As I was watching the Miami Heat beat the Oklahoma Thunder, I drew the parallels between the Heat winning and the President's DREAMer policy announcement. A week ago, undocumented young Americans celebrated the bold move President Barack Obama made across the country. The policy ensures the 1.4 million DREAM Act-eligible youth safety from deportation and allows them to go through an application process that would include work permits.
LeBron's smile was just as big as the ones that I saw on the faces of DREAMers last week. LeBron jumped up and down, and when he was interviewed, he said, "It's about damn time." LeBron James is a player who is highly criticized for seeking a better opportunity for himself. He noted that people said he was "selfish"-- something that young people like myself have heard many times as we zeroed-in our energies to ask the President to grant administrative relief for DREAMers. People would remind us that having a Republican President like Governor Romney, who promised to veto the DREAM Act and advocates an immigration reform that encourages undocumented people to self-deport, would be worse than Obama. We did not let this stop us. And just as LeBron James broke away from his team, young people across the United States broke away from the establishment and created their own strategy that led both to victory.
LeBron said, "I was able to put ourselves in a position to win." There were times where the Miami Heat seemed disconnected and even uncoordinated -- something that we, in the DREAM movement, know too well. Within our movement, organizational conflicts were sometimes a distraction. Despite the many distractions, we were able to pull through our differences. Having the same goal in mind, we proved our power through a collective effort.
The Miami Heat overcame the challenges by having everyone on the team step up when needed. In comparison, after having internal meetings, we organized and implemented our plans, which included vigils, rallies and civil disobedience. Our presence in Washington D.C. was crucial in moving the president's stance in the matter. More importantly, having our allies and supporters step up by writing op-eds, sending in letters, and weighing in with the president, was instrumental in convincing the administration that it was the right thing to do. Even though it was a political risk, it comes with such great benefits, including gaining the Latino votes and increasing Obama's chances of re-election. Every member of the movement stepped up in the 11th hour, and an achievement was attained by team effort.
Like the Heat's Big 3 of LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, we also needed a DREAM team combination to make our dream a reality -- with Senator Durbin at point guard, pushing the efforts and leading the crusade, Senator Rubio and Senator Reid opening the defense, Congressman Gutierrez maneuvering through the court and tosses a no-look pass to the DREAMers for a monster dunk and get the President to change from "No se puede" to "Si se pudo."
Prior to LeBron's first season with the Heat, fans were reluctant in embracing and fully supporting him. After showing his dedication and heart, he won over Heat fans, who have ultimately have come to accept him. Comparatively, the public perception for undocumented people has started to change as well. It is still a long road ahead, but these first steps of acceptance are how perception will change. On the cover of TIME magazine, aspiring citizens like myself were not called derogatory terms, like "illegal," but rather what we have always known to be: Americans.
You cannot win without working hard and dedicating the majority of your time to something. Losing touch with a couple of friends, missing birthdays and having sleepless nights were just some of the sacrifices that were necessary to make this win happen. Our work took a lot of heart and like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the entire Miami Heat team, who showed on the court their passion and love for basketball, we too share our love and passion for our community and family.
LeBron was finally able to see his dream come true -- to win an NBA title. At the same time, Friday's announcement made 1.4 million aspiring citizens a step closer to seeing their dreams coming true. Like LeBron, we will remain hungry and humble, fighting for not just our livelihood but also that of our community.
Follow Gaby Pacheco on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@gabypacheco1
Why is it that undocumented aliens gave up on their home countries? Why didn't they take that optimistic spirit and attempt to rectify the inefficiencies and inequities of their own societies instead of ripping apart our borders and then demanding that we give them citizenship?
These people are cowards.
Miami Heat. She should join the Romney campaign staff! Lol
Obama need votes, that's all !
He had a supermajority and did NOTHING about immigration reform, he didn't even bring it up.
Stop thinking you are some powerful movement, you were pandered to for votes.
Typical illegal alien, she has no regard for anyone or anything else, just an amnesty for her. Laws are irrelevant.
would benefit humanity
Without reason
we have today.
This president is the one to do it.
Obama 2012
There is so much else to accomplish
Actually, Him needing your votes is what got it done...you give yourself too much credit.
The DREAMers are the ones who actually can HELP the country improve and not take for-granted the opportunities it provides. Do you really want to defend the "americans" who are on welfare ,and yet drive a BMW or own a Coach purse? This is reality. The 800,000+ currently undocumented would probably make better citizens than the ones who were born here and feel they are entitled to everything the government can provide. This country cultivated these minds and their talents. Do you really think it's a great idea to send them back where their skills are applied somewhere else? If you're answer is yes, then maybe YOU should be deported.
They should be required to sign their Student Loan papers for the $158,600, each for their received K-12 Education costs.
Secondly, having a permit and not having a permit makes a world of difference that apparently a teenager like you don't know because... well... you live in your parents' basement.
By allowing access, the hard working youth in American can move on with their lives that was a political football for 10 years.
I have a dream, too. Do you dreamers (and supporters) want to hear it? I dream that my country is recognized as a sovereign nation. I dream that our borders and laws are respected. I dream that my country and its environment don't become an overcrowded and overstressed mess. I dream that the wishes of the American people to whom this country belongs get what THEY want. I dream that our craven politicians one day put their concern for their country ahead of their short-term political concerns. Anyone care about my dream?
I also dream of the day when we stop caving in to trespassers and send them all home.