Soo Ji Lim, NAKASEC and the Korean Resource Center‘s student leader, shares her powerful story at a press conference on December 3, 2010, in Los Angeles for the DREAM Act.
While she has missed the age requirement for the DREAM Act, she still pushes for its passage for her younger brother and all DREAMers across America. This young woman has overcome numerous difficulties in her life, including losing her parents to terminal illnesses. But it’s this courage, will and determination of the youth movement that continues to inspire us all.
Han Mah Eum = One Heart. DREAM Act Now.
Originally posted on NAKASEC’s Youtube Channel: http://bit.ly/gG7FZu
Meet other Asian American DREAMers like Angela, David, Ju &
check out these video messages from youth in Chicago
Transcript –
Good afternoon. It’s an honor to be here together with all of you, in this fight for immigrant student rights and immigrant family rights. My name is Soo Ji Lim. I’m a transfer student at UCLA with high honors form Fullerton College and I’m currently majoring in French and Art History at UCLA. Yes, I’m an undocumented student. I was not born in this country, but this country has become my home.
I was born in South Korea and came to the United States when I was a 16 with my younger brother and my dear mother. She brought us to the US with her American dream. I will always remember that she wanted my brother and I to pursue our own dreams in America.
Because I was 16, I missed the current DREAM Act requirement by 1 year. But that doesn’t stop me. And I am honored to stand here as a DREAMer.
I am here for my younger brother and for the many impacted brothers and sisters here today and across America. I especially stand with the Korean American and Asian American DREAMers, many of whom face different fears and cultural stigmas for publicly speaking out as an undocumented student.
Right now, my mother is not with us. She was fighting with cancer and because she was undocumented, she could not have all the necessary treatments from a hospital.
Since my younger brother was in elementary school, my parents were divorced. But my mother’s hardships brought my father to America, just to be with us and support all of us. That time was a short moment when we were all together, as one family. In May 2009, three months before my mother took her last breath, my father was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer. He passed away this April. After both of my parents passed away we were facing even more difficulties in many different ways. I hope that students who suffer in the situation that I am in may overcome these obstacles in their lives and pursue their dreams.
God gave me the ability to dream, therefore I dream. I am determined to have no fear in America. I will not let fear silence the truth that I am American. The voices of immigrant people struggling to survive in American society are important to hear.
Everyone can participate and call Congress members at 1-866-587-3023 and ask them to vote YES on our DREAMs Act this year.
To all members of Congress, please hear me when I say, listen to our voice. Pass the DREAM ACT NOW!
Thank you.
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