girls to get married off. America holds opportunities to show that women are just as equal to men and can succeed in anything they do through careers and having empowering platforms. In India these opportunities are looked down upon, so many women put a hold on their life so their husbands, fathers, or brothers can live the life they want. I learned that I am more than what a man sees me as even if it is an object, reproducer, or inferior. I was born a woman and therefore need to hold strong to this identity, especially coming from an Indian, sexist community.

The South Asian community also has a persistent point of view when it comes to careers. If you had a daughter, she was supposed to be a nurse or a doctor. If you had a son, he was supposed to be an engineer. Indian parents have such a limited mindset for jobs. They believe only the STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) jobs can make you money and be successful. This gets me furious. As a woman not interested in any of the four choices, I feel as though my brown people look down upon me. I am a public relations major in the communications field, which is nowhere dominant with colored people. But this taboo on communications and how it is a “useless field” did not stop me. Constantly getting comments like “communications is not stable,” “you will never make any money with public relations,” or “you should switch your major before it is too late” did not hinder my decision. In fact, it encouraged me to prove them wrong! I chose Hofstra because it is one of the best schools for communications and will continue to go to this university for the next four years. “People might not always think the same way as me either because their identities have been more or less developed, or because their identities have been established in a completely dissimilar system” (Davis, par 9). The brown community does not see the value in communications, but I do. Communications is part of my identity. I am a social person who needs to see “the real” in every person and see the bigger picture of that person’s purpose. Working in public relations is not just a “hello” and “goodbye” conversation, which many people think it is, but investing value in a person, company, or venue. I knew that if I listened to these people, I would most likely be in a nursing program and dreading every second of it. These people have minimal capacity when it comes to career choices. I am proud of myself for keeping true to my identity and my own interests because my career in public relations will define who I am instead of being someone who I am not.

Staying true to my identity as a brown-skinned Indian woman was like fighting a battle with myself. Growing up I realized that I was different from other people in my elementary and middle school. The kids and teachers had lighter hair than me, different colored eyes, and fairer skin tones. To be honest. I felt out of place and wanted to fit in and the only way was to be white. This mindset of fitting in with the white kids destroyed my self-esteem entirely because the reality is that I am brown. I wanted to be from Europe and not Asia. In middle school we had culture day where we talked about our heritage and I was extremely embarrassed to tell everyone that I was Indian. I avoided using words like “curry” and talking in my native language so kids would not laugh at me and see me as the “weird girl.” I wanted straight, thin hair and not thick, curly hair. I remember one white girl coming up to me in elementary school and asking me, “Why is your hair so curly and black?” I just stood there and questioned my hair as well because I did not know why my hair was different. I wanted to be superior and not inferior. This hierarchy between races that I mentally created really affected the growth of my identity. When I was younger I viewed white people as a higher race. I belittled myself because of my own skin color.  I was one of the few colored people on my school bus in elementary school. This led to the white kids bullying me and calling me names like “Indian warthog” and such. This created the fear in my mind that the whites had power and control over me. If I saw a white person standing behind me on the lunch line, I would let them go in front of me. If I needed to pick a partner for projects, I would instantly pick the white girls first. In a sense, I idolized having white skin. I saw white skin as the key to having a successful, easy life.

Oh boy, was I wrong! As I got older I realized how limited was my mindset. There was no real reason to think of my brown skin and my culture with a negative connotation.“...you’re dumb enough to walk around continuing to identify yourself with that Party, you’re not only a chump, but you’re a traitor to your race” (Malcolm X, par 13).  I needed to accept that I was an Indian, brown-skinned girl and that will never change. I had to be proud of who my parents were and who they raised me to be. I had to get out of this narrow-minded environment where I superiorized white people.

Going into high school everything changed. I viewed everyone as equal and that no one was better than another because of their skin color. I realized that skin color is part of one’s heritage. Everybody is still human, as cliche as it sounds, it is true. If you live closer to the equator you will have darker skin. If you live farther from the equator you will have lighter skin. This is just geography and not something you can control. So to belittle myself off these factors that I could not control was insane of me. I started accepting myself for who I was and started being more confident in my heritage. If I could go back to the girl who asked me why my hair was so curly and black, I would tell her it is because I am Indian and this is what most South Indian girls have. I learned to embrace my Indianness and become aware of the rest of the world. As I grew older I realized that there is more than the white race and so many other cultures to be exposed to. "Whereas, our argument shows that the power and capacity of learning exists in the soul already; and that just as the eye was unable to turn from darkness to light without the whole body, so too the instrument of knowledge can only by the movement of the whole soul be turned from the world of becoming into that of being, and learn by degrees to endure the sight of being, and of the brightest and best of being, or, in other words, of the good” (Plato, par 46). Plato explains how I felt with my entire Indian crisis. I needed to find strength within myself to identify as an Indian and not be ashamed of it. I was stuck in this close-minded mentality that limited my capacity and power to find acceptance in myself. My viewpoint needed to be expanded from this “white supremacy” to seeing all races as one.

My viewpoint changing really helped develop my identity. I am nowhere the same person I was a few years ago. My homeostasis changed. My parents made a pathway by immigrating to America to be exposed to many opportunities which I will forever be thankful for. Being in communications field for my career adds onto my identity as a socializer and a barrier breaker for the Indian community. Accepting my skin color and being proud of my Indian heritage, while conquering my irrational fear of white supremacy, evolved myself to be true to who I am. As they say in Malayalam, നിങ്ങൾ നൽകുന്ന ജീവനെ സ്നേഹിക്കുക (niṅṅaḷ nalkunna jīvane snēhikkuka), love the life you are given.

Works Cited

Anzaldua, Gloria. "How to Tame a Wild Tongue."

www.everettsd.org/cms/lib07/WA01920133/Centricity/Domain/965/Anzaldua-Wild-Tongue.pdf.

Davis, Brittany.  "Mastering a Free-Thinking Perspective." 1 Jan. 2017, giantstepspress.blogspot.com/2016/03/mastering-free-thinking-perspective-by.html.

Plato. The Allegory of the Cave. VII, ser. 514a-521b, faculty.ycp.edu/~dweiss/phl224_human_nature/Plato%20republic%20allegory%20of%20the%20cave.pdf.olis,

Solis, Lola. "Is Feminism the New F Word? From Resistant to Responsive,"  giantstepspress.blogspot.com/2016/04/is-feminism-new-f-word-from-resistant.html.

X, Malcolm. "The Ballot or the Bullet." 1964. www.infosec.aueb.gr/Besides%20Security/TALKS/TALKS-10-X%20(The%20Ballot%20or%20the%20Bullet).

DREAMers' Lives Matter: Undocumented Students in Postsecondary Education by Nalani Goonetilleke

 

                                               

These are our children.  They grew up in our towns, they speak our language, they have worked and learned in our schools.  To leave them permanently exiled within their own world is not a policy – it is an abdication.                                                              

                                                                                        Eric Johnson

           

Indeed, as the current phrase goes, these undocumented students’ lives matter.  However, everyone has a different notion of what the American Dream entails.  For some it is the security of a white-picket fenced home with 2.5 children, but for newer generations it is often the opportunity to become an engineer, nurse, or even a doctor.  For undocumented students or DREAMers, this vision is often barricaded by federal and state laws that make continuing an education beyond high school a challenge within itself.

 

Undocumented students are classified as foreign-born students who came to the United States without the proper citizenship documents or entered legally as a nonimmigrant but remained in the United States upon completion of their terms.  Many of our undocumented students who are looking to pursue a higher education have lived in the United States most of their lives, came to the United States at a young age, are English speaking, attended primary and secondary school in the United States, and have excelled in high school.  Traditionally the laws have been peculiar.

 

The DREAM Act, known as the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors, was proposed in Congress in 2001.  It has continuously been reintroduced on the federal level but has not been passed.  The mission of the bill would permit undocumented youth to enlist in the U.S. armed forces or to pursue a higher education.  It would also work towards permanent resident status for undocumented children who were raised in the United States.  Although the federal DREAM Act did not pass, many states have their own version of the DREAM Act.  “At least 20 states have passed tuition equity policies for immigrant students, according to Tanya Broder, senior attorney at National Immigration Law Center.” (2015)  The state DREAM Acts are generally geared to supporting in-state tuition or eligibility for scholarships or state financial aid for undocumented students.  However, the qualifications are based on the state and the institution.  Upward social mobility for this targeted group would be the end result of the DREAM Act, but the legislature is resistant to passing it.  In the interim, another policy was established to alleviate some of the hardships that DREAMers face.

 

DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a policy that was established in 2012 by President Obama, supports deferred deportation to individuals who came to the United States under the age of 16 and are currently under the age of 31; there are also requirements that the individual must meet in order to qualify.  “DACA provides legal presence, but not legal status.” (2015)  Legal presence permits individuals to apply for employment, receive a Social Security number, and obtain a driver’s license.  This can increase their mobility economically and socially.  The policy grants a two-year period; however, the individual can renew if he/she still meets the requirements.  However, even in applying for DACA, the individual must openly expose their immigration status and contact information to the government.  Applying does not guarantee that they will be eligible. 

 

Laura Bohorquez contends: “The main difference is the DREAM Act would have given the community a path to residency and eventually citizenship… DACA is just work permit and protection from deportation.  It allows us to be able to work and afford our school, but it’s not a path to any type of status.” (2015)  Legal presence does not equate to legal status.  It is merely an acceptable way of being present in the United States.  DACA is a band-aid solution that essentially is enabling trouble. 

 

In Plyler v. Doe, the presence of minors in the education system also proved to be permissible. This 1982 Supreme Court case determined that all students in grades K-12 were guaranteed an education, regardless of their citizenship or residency status. (Perez 2014) This set the stage for undocumented children to have hope.  “According to the ruling, denying them that education would create a ‘lifetime of hardship’ for undocumented children and a ‘permanent underclass’ of individuals.” (Eusebio and Mendoza 4) The decision promised an education to all students, but this did not extend to a postsecondary education, where they could fulfill their dreams of becoming an engineer, nurse, or doctor.  Legally these students are required to attend school in grades K-12 but barriers are immediately in place once they work on continuing and advancing their education. 

 

My education progressed in the Freeport School District in Long Island from grades 1^st through 12^th.  The district’s demographics ranged from approximately 5% Whites, 32% Blacks, 2% Asians, and 59% Hispanics, with 17% limited English proficient students.  (Freeport School District) My graduating class at Freeport High School was filled with what I then believed to be students who lacked motivation because they did not continue their education beyond the high school diploma or GED.  In hindsight, perhaps it was a much more complex situation at hand.

 

It is my own experience that really evokes a distinct passion surrounding undocumented students.  Through my cousin Dushan, I have witnessed the personal struggles of an undocumented individual and the difficulties that he had obtaining a college education.  Dushan came to the United States as a child without the proper legal documents.  Growing up he experienced a life that was fully entangled into the American culture.  His parents worked to best adapt to American customs while encompassing our Sri Lankan heritage.  Upon completion of his senior year of high school, he, like his peers, strived towards a college degree.  He began taking courses at a community college because he was ineligible to receive financial aid.  During his time at the community college he excelled in all of his classes.  His parents were not able to keep up the college tuition expenses.  Unfortunately, a college degree became out of reach.  Twenty years later, he is a father of a high school senior.  He has high hopes of his son achieving the university diploma that he was unable to attain.  Perhaps the admission of Dushans’ son into college will be more accessible, simply based on his residency status.

 

College admission policies, tuition, and financial aid are three areas in which there are tremendous barriers for undocumented students.  These barriers do not make it impossible for the student but rather extremely difficult especially for a DREAMer who is already under difficult circumstances.  In respect to college admission, “there is no federal or state law that prohibits the admission of undocumented immigrants to U.S. college, public or private.” ("Advising Undocumented Students – Explaining Financial Aid | Education Professionals – The College Board”) However, on the contrary, each institution has different policies on admitting this demographic of students.  This policy can either work in favor of the student or be a great disservice to them.  Public institutions follow the guidelines of the state laws, giving them very little leeway to provide more access if the state does not do so.  Private institutions are autonomous and are not heavily-ruled or impacted by the government. 

 

Undocumented students are unable to receive federal funding for their education, which comes in the form of federal financial aid, work study and government loans.  They are often forced to pay out-of-state tuition rates regardless of them being in-state students.  Tuition for full-time enrollment can range from $15,000 to $40,000 per year.  More often these students are generally classified as international students, especially at private colleges and universities, despite any recognition of being a state resident.  International students receive significantly less aid.  The Institute for International Education (IIE) reported for the 2004-05 school year, it found that 80.9% of international students used payments extending from personal or family resources.  (“Financial Aid for Undergraduate International Students”) When classified as an international student, the undocumented student competes with students worldwide to fulfill the international quota at the institution.  Tuition at private institutions ranges from $80,000 to $200,000 over the span of four years.  Each state has different laws pertaining to funding and tuition for undocumented students.  Twenty states permit undocumented students to pay in-state tuition, including Florida and Utah.  States such as Alabama, South Carolina, and certain institutions in Georgia do not even permit undocumented students from even enrolling.  California, Hawaii, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oklahoma (certain grants), Washington state, and Texas provide state-based aid.  Illinois is the only state that has private scholarships for this population of students.  (Eusebio and Mendoza 2) Most undocumented students rely heavily on private scholarships which are still hard to attain due to most requiring one to be a U.S. citizen or a permanent legal residence.

 

Different states providing different levels of access to undocumented students create an uneven playing field for the undocumented community.  One student may have a more promising future simply based on the region that they live in.  States that provide in-state tuition or state-based aid demonstrate to their residents that they are willing to deliver more opportunities to future generations and future leaders. “In 2011, three states passed their in-state tuition laws including Connecticut, Maryland and Rhode Island.” (Rincon, 2016) In addition, “both California and Illinois passed laws to permit undocumented immigrant students’ greater access to such resources.” (Rincon 2016) California has the largest number of undocumented immigrants, representing 25% of all.  When states pass laws that are influential in determining the success of a prospective student, it impacts not only the student but it affects the family members, communities, the state and then the nation as a whole.  Breaking barriers to permit greater access to undocumented students has a profound effect ultimately on the nation.  The more that is invested into all millennials, the better equipped they are for the workforce, which positively effects our economy.

 

The state of California has tuition and financial aid policies that help undocumented students enroll at public institutions.  In addition, the costs are affordable and reasonable to the students.  On the other hand, states such as Georgia do not permit undocumented students to attend public institutions.  In the state of Missouri, there are constraints on tuition discounts and aid at state universities and colleges.  The state legislature of Missouri passed a law that undocumented students even with the DACA status were not eligible to receive scholarships toward community college tuition. (Gordon 2016) DACA recipients who qualify for in-state tuition increase the chance of pursuing a higher education because it becomes more affordable.  The affordability aspect makes college more accessible.  In addition, it increases the student’s persistence in completing their degree.

 

One of the continuing debates surrounds the issue of in-state versus out-of-state tuition:  Should longtime residents be charged in-state or out-of-state tuition?  “In February, the Georgia Supreme Court upheld the higher tuition when it ruled that the higher-education governing board could not be sued by immigrant advocates.” (Gordon 2016) The PBS article (Gordon 2016), states that at Georgia Southern University out-of-state tuition is $9,222 compared to $2,613, the tuition dollar for in-state residents.  In addition to the tuition debate, there is another debate surrounding DACA status for state financial aid: Should the student be eligible for state financial aid based on their DACA status?  State decisions largely contribute to this minority group transitioning into college.  Since undocumented students do not qualify for federal aid, when a state provides more financial assistance, more DREAMers become qualified to advance their education.

 

The “Repository of Resources for Undocumented Students” is a valuable source to students who are trying to get into a university. (Rincon 2016)  It provides information on selected state’s college guides, financial aid, scholarships, and support organizations.  The admission information focuses on available university guidelines and sample affidavits that undocumented students are required to complete.  The site contains information on scholarships and it further indicates the states that do provide financial aid.  Furthermore, the resource provides associations that work towards assisting undocumented students into higher education.  As previously illustrated, undocumented students are generally first-generation students, and therefore, the families often are not as knowledgeable about the resources or services available in order for these students to pursue a higher education. 

 

Additionally, this lack of familiarity extends to guidance counselors and support staff.  High school counselors may not be experienced in guiding undocumented students in how they can further their education, especially with all of the barriers that are dealt with.  The resources that are available are limited which only add to their limitations.  Educators, admission officers, and financial aid counselors need to be more familiar with the immigration laws.  These students need advocates as they navigate through an already perplexing system.  Once they are enrolled, administrators need to work on retaining the student.  Certain institutions have not updated their scholarship information on their website, which can deter students from even realizing that they are eligible to apply.

 

Throughout the history of higher education, each diverse group has experienced difficulties in breaking into higher education.  College initially began as solely geared for the elite.  From there different careers and jobs were added, which brought in and appealed to a different group of students.  This became a pattern in higher education; certain events were a catalyst to welcoming or embracing new students.  One very prominent time in history was the initiation of the GI Bill, which granted more access to veterans. 

 

Women and ethnic-minorities were once taboo in academia.  Today, institutions are filled with minorities of different backgrounds, gender, race, and disability status.  Higher education at one point was not an option for these groups of people; however, through time, college became more accessible.  It is with much hope that undocumented students will be able to attain greater access in higher education, so that they too can be just as remarkable and contribute to the collegial education system.  Obstacles for this targeted group carry throughout their educational experience.

 

With so many challenges being present for entering into college, many wonder about the challenges post-college.  There are opportunities available to undocumented students after they have obtained their degree.  Options include graduate school and various forms of legal employment which can consist of self-employed as an independent contractor, starting a company or working abroad.  In addition, in California DACA recipients can acquire their licenses in law, medicine, nursing and pharmacy.  A college degree determines and mitigates occupational status and socioeconomic status.  This population has been raised to strive for a better life.

 

According to the American Psychological Association, “There are one million children under 18 and 4.4 million under 30 living in America out of the estimated total of 11.1 million undocumented immigrants living in America….Nearly half of undocumented adults are parents of minors, many of whom are citizens.  There are an estimated 5.5 million children with at least one undocumented parent, 4.5 million of whom were born here making them U.S. citizens.” (“Undocumented Americans”) One million children under the age of 18 possess exceptional characteristics and have lived a life where they have triumphed adversity. 

 

“Brought to this country years ago, spirited across a border they were too young to comprehend by parents who wanted better for them, the children are beginning to understand their outlaw status.  They’ve begun to realize that our laws treat them as indefinite accomplices to a crime committed when they were toddlers.” (Johnson 2016) Living in a country illegally is not commended but often certain circumstances force families to choose that alternative in hopes of attaining a better life.  Once the student is here and has been educated through our system and adapted to our culture, how can we now make the “American Dream” so hard for them to reach?  Their family altered a certain lifestyle in order for them to succeed in the United States, but with obstacles in place, many of their hopes and dreams are put aside.  As Langston Hughes expressed, “what happens to a dream deferred?” (“Harlem – Poetry Foundation”) In examining students who are undocumented, each individual case is different.  However, many of these students come into the United States when they are younger and may even be unaware that they are undocumented.  Ironically, their immigration status may not be a factor that they are aware of until it is time for them to apply for college.  I hope this is not an answer to Hughe’s last line : “Or does it explode?” (“Harlem – Poetry Foundation”)

 

If we turn a blind eye to these students, then what it is to become of them?  Life with a college degree provides an entry way to a much better life; without a college degree life is significantly harder.  How can we expect those living in poverty and receiving government assistance to better themselves?  The Pew Hispanic Research Center, found that “nearly 30% of undocumented children live below the poverty line.” (Navarro 2013) A college education provides a life above the poverty level.  It is an entrance way to new opportunities, social mobility, and a better economic state.  If the DREAM Act were passed, students would be able to receive more financial assistance.  Although 30% live in poverty, that 30% would have boundless opportunities.

 

Consequently, the research reveals that undocumented students face an overwhelming number of adversities including “poverty, assimilation, language barriers, violence in their community or home environment, lack of access to health care, and mental health issues.”  (Eusebio and Mendoza 5) In facing a plethora of adversities, the pursuit of a postsecondary education is a major achievement.  The challenges that undocumented students face can also impede or impact their learning.  It has been shown that a great deal of undocumented students suffers from high levels of anxiety.  The frustrations and fears that undocumented students encounter on a daily basis include “isolation from their peers, the struggle to pursue an education, fears of detention and deportation, and the trauma of separation from family and loved ones.” (“Undocumented Americans”) 

 

The APA (“Undocumented Americans”) article further adds that this population is more likely to experience “racial profiling, ongoing discrimination, exposure to gangs, immigration raids in their communities, arbitrary stopping of family members to check their documentation status, being forcibly taken or separated from their families, returning home to find their families have been taken away, placement in detention camps or the child welfare system, and deportation.”  Having to deal with stressful situations on a regular basis plays a significant role on the individual’s emotions and behaviors. 

 

Many undocumented students demonstrate anxiety, fear, depression, anger, social isolation, and a lack of truly feeling as if they belong.  Undocumented individuals that have been detained or deported have a greater likelihood of possessing more emotionally disturbed characteristics.  “Researchers have found that they often experience in the short term, frequent crying, withdrawal, disrupted eating and sleeping patterns, anger, anxiety and depression.  Over time, these can lead to more sever issues like post-traumatic stress disorder, poor identity formation, difficulty forming relationships, feelings of persecution, distrust of institutions and authority figures, acting out behaviors and difficulties at school.” (“Undocumented Americans”) The feelings that these individuals have represent the traumatic real-life experiences that they have encountered.

 

Mental health is a major concern and a growing health issue with college-age students, which have been increasing over the years.  It is also linked to retention and academic performance. (Sierup 2015) Anxiety is the number one mental health issue amongst college students.  In addition to the previously mentioned persistent stressors that undocumented students deal with, there is also stress in just being a student.  The undocumented student is a minority and first-generation student.  There are so many expectations and pressures to succeed tied in with financial hardship and the traditional pressures that most students face.    

 

Depression is the second common mental health issue found on campuses.  College students are typically underinsured or uninsured and do not have access to mental health providers.  A psychiatric consultation ranges from $200-$600 and a psychological consultation fee ranges from $125-$300. (Seirup 2015) With the stress that this population already has plus the lack of access to healthcare, it is imperative that greater support be given to this population.  For the traditional college student, mental health is a huge issue, let alone for an undocumented student who is already struggling financially.

 

The benefits of a college education are limitless but as a nation we limit these benefits to those who fall under certain standards.  An undocumented student should not have a surplus of barriers just to advance themselves in society.  More education equates more opportunities.  Unemployment rates for those with less than a high school diploma are 11.2%, high school graduate 7.9%, some college 6.7%, and bachelors or higher 3.8%. (Seirup 2015)

 

Not only do students who graduate with a baccalaureate degree have a higher likelihood of being employed but they also earn more money over their lifetime.  The US Census found that the median earnings year round for full-time employment for individuals with less than a high school diploma $25,702, high school diploma $35,035, associate’s degree $42,419, bachelor’s degree $55,864, and master’s degree $68,879. (Seirup 2015) Financially the earnings separate college graduates from non-graduates but their also differences can be seen in their career, personal life, and their community involvement.  College graduates earn more money over their lifetime, earn more promotions, and have a less inconsistent job history. 

 

The personal life of a college graduate is generally filled with more developed relationships with people, fewer children on average, more involved in children’s lives, and stay married to the same person for a longer time.  College graduates are more likely to be leaders in their community, elected to public office, and enjoy the arts.  Traits or circumstances that college graduates are less likely to have would be unwillingly unemployed, use tobacco products, be swindled, be imprisoned, and become dependent on alcohol or drugs.  (Seirup 2015) The overall impact of a college education develops the individual’s knowledge, skills, increase self-awareness, understanding of the world of work, appreciation of lifelong learning, leadership roles, upward social mobility, and an increase in self-confidence and wellness. (Seirup 2015)

 

The benefits of attaining a college degree exceed that of not having a degree.  The positive qualities, attributes, and knowledge that is acquired during your undergraduate studies shapes and molds better citizens and individuals, undocumented students should not be counted out of these opportunities.  There is so much potential for success in their communities that needs to be evolved.  The lifelong effects of a postsecondary education truly cultivate an individual.  The college experience can shape a student’s attitudes and values.  HCAS Review of Research found that college influences a student’s view on “cultural, educational, sociopolitical, gender roles, religion, community and civic engagement.” (Seirup 2015)

 

It is at the institution that students are able to step out of their traditional element and onto new experiences.  Students are exposed to an array of events, people, and experiences which broadens their views, ideas, and actions.  For example, civic engagement during these formative years can also lead to greater community involvement post-college.  There is an increase in multicultural perspective, which results in an “increase in positive attitudes towards racial equality, tolerance, and preference.” (Seirup 2015) Furthermore, there is more value placed on “job autonomy, responsibility, and opportunity to use talents.” (Seirup 2015) The value of education is generally passed onto one generation to the next.  With undocumented students being the first-generation, it would promote a way out of poverty and into a more fulfilling life.

 

Today’s college or university places a strong focal point on diversity.  The enrollment and retainment of minorities as a whole has increased.  The Census Data has projected an increase in minority students and decrease in non-Hispanic whites by 2050.  (Seirup 2015) As minority groups increase on campus, presumably this will add to the volume of undocumented students as well.  Future administrators who are cognizant of trends will better prepare the institution in meeting the needs of the students they serve.  These groups of intelligent “DREAMers” have unique needs that administrators, support staff, and faculty members have to be willing to identify and effectively meet.  Multicultural competencies at colleges are significant; it shows the importance of being aware and knowledgeable of different cultures.  In working with undocumented students, it is key not to generalize and to be able to communicate amongst different cultures.  Demonstrating cultural sensitivity and appropriation brings a sense of comfort to prospective and current undocumented students as well as their families.  For many, this is the first family member to attend college in the United States; there is much pressure and uncertainty for both the student and the parents.  There are high expectations for the student to succeed.  If the institution in its entirety maintains a diverse culture and climate, then it will provide a better welcoming and sense of warmth to these dreamers.

 

The term “DREAMers” is frequently used to describe undocumented students.  A dreamer, deriving from the term dream, has various associations.  One of the most influential and memorable connotations is Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.  The remarkable and thought-evoking address describes a world in which people of all backgrounds are able to get along.  Not only does Martin Luther King Jr. envision a world of peace for all people but he states, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” (King 1963) Similarly, this notion of a dream, nonetheless the American dream, holds strong barriers to the present day dreamers.  They too are looking to attain the American Dream. 

 

Although the American Dream comes in different forms and ideas, it centers on the concept of equality for all.  Equality of all people shouldn’t be contingent upon citizen status or ethnic background, rather the drive or enthusiasm that each individual has that pushes them to greatness.  “By the content of their character,” Martin Luther King Jr., urged. (King 1963) Over fifty years later, this statement still holds significance in the minority population.  It is no irony that that joins the term DREAMers in both of the senses but rather the connection that is shared.

 

It was in the fourth grade that we learned about the terms melting pot and equality.  We were also educated on how people migrated to this country just to have equal rights.  Twenty years later, I am left perplexed by what I learned in the education system of melting pots and equality and how it does not seem to apply to everyone.  As an American citizen, I will presumably work on my American dream of the white-picket fence.  And for the DREAMerS, they will silently scream for equality and silently scream for a chance in pursuing their education, while maintaining high hopes of not being deported.  Although raised and educated in the United States, they still have not received their piece of the American dream.

 

References

Advising Undocumented Students. (n.d.). Retrieved July 31, 2016, from             https://professionals.collegeboard.org/guidance/financial-aid/undocumented-students

Eusebio, Catherine and Fermin Mendoza. The Case For Undocumented Students In Higher Education. 1st ed. 2013. Web. 31 July 2016.

Financial Aid for Undergraduate International Students. (n.d.). Retrieved July 31, 2016, from             http://www.nafsa.org/About_Us/About_International_Education/For_Students/Financial_            Aid_for_Undergraduate_International_Students/

Freeport School District. (n.d.). Retrieved July 30, 2016, from http://schools.newsday.com/new-            york/districts/freeport/

Gordon, L. (2016, April 7). Some states bypass Congress, create their own versions of the       DREAM Act. Retrieved July 31, 2016, from

Harlem – Poetry Foundation. (n.d.). Retrieved July 31, 2016, from        https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/46548

Johnson, E. (2016, February 21). The Moral Absurdity of Denying Financial Aid to       Undocumented Students. Retrieved July 30, 2016, from http://chronicle.com/article/The-      Moral-Absurdity-of-Denying/235365

King Jr., M.L. (1963). "I have a dream.." (1st ed., p. 5). Retrieved from             https://www.archives.gov/press/exhibits/dream-speech.pdf

N. (2015, February 26). 5 facts you need to know about the DREAM Act. Retrieved July 30, 2016, from http://college.usatoday.com/2015/02/26/5-facts-you-need-to-know-about-the- dream-act/

Navarro, L. (2013, October 1). More universities now admitting undocumented students.          Retrieved July 31, 2016, from     http://money.cnn.com/2013/10/01/pf/college/undocumented-students/

Perez, Z. (2014, December 5). Removing Barriers to Higher Education for Undocumented        Students. Retrieved July 30, 2016, from       https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/report/2014/12/05/101366/removi           ng-barriers-to-higher-education-for-undocumented-students/

Seirup, H.J. (2015). Attitudes & Values [PowerPoint Slide].  Retrieved from www.hofstra.edu

Seirup, H.J. (2015). Career & Economic Impact Quality of Life [PowerPoint Slide].  Retrieved             from www.hofstra.edu

Seirup, H.J. (2015). Educational Attainment & Persistance [PowerPoint Slide].  Retrieved from             www.hofstra.edu

Seirup, H.J. (2015). Mental Health Issues: Impacting College Students [PowerPoint Slide].       Retrieved from www.hofstra.edu

Undocumented Americans. (n.d.). Retrieved July 31, 2016, from             http://www.apa.org/topics/immigration/undocumented-video.aspx