In Keynote, Activist Details His Undocumented Experience

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas shared his experience as an undocumented immigrant from the Philippines and argued for the need for more open conversation about racial equality and immigration at an Askwith Forum on Friday. The talk also served as the keynote address for the 13th annual Alumni of Color Conference.

Vargas, also a filmmaker and the founder of a campaign called “Define American,” is a well-known immigration activist.

According to Mark Nelson, a committee co-lead of Communications and Publications for the AOCC, the steering committee invited Vargas to speak at the conference as part of this year’s theme “The Other Narrative: Celebrating Untold Stories.”

Vargas began with an anecdote about how his grandparents paid $3,500 to smuggle him out of the Philippines with a fake green card. He spoke about his struggle to understand his identity as an undocumented gay immigrant.

Vargas also discussed how he became recognized through his journalistic work and writing. He said that he continues to travel across the country, delivering speeches and making documentaries as part of “Define American,” a media and culture campaign that aims to shift perspectives on citizenship and immigration in the United States.

Vargas criticized what he described as the general public’s refusal to acknowledge undocumented immigrants as citizens while profiting from their cheap labor.

“You know that without us, you wouldn’t have lettuce and tomatoes. Who would babysit your kids? Who would mow your lawns?” he said.“The actual narrative is, without our money into your fund, it would go bankrupt. And you have the audacity to call us illegal and say get out of here?”

Although he said that he sometimes wonders why he chooses to stay in a country that he argued does not want him, Vargas said that he continues his work on encouraging undocumented immigrants to share their stories. According to Vargas, these narratives are an important part of the American identity.

“Individually and collectively, [their] coming out is tied to the story of America,” he said.

He ended his address with three questions for the audience to mull over: “Where did you come from, how did you get here, and who paid?”

Vargas’s address was part of a two-day conference at the Graduate School of Education dealing with issues of race, class, and education.

Jackie I. Iloh, one of the tri-chairs of AOCC 2015, referred to the keynote address as “an opportunity to engage a large crowd at one time around our theme.” She said there are over 200 presenters, ranging from youth to researchers, at the conference.

Nelson said the conference allows students and attendees to look at “how we as students that are going into the education field can make an impact that works towards justice and equity.”

—Staff writer Jessica Kim can be reached at jessica.kim@thecrimson.com.