ariannabee:

National Coming Out of the Shadows Week began in Chicago on March 10th, 2010 and then spread all over the nation. It created public spaces for undocumented people to challenge the mainstream narratives of who we are, and to advocate and speak for ourselves.

Being able to speak publicly about being undocumented, despite our fears, lets us remember that we are not doing anything wrong, and that we have the right to be here and be treated as human beings.

Last year, during March 10th, undocumented immigrant youth along with our allies publicly defied fear and criminalization without shame by declaring to be “undocumented, unafraid, and unapologetic” in the pursuit of equal rights and immigration reform. Now, in 2012, we are still undocumented and are still finding people who have lived silent and scared for too long.