12月3日，学生们参加了在大学联合宴会厅举行的“让梦想永存”活动的小组讨论。 (萨克拉门托状态)

Hundreds of educators and allies of so-called Dreamers filled the University Union Ballroom at 萨克拉门托州 for the third annual “Keeping the Dream Alive” conference, where personal stories of hope provided inspiration for those looking to improve the college experience for undocumented students.

The Dec. 3-4 conference highlighted best practices to promote success, remove barriers and reduce fear for students laboring under ongoing uncertainty about the future of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and the program’s protection for Dreamers, whose status remains at risk.

“ 'Keeping the Dream Alive’ is about moving forward ... education in the K-12, community college and higher-education system (for students) who are seeking to advance their lives, become educated, and contribute to society,” said Viridiana Diaz, assistant vice president of strategic diversity initiatives.

会议提供了一个分享知识、专业知识和新兴实践的机会，主题从支持资源中心和无证高中学生的安全空间到最大限度地为大学提供资金和寻找法律解决方案。

This year’s theme, “Rising Beyond the Unimaginable: Visionary Approaches to Promoting Success Among Undocumented and Mixed-Status Students,” has special significance in the current national political climate, University President Robert S. Nelsen said.

“With DACA still in limbo, our students continue to face uncertainty about their future," said Nelsen, a member of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher 教育 and Immigration. "Now more than ever, we have a responsibility to intensify our efforts and show them just how deeply we care and that we plan to support them despite the actions or inactions of our government.”

阿尔玛·瓦尔韦德（Alma Valverde）是圣罗莎初级学院（Santa Rosa Junior College）梦想中心的协调员，她是300多名寻求实用知识分享的参与者之一。

“I want to bring back a lot of ideas on how to increase student activism and awareness and intercampus collaboration and relations with the high schools,” said Valverde. “The variety of interests has stood out so far to me, so it’s not just supporting a section of students, it’s also how to develop allies.”

洪堡州立大学（Humboldt State University）无证中心顾问阿曼达·斯塔克（Amanda Staack）也希望成为科罗拉多州立大学内部变革的推动者。

“Scholars without Borders is a student-run center, so we’re looking to find ways to navigate and find resources on our campus, and also to institutionalize it and to make connections with other people and what they’re doing,” she said.

Attendees heard stories about personal struggles related by speakers such as Aurora Chang, assistant professor and program chair in Higher 教育 at Loyola University’s School of 教育.

张曾是来自危地马拉的非法移民，在里士满的一个八口之家长大。 She encouraged participants to “write the text you have always dreamed of reading,” telling them “our stories are our resistance.”

作家和励志演说家雷纳·格兰德（Reyna Grande）也赞同这一建议，她讲述了自己非法进入美国并最终成为家中第一个大学毕业生的故事。

“One of the things I thought when I succeeded crossing the border after my third attempt, I thought there would be no more borders for me to cross," she said. "And then I realized that I came to a country that loves to put up borders for its immigrant populations, so I have been crossing borders ever since.”

2015年，该大学开设了梦想家资源中心，每年为500-800名学生提供学术和财务指导，获得合法移民服务和支持。 For more information, 访问梦想家资源中心网站. - 安妮塔菲茨休