Walking for a dream

Twenty-three-year-old Felipe Matos has been called many names, including criminal, alien and “not quite human.”

Matos said these labels are directly related to the fact he is an undocumented immigrant. He said the inhumane treatment by others and the limitations faced by those like him, who have grown up in the United States but are not legally citizens, inspired him and his friends to lead a 1,500-mile walk from their homes in Miami, Fla. to Washington D.C.

“If it’s going to take 1,500 miles for our voices to be heard then we’re going to do it (march),” Matos said. “Even if it means that we’re going to risk our lives, even if it means that we’re going to have to risk deportation … all for the sake of believing in this country, of believing that people will come to grips that we’re human beings just like them.”

Matos, Gaby Pacheco, 24, Carlos Roa, 22, and Juan Rodriguez, 20, started their walk on New Year’s Day. According to Roa, the group walks an average of 15 to 18 miles a day. They are calling their walk the Trail of DREAMs in support of the DREAM Act, bipartisan legislation that would provide the children of undocumented immigrants with a six-year “conditional permanent residency.”

Within these six years, the student would be required to earn a degree from an institution of higher education. Under the current legislation, undocumented students do not have access to higher education or manner by which to obtain legal residency. According to The College Board, there are an estimated 65,000 undocumented students in the United States.

On April 15, several VCU organizations, including The Alpha Psi Chapter of La Unidad Latina and Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Inc, welcomed the three marchers to Richmond. They met at the corner of Cary and Belvidere streets and walked together to the Capitol, where the dream walkers gave a press conference.

Along the way, Roa said the group has come across a considerable amount of backlash from anti-immigration groups, including being called “Mexican dogs” during their walk in Georgia. Despite the resistance, the walkers have also received financial and emotional support from communities and individuals who believe in their cause.

“Everything that we have, even our shoes and socks, everything, has been donations that we received from members of other communities,” Roa said.

Jeffrey Limones, a member of Lambda Upsilon Lambda, said providing equal access to higher education is the fraternity’s philanthropy and passion.

“We believe that higher education should be available for all students, whether undocumented or not,” Limones said. “You can’t lose to educate people. It’s a win-win situation.”

Equal access to higher education is what inspired Roa to join the walk.

“We want access to higher education,” Roa said. “We want to be able to contribute back to society and be fully integrated, which we’re not right now. That’s why we’re walking.”

Pancheco said they walk to represent a much larger percentage of undocumented students facing this “human rights issue.”

The walkers plan to arrive in Washington D.C. on May 1 to greet an expected 6,000 people rallying for their cause. They also plan to appeal to President Barack Obama for an immediate end to all student deportations. Matos encouraged all those who believe to join the cause.

“It’s about millions of people and it’s about you who hopefully will take a stance to make sure that the laws are changed and that we can all live in a country that is a little bit more fair for everybody who lives here.”

For more information about the Trail of DREAMs Walkers visit trail2010.org.