Proposal for an Office of the University Historian

Collected Histories at UVA

undocUVA

On July 1st, new Virginia state laws have taken effect. One of these laws include that students who have lived and attended secondary education in Virginia for at least two years will be eligible for in-state tuition for Virginia universities and colleges, regardless of immigration status. On June 18th, the United States Supreme Court ruled barred the Trump administration from repealing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program. And on June 16th, the University of Virginia announced that it will allow all students to matriculate, regardless of citizenship status.

Victories like these do not come easy. They are the product of hard work and sacrifice by community organizers, activists, and organizations fighting to make a change for undocu+ communities. Despite this, their work is often overlooked, especially by predominantly white institutions.

Reflections would like to honor undocUVA, formerly known as DREAMers on Grounds. Since their inception, they worked to educate and advocate for  undocu+ issues, and greatly contributed to making matriculation possible at the University. We have curated a collected history* of their organization. *This does not represent all that they have accomplished or the entirety of what they do, but we hope it showcases how long they have worked for inclusion of undocu+ voices at UVA.

Although we celebrate these victories, the work is not over. Follow @undocUVA and get involved with their mission to make UVA equitable for undocu+ students after matriculation.