Blog
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DNC Profiles: Kemi from Houston
September 04, 2012
“Being black and undocumented is an uncommon intersection.” — Kemi Bello
Name: Kemi Bello
Party affiliation: None. I am comfortable existing outside of any political ideology.
Where are you coming from? Houston, Texas, but I am originally from Lagos, Nigeria.
How did you get to Tampa? Undocubus came to Texas on their journey across the United States. I connected with them in Austin and decided to join them. I knew about them because I’m involved with the DREAMers. I took a flight from Texas to Atlanta, but when I got there, Undocubus was already in Tennessee. So I got on the MARTA at ATL and took it to the Greyhound Station, where I picked up a bus to Knoxville. Once I got to the Knoxville bus station, I hopped a cab to the nearby Unitarian Universalist Church where I found my travel companions. The only thing I didn’t do is ride a bike!
Why are you here?
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Listen to Kemi’s spoken-word poem about why she is on the Undocubus to Charlotte: -
The Undocumented Bus: In Charlotte, A Different Kind Of Coming Out
September 04, 2012
The bus is always the center of attention. Partly because it's a hulking 1970s tour bus that somehow made it from Arizona all the way to Charlotte, but mostly because of what's inscribed on the side of it in thick, black letters.
"Sin Papeles, Sin Miedo," it reads in Spanish. "No papers, no fear."
Carrying a bunch of undocumented activists, the bus rolled through the country, through states like Arizona, Texas, Louisiana and Georgia, and into Charlotte on the eve of the Democratic National Convention.
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The Nation: Undocubus at the DNC
September 04, 2012
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Undocumented Latinos end protest tour of south at Democratic convention
September 03, 2012
For the past 15 years Miguel Guerra has been living in the shadows as an undocumented Latino immigrant in the US. He kept out of view, avoided public places and never spoke his mind to anyone outside his immediate family.
Not any more.
Under a blazing North Carolina sun, Guerra joined almost 50 other undocumented Latino immigrants on a Sunday in a park on the outskirts of Charlotte, the North Carolinan venue of this week's Democratic national convention. It was in effect a mass coming out ceremony.
For the past six weeks the group has been riding across the American south in a converted Greyhound bus bearing the slogan: "No Papers No Fear". They have stopped in about 20 cities in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia before arriving in North Carolina, holding rallies and confronting anti-Latino prejudice along the way.
"We're no longer afraid to say we are undocumented," Guerra declared.
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Enfrentando Leyes Anti-Inmigrantes Sin Papeles, Sin Miedo
September 03, 2012
Esperaba con entusiasmo unirme a la caravana por la justicia, y viajar en el “Undocubus” y conocer a los “riders” por quienes sentía profunda admiración y respeto por su determinado valor, y por que mis dos hijas han estado en el camión por las ultimas 6 semanas. Llegué el domingo 26 de Agosto a Atlanta a las 4 de la mañana y salimos rumbo a Knoxville, Tennessee.
Durante el viaje todos íbamos catando alegres y optimistas. Llegamos a una iglesia donde se nos dio un espacio para dormir y siempre tuvimos el cariño de los numerosos voluntarios que preparaban abundantes desayunos y exquisitas comidas. Cuanto respeto me inspiraron, querían saberlo todo. De donde veníamos, querían escuchar nuestras historias, querían que supiéramos que ellos nos apoyaban plenamente.
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March on Wall Street South
September 03, 2012
As our first action in Charlotte, North Carolina, we marched for immigrant rights in Charlotte. As part of the March on Wall Street South, we said 'Sin papeles y sin miedo' and called for the private prisons and the politicians to stop profiting off of our community's suffering. Read More »
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Undocumented DNC Protestors Run the Risk of Deportation
September 02, 2012
Two questions determine the destiny of Mecklenburg County jail inmates.
Sheriff Chipp Bailey explained to WBTV Friday, "There are two (questions) that ask if they are born in the United States, or if they are citizens of the United States?"
Bailey says an answer of "no" means the federal government will then step in.
"If they are found to be in the country undocumented - we're gonna contact Immigration Customs Enforcement."
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Immigration Rights Advocates Pull into Charlotte for the DNC
September 02, 2012
One is a stay-at-home mom of three. Another is a construction worker. One is a student who hopes to attend graduate school for math and economics.All of them risked deportation to demand greater rights for undocumented immigrants.
They, along with 22 others, arrived in Charlotte Saturday evening on the “Undocubus.”
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‘Undocubus’ Dreamers arrive to be heard at Democratic Convention
September 02, 2012
For five weeks, a stay-at-home mom of three, a construction worker, a student who aspires to attend graduate school and more than 20 others risked deportation to travel on a “undocubus” across the country—for a cause.
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Now they want their voices to be heard at the Democratic National Convention.
Their journey is called the “No Papers, No Fear Ride for Justice.” They say it is intended to call attention to the abuses that undocumented immigrants, like them, face due to tough state immigration laws and treatment by authorities.
They’ve been riding a 1972 bus dubbed “undocubus” that left from one of the worst battlegrounds, Arizona, in July and—after making stops in 10 states and more than 15 cities—arrived in Charlotte, North Carolina, this weekend. Their plan is to attend the Democratic National Convention Sept. 4-6. They chose that political powwow over the Republican National Convention because they want to have a voice at the convention. Tania Unzueta, one of the undocubus riders, told VOXXI last month that the Democratic Party is “a place where immigrants are supposed to be welcomed.” -
What we bring to Charlotte
September 01, 2012
After 10 states and more than fifteen cities, we will arrive in Charlotte, North Carolina today.
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The city is the home to one of the biggest promoters of the 287(g) deportation program. It will be host to the Democratic National Convention. And it is the place that people like Isaide Serrano, a pregnant mother of five and member of La Familia Unida who faces deportation court on Tuesday, live their lives.
Charlotte is also the site of our last week of the No Papers No Fear Ride for Justice. -
Sharing Stories with the People of Knoxville
September 01, 2012
This series of stories (and a song!) was recorded during a community event in Knoxville Tennessee. They are examples of one part of the work that we have been doing while traveling through the southern United States.
Esta serie de historias (y una canción) fué grabada durante un evento comunitario en Knoxville, Tennessee. Son ejemplos de una parte del trabajo que hemos estado haciendo mientras viajamos por la parte sur de Estados Unidos.
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Las Mariposas - The Butterflies
September 01, 2012
Its been more than a few times that while driving in between cities butterflies appear around us, and I’ve wondered whether or not they’re coming along for the ride or if its simply normal for them to be in these parts this time of the year. Their timing coincides with the image of the butterfly growing as a symbol of this ride. That is one of the funnest things to experience in organizing – when something begins to take on a life of its own. I love the possibility of an idea, a sense of something and not having a clue what it will become in the end. I am thankful that I am still willing to try things that I don’t have an idea of what the outcome will be. But having a sense of the possibility, and that it could be good, makes taking a chance, the risk is worth it.That is why as we continue on, the butterfly grows and flutters more and more in my mind. Ever present. Its nature, its essence. The way it has had meaning to cultures and different peoples. The way it develops, a physical manifestation of the quantitative growth of something…step by step by step..so delicate that you can’t always tell its changing; to the qualitative change, when something clicks and that person, place or thing bears little resemblence to its former self.
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Browning of America - Olmeca
September 01, 2012
Inspired by the undocumented participants in the No Papers No Fear Ride for Justice, Hip-Hop artist, Olmeca, offers a sneak peak of the track "Browning of America" from his upcoming album, Brown is Beautiful.
In the final week of the six-week journey, undocumented riders are arriving in Charlotte, NC for the Democratic National Convention where they will continue coming out with no papers and no fear to rally the immigrant community, give a face to immigration, and insist the President do more to stop deportations.
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