By Valentina Toro
Features Editor
Students gathered in Engleman Hall on April 15 for UndocuJourney, an event hosted by the UndocuAlly Student Alliance aimed at sharing the personal experiences of undocumented and mixed-status individuals on campus.
Held from 3-4 p.m. in Room B121, the event created a space for students, faculty and staff to listen to firsthand stories often left out of broader campus conversations.
“We wanted to hear people’s personal stories that talked about mixedstatus, undocumented immigrants,” business administration major Jerimiah Parra, a junior and the president of the UndocuAlly Student Alliance, said.
Unlike advocacy or social events, organizers said the program focused on lived experiences and the realities people face while navigating higher education.
Through open discussion, the event highlighted challenges that undocumented individuals encounter while also addressing common misconceptions.
Organizers said many attendees left with a clearer understanding of issues immigrants face that are often misunderstood or overlooked within both academic and public spaces.
“A lot of people don’t really know what they go through,” Parra said. “For example, one of the topics that came up was taxes. People think undocumented individuals take from the system, but they learned that they don’t even get those benefits back.”
The event emphasized education through storytelling, encouraging participants to reflect on how misinformation can shape perceptions.
By creating space for dialogue, organizers aimed to challenge assumptions and promote awareness within the university community.
Planning the event required careful consideration to ensure a safe and supportive environment for those sharing their stories.
Organizers said creating that sense of security was essential given the vulnerability involved in speaking openly about undocumented status and personal experiences.
“We always have to be extra safe and cautious,” Parra said. “It takes a lot of courage just to speak up about your story, so we want to make sure people feel comfortable.”
To maintain that environment, attendance was limited to members of the university community.
Organizers said this helped ensure that those present approached the discussion with understanding and a willingness to listen.
Beyond raising awareness, the event also aligned with the organization’s broader mission of building community and supporting individuals through shared experiences.
“When hearing the actual stories of people, these were our peers, staff and faculty,” Parra said. “It really showed what our true mission is about.”
Participants engaged in conversations that reflected both the struggles and resilience within undocumented communities.
Organizers said the event not only provided a platform for storytelling but also encouraged solidarity among attendees who may not have previously understood these lived experiences.
At its core, UndocuJourney was designed to foster empathy and understanding by allowing individuals to learn directly from one another.
Organizers expressed that even a single story has the potential to resonate and provide support to others facing similar challenges on campus.
“It’s about hearing people’s stories, helping uplift one another and building a community,” Parra said.
