Unions fight back...!

In an effort to keep in with the struggle for the Copper Miners in Arizona I have decided to also blog about the struggle for the Copper Miners in Mexico, which mirror the many cases that Arizona has had dealing blows to the Unions.

The Mining companies have targeted all workers, and in the case of Nacozari and Cannanea they shut down the water  to the miners as well as hospitals.. It is a war waged on the Copper Miners that resonates throughout the Southwest..

This documentary was created to show the struggles that the workers and townspeople have had to deal with against a brutally harsh employer called ..Grupo Mexico..

Dream Act Students receive support from the Manzana Foundation..

The Manzana Foundation, was created as a non-profit organization, to help immigrant students receive a college education in Maricopa County..

Arizona Dream Act Students, now have an alternative to attend College Level Courses, that are ...'affordable'... in the County.

This non-profit organization was created by several activist and concerned politicians in the community, who wished to help out the Dreamers, and provide an easier and a more cost effective method to the Maricopa Community College (MCC) system..

The cost to attend a college level course has shot up this year almost 240%, for these immigrant youth. The tuition increase was a critical blow to immigrant students, who have been taking community college classes as a way to continue their education in this post-Prop 300world.

With the help of this enrollment drive by Manzana, the students can now pay $90 per credit hour vs $317 offered currently by MCC..

This tuition increase by MCC, has not deterred the spirit of these very insightful and vibrant youth segment of Arizona.  They continue to strive for higher education, and along with the help of organizations such as the Manzana Foundation, and  Navajo Technical College from New Mexico. The Dreamers will have a pathway for affordable higher education, that will one day lead to a degree.

These two Organizations have partnered up to allow the Dream Act Youth in Maricopa County, an alternative to continue to strive for and receive a college degree. There may be other options, as well, in-the-works. University Level courses may become available, due to the significant interest shown by out of State Educational Institutions willing to offer these courses to these students..

The Dreamers will succeed and prosper, and one day be the future of Arizona..

You can read the press release in its entirety here..

Dream Act Students get affordable alternative to xenophobic Maricopa Community Colleges..

Dream Act Students now have an opportunity to attend affordable college while residing in Maricopa County.

Arizona DREAM Act Coalition, member Viridiana Hernandez, has pointed out the fact that the Maricopa Community College Board, was targeting the immigrant youth who wished to attend higher education courses and advance their potential employment opportunities.

Out-of-state students (or in this case immigrant students) taking six or fewer credit hours pay $96 per credit under the current policies, with a rate increase for more credits. The new rules charge out-of-staters (immigrants once again) $317 per credit, or about $1,000 per class, even if they take a limited schedule.

The targeting of these students came from Debra Pearson, a member of a hate group labeled by the SLPC, called the ...Minutemen...

This group ...'The Minutemen'... as the link mentions, targets not only immigrant students, it targets all Hispanics..

It is this same hate group responsible for the death of 9yr old Mexican/American Brisinia Flores, and her father. They pleaded for their lives in a home invasion that resulted in both of their deaths. As well as the injuries to the mother Gina Marie Gonzales (Mother of Brisinia), the lone survivor of the brutal attack. Gina recently testified in court, resulting in the plaintiffs receiving the death penalty Apr-2011.

In the case of targeting Dream Act Students in Maricopa County, the 230% tuition hike that was sponsored by Debra Person, passed.

The tuition increase for these students, has become the topic of many immigrants rights organizations, as well as activists, and politicians.

Maricopa, remains the only Community College system in Az., that has implemented the tuition hike...as other Counties in Arizona, have refrained from doing so.

Many wishing to help the Dream Act Students , have worked hard at finding and providing these students an alternative.

As in this case of a  Non-Profit Organization called.."Manzana Foundation", this Organization has been working with a partner to make classes affordable. Navajo Technical College, from New Mexico, has agreed to extend satellite classes in Maricopa County, and make them available to the Dream Act Students.

There may be other alternatives, in the works as well, as out-of-state Universities, also have shown interest in educating these students (locally via satellite classes), in the near future.

These monies, of course, could have benefited the State of Arizona, however it chose to send these coffers elsewhere, as it created a hostile environment to educating these young immigrant Dream Act Students.

You can read the press release by the Manzana Foundation by clicking the link here.