‘I Stand With Immigrants’ event promotes inclusion

Students and staff gathered in the Engleman Hall Rotunda on Oct. 14 for the I Stand With Immigrants event, raising awareness about undocumented communities at the university. 

Hosted by the UndocuAlly Student Alliance, the two-hour event featured trivia games, educational tables and prizes donated by the Makerspace. 

“The main goal behind this event was just to bring awareness and show everybody the stories of undocumented people that they’re not able to tell,” business administration major Jerimiah Parra, a junior and the president of the UndocuAlly Student Alliance, said. 

The goal, organizers said, was to create a welcoming space where students could learn about immigration issues and stand in solidarity with those affected. 

The event, originally scheduled to take place outdoors, was moved inside due to inclement weather. 

Despite the change in venue, students, faculty and staff continued to stop by throughout the afternoon to participate in activities and conversations designed to educate and engage. 

Students were invited to answer trivia questions about immigration while other members of the UndocuAlly Student Alliance shared available resources that students can utilize. 

The event combined interactive learning with community engagement, creating an atmosphere that was both informative and inclusive. 

“Events like this are important for students to just expand their knowledge even if this is not something that directly affects them or their family,” Esteban Garcia, associate bursar and the chair of the DREAMers Action Alliance, said. 

Garcia emphasized that by hosting these events on campus spark a sense of understanding as they provide spaces for students to educate themselves and engage with social justice issues in their community. 

“Looking at the human side of why people migrate to the United States and understanding that immigrants contribute a lot to the U.S.,” Garcia said. 

Events like this one aim to connect local conversations to broader national realities. According to the Pew Research Center, immigrants make up nearly 15% of the U.S. population, one of the highest shares in modern history. 

This data highlights the importance of ongoing conversations about immigration at both national and campus levels. 

Garcia said he believed the event helped to bridge understanding between students from different backgrounds, encouraging empathy and positive dialogue. 

Some of the attendees said they came to show support for friends and classmates who are undocumented or come from mixed-status families. 

“This event is really nice because I have a lot of friends who are undocumented, and I’m their ally,” public health major Abigail Martinez, a sophomore, said. “It’s really nice to see them get the same opportunities as everyone else.” 

Throughout the event, members of the UndocuAlly Student Alliance emphasized that undocumented students face unique challenges on campus and often struggle with visibility. 

For this reason, psychology major Amisa Casseus, a junior, said that these events are an opportunity to amplify their voices and celebrate their resilience. 

“With events like this it feels good to know that people actually care because it is an important issue,” Casseus said. 

The I Stand With Immigrants campaign is part of the national I Am an Immigrant initiative, a movement that encourages universities, organizations and individuals to celebrate the contributions of immigrants and share their stories to build understanding. 

The campaign works to highlight immigrant voices through education, advocacy and community events like this at the university.