An East San Jose school is already beginning to feel an influx of immigrants who came from across the border to the Bay Area following the end of Title 42.
Local leaders came together on Friday to let these families know they are ready to welcome their children.
“In this painting I am representing the barrier that they put up at the border and representing all the barriers that we have to go through as immigrants in this country,” he explained.
Leisar Garcia, student of the popular school.
Leiser left his native Guatemala and crossed the border alone to the United States at the age of only 17 to pursue his dream of studying and becoming a painter.
“We reached the border and the immigration officers caught us and took us to egg cups, because everything is cold in that place and they keep us in cages, sometimes I felt I wasn’t able to take it More now, that I was going to die,” Leiser recalled.
They were detained for a long time until she was able to reach San Jose and meet her father.
The young man then enrolled at the Popular School, where today, nearly three years after his arrival, he stands at a podium telling his story in English, a language he learned at school, and exhibiting his paintings Was. His desire, he assured, is to welcome back all children who come after crossing the border because of the end of Title 42.
Friends of Guadalupe policy director Jeremy Barouse said, “Since Monday we’ve received about 12 families, all families came with children and we’re helping them with enrollment in schools and with school districts to put the children in school.” working with.”
Barousse confirmed that her organization joined local leaders in calling on the governor for more funding to respond to the arrival of immigrants, as institutions such as Popular Schools are currently needed in the county specializing in transition bilinguals. The only one is that for recent Hispanic immigrants, it is higher.
“We have a waiting list of 500 students and we expect many more to come, so we want to be ready to receive them and help them with the process of adapting to society and this community,” said Patricia, Director of Popular Reguerin said. School.
Escuela Popular has its own regular school but also has a night school program for adults. They accept new students every 45 days because they understand that immigrant families don’t just come at the beginning of the school year.
Leeser will soon graduate, and one of his paintings has already won a prestigious county award.
“I want you to know that it is possible and that we are here for you,” the young man said.
