Staff leader Kimberly Castillo takes a moment at the opening of the Pierce Dream Resource Center, as (from left) LACCD Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez, Board of Trustees 2^nd Vice President Gabriel Buelna and Pierce College President Alexis S. Montevirgen look to the future.

An historic day was marked Sept. 26, 2019, as L.A. Pierce College celebrated the opening of its Dream Resource Center to welcome and serve undocumented students. Key speakers at the ceremony were our new president, Dr. Alexis Montevirgen, followed by the LACCD Chancellor, Dr. Francisco Rodriguez, Board of Trustees 2nd Vice President, Dr. Gabriel Buelna, and Dream Resource Center Lead Kimberly Castillo.

Alluding to the current tensions and hostility in the political discourse on immigration and undocumented status at the national level in his welcome, President Montevirgen set the stage for the significance of the center's opening with, "As I stated back on the morning of Opening Day, Pierce College must be an example and strive to be a shining beacon to show that we can and must be better as a nation.

"Today’s formal opening of the Dream Resource Center is one example of how we are leading the way in that very effort.  It is for me, yet another reason why I am #PIERCECOLLEGEPROUD!"

The new center is a private space located next to the ASO 5100 on the first floor of the Library Learning Crossroads building, easily accessed from the courtyard. It will be a safe haven for Dreamers to gather, study, use computers, and receive assistance in many ways – including with their CA Dream Act Application – to help them pursue their goals at L.A. Pierce College and in this country.

Castillo said, “As the lead of the DRC, I am honored to be in this role where I can empower and support our undocumented student population. I am so excited to have a dedicated space where our students can feel comfortable to ask their questions, share their concerns, gain information and feel heard.”

Other resources available to Dreamers are one-on-one meetings, AB 540 residency support, educational workshops, peer mentoring, a student support group called the I.D.E.A.S. club, scholarship information, local immigration legal services and further opportunities to help them succeed. If you would like more information, contact Kimberly Castillo, instructor special assignment, at castilkd@laccd.edu or (818) 712-2692. Dreamers can also visit the website at www.piercecollege.edu/students/drc/ or email LAPC-Dreamers@laccd.edu.