For the cynics that make up the right wing of the political spectrum, the passing of the NY Dream Act is just that; a dream. The good news, for those that support the passing of the legislation, is that there is a group of young men and women that are up to the task.
They are a part of an organization called The New York State Youth Leadership Council (NYSYL). NYSYL is a youth led organization that advocates for access to higher education and creating equal opportunity for immigrant youth regardless of immigration status.
After the Dream Act failed to garner enough votes to pass on a federal level, the organization revised its strategy and began anew by trying to get the law implemented on a state by state level. The dreamers, as they refer to themselves, approached State Senator
Bill Perkins. The Senator, impressed by their enthusiasm, said “that they reminded him of Martin Luther King in his time” and joined their efforts by introducing the legislation in the state senate. Currently the bill has 12 co-sponsors. In addition to the senate, the bill was introduced in the state assembly by Assemblyman Guillermo Linares. The dreamers have left no stone unturned, and their agenda also includes bringing Governor
Cuomo on board. Their efforts to court Governor Cuomo began by circulating a petition titled “Asking Governor Cuomo to take a stand on the Dream Act.” Currently the petition has 5,000 signatures on it. The dream will become a reality if this group has anything to say about it.
Roberto Perez