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Cant believe it has almost been about a years time since I was invited to speak at the TEDxMileHigh Immigration in America Adventure series at the Museo De Las Americas last year in November 2018. Time sure flies by these days.

TEDxMileHigh Adventures invite you to explore big ideas – up close and personal – as you experience the work and vision of Colorado creatives, innovators and thought-leaders.

At the event, I was invited to speak on the first person narrative of my life living as a DACA recipient along with other fellow DACA leaders from the community. In planning for the event I got a chance to meet other DACA leaders in the community and learned a lot from their shared stories and how each lived their lives.

Since coming out with my DACA status on Colorado Public Radio in early 2018, my life has changed in a big way both positively and negatively. I had to restart and rebuild, transform the shell of my past and way of living to adapt to a new identity and self image. It can be supremely uncomfortable to live your life so openly in vulnerability but I also firmly believe that vulnerability is the only method to building strength. Although coming out has released me from mental bondage and helps protect me from getting openly exploited – I still face the same amount of legal risk, lack of federal benefits and a different type of exploitation each day I live in my home of America.

The TEDxMileHigh Immigration in America Adventure series focused on educating the community about the diverse and hot topic issues surrounding Immigration and what means to be an immigrant in America today through three experientially simulated experiences in categories of Experience, Stories and Conversation.

Through the speaking engagement I felt supported and indifferent in the embrace of others like me, it gave me a platform to engage and to be heard within my community but it also showed me the complex loopholes of immigration reform, the stark realities of the contrasting opinions of the public towards immigration and how blind we are to the challenges of our neighbors.

We had a group of about 6 speakers who represented the different tapestry of immigration, from lawyers to artists, business owners and students. The whole experience felt new but turned out to be quite engaging and inspirational at the end. The actual event ran by pretty quickly starting with the speakers then dismantling into workshop groups ending with performance by local Slam poet Meta Sarmiento.

About the Workshop:

It would seem that the vitriolic rhetoric circulating our media is something new, but unfortunately, it’s been occurring since the founding of the country. From controversial land grabs from the Native Americans to the influx of immigrant workers to the brave families escaping war and famine, immigration is an integral part of our nation’s history. Therefore, it’s incumbent upon us to educate ourselves on immigration so we can prepare for a better future.

In doing so, you’ll join TEDxMileHigh and collaborators in this three-part workshop to engage in the experience, stories, and conversation involving immigration today.

Experience: To better understand the experience of an immigrant, you’ll learn the legal systems in place for modern immigrants as well as make the hypothetical decisions that many immigrants must choose while striving for citizenship in the US.

Stories: Many discussions have usurped our public discourse over immigration. By focusing on the moral and legal perspectives, you’ll listen to the stories that uncover the truth behind this difficult conversation.

Conversation: In this facilitated conversation, you’ll engage with your fellow attendees by sharing both your opinion, listening to those of others’ and debating from a point of view with which you may disagree.