Since we got involved with DACA applications in late August, we've been reaching out to community groups to discuss ways LexSpot could get involved and make the Deferred Action application process easier for them and their members. While we've found amazing partners among some of the already established Not-for-Profits, we've been absolutely blown away by the consistent effort and success of the youth groups we've seen in action.
This shouldn't have come as a surprise -- after all, these groups and their young leaders have been actively pursuing the DREAM Act for years. Nonetheless, we've been blown away by their dedication to the community and how tirelessly they serve. Here's a shout out to two of the groups we've been thrilled to work with along the way!
DACAInformation.com
IvÌÁn Ceja was among the first DACA applicants, but getting his own relief wasn't enough for him. First, he went to Facebook and created a group "Deferred Action" which rallied the community into a single discussion where individuals could ask for help, share information about the process, and celebrate their acceptance. Even then, IvÌÁn realized that many of the common questions of the group could be better served by a static website detailing many of the processes he was faced with after he was accepted for DACA -- applying for a Social Security card, Drivers License, etc -- and so DACAinformation.com was born!
One Michigan
One Michigan is another group that stands out from the crowd. Located in Detroit, One Michigan provides resources to immigrants through organizing, education, and empowerment. Among many other efforts, One Michigan offers local DACA workshops but they quickly found that 1) they had more applicants than they could assist efficiently and 2) applicants were finding them from all over Michigan. That was when Jose Franco reached out to us to discuss a partnership.
I love seeing how these groups have hustled to serve their communities and how inclusively they've defined themselves. Because these groups are headed by youth that's engaged online, they're recognizing opportunities to serve their communities that have never existed before. At LexSpot, we want to keep up with the efforts of these groups and others like them. If you see an opportunity to improve the DACA application process in your community, we want to hear about it.
What other groups have you seen go above and beyond for their communities? More of these stories need to get told so that DACA applicants all over the country can find the local resources they need.
