UNDOCUMENTED PULITZER PRIZE WINNER JOSE ANTONIO VARGAS GIVES KEYNOTE SPEECH AT ALL PEOPLE’S BREAKFAST HONORING DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING

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By Manuel Ocana (Spanish translation below)
 

January 19, 2012 (San Diego) --Philippino undocumented immigrant and Pulitzer Prize winning reporter Jose Antonio Vargas was the keynote speaker for the All People's Breakfast honoring Dr Martin Luther King on Monday, January 16.

Vargas, who published his article "My Life As Undocumented" in the New York Times last summer, spoke in front of over 1,200 people attending the breakfast. View a video of his interview with ECM, and scroll down for highlights.

"We are not who you think we are; we're your neighbors, we go to your churches, we go to your schools. We don't just mow your lawns and babysit your kids, we actually write news articles, we go to college, we graduate from engineering schools and law schools and medical schools…We're here," Vargas said as he spoke about undocumented people.

In an interview with East County Magazine, Vargas said he was inspired by thousands of undocumented students who, like himself, came to the U.S. with their parents and grew up in American society.

At the event, the San Diego Human Relations Commission also honored Estela De Los Rios, executive director of the Center for Social Advocacy, with the Ashley L. Walker Social Justice Award.


El indocumentado y ganador del Premio Pulitzer José Antonio Vargas habló en el Desayuno de Todos los Pueblos, enque se honró al Dr. Martin Luther King

16 de enero, 2012 (San Diego) -- El inmigrante indocumentado de Filipinas y gnador del Premio Pulitzer de periodismo, el reportero José Antonio Vargas, fue el orador principal en el Desayuno de Todos los Pueblos, en el que se honró al doctor Martin Luther King en San Diego.

Vargas, quien publicó su artículo "Mi vida como indocumentado" en la revista del periódico The New York Times el verano pasado jhabló frente a unas 1,200 personas que atendieron al evento.

"Nosotros no somos quienes ustedes piensan que somos; somos sus vecinos, vamos a las mismas iglesias, vamos a las mismas escuelas, ; no sólo arreglamos su jardín o cuidamos de sus niños, de hecho también escribimos artículos, vamos a la universidad, nos graduamos en escuelas de ingeniería o leyes o medicina, y estamos aquí", dijo Vargas al hablar de las personas indocumentadas.

En entrevista con East County Magazine, Vargas dijo que se inspiró en miles de estudiantes indocumentados quienes, como él, vinieron a Estados Unidos con sus padres y crecieron en la sociedad estadunidense.

En el evento, la Comisión de Derechos Humanos de San Diego otorgó a la directora ejecutiva del Center for Social Advocacy, Estela de los Ríos, el premio Ashley L. Walker de Justicia Social.
 


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