GRF Esmeralda shared the topics of her research at this week’s Rose Cafe. Her work focuses on studying a demographic consisting of undocumented immigrants who are given a narrow label and chance for success, or are otherwise not permitted the basic rights of citizenship, such as obtaining a driver’s license. It’s incredible to think that kids who grew up in the U.S. and have all the same ties and experiences, but are technically undocumented, are treated differently from their peers when they apply to go to college. Many kids don’t even know that they are undocumented until something like this comes up. Drawing from my own experience, when I heard that a friend in high school couldn’t apply to an out-of-state university solely because she was undocumented, despite her intelligence and possible desire to go to a better college, I was shocked at how unfair the system could be.

It was interesting to compare the imagery of immigrants in the U.S. and how perceptions change dramatically with subtle changes in similar depictions. One pair of images that we spent a lot of time discussing was a road sign with a trio of immigrants. One image showed a group that looked hurried, fearful, and (in the case of the child) reluctant. The other, a group of recent graduates, deliberating marching in a forward direction with their heads held high. The reactions to these separate images are very distinct and demonstrate how the feeling towards immigrants in this country is largely governed by their depiction, on road signs, in the media, or elsewhere. The inequality becomes evident when considered in this context and this talk was a good reminder that, although progress is slowly being made, equality is still something we’re striving towards as a country.