Project Description

In this two month long project,  students advocated for making San Diego County a more welcoming place for immigrants by writing a policy memo and speech, then presenting both to a local governing body in early March. Student's policy recommendations originated from community voices and the Welcoming SD Report. Students also studied the history of borders and immigration in order to fully understand the past, present, and future of immigration in their community and country. By forming an opinion on immigration, and acting upon that opinion students lived out the democratic ideals of our country while improving the overall condition of our community. 

​

Learning Goals

One Page Policy Memo 
  • Outlines the problem based on research from the Welcoming Cities Initiative and parent interviews
  • Key facts based on research from the Welcoming Cities Initiative and parent interviews
  • Specific policy recommendations based on the Welcoming Cities Initiative
  • Skills Focus: grammar/spelling, argumentation, claim/evidence/reasoning, immigration, public policy, history
 
One minute Speech
  • Outlines the problem and a possible solution through a specific or general policy call-to-action
  • Skills Focus: Public Presentations, Speech Writing, Rhetoric, Public Narrative

​Community Advocate Partners

Students all received a mentor from the community. These advocates work to improve their community every day by focusing on issues such as immigration, criminal justice, and more. Advocates met with their mentee students twice over the course of the project to critique policy memos and speeches.

Thank you to the following mentors for volunteering your time!

Itzel Guillen, Alliance SD
Erin Tsurumoto Grassi, Alliance SD
Councilman Mike Diaz, City of Chula Vista
Pedro Rios, American Friends Service Committee
Paola Martinez-Montes, ACCE Action
Margaret Baker, South Bay People Power
Nancy Sandweiss, South Bay People Power
Jason Bercovitch, Congressman Scott Peters
Paola Guzman, Congressman Juan Vargas
Jessica Mier, Congresswoman Susan Davis
Maya Srikrishnan, Voice of San Diego
Kylee HoynackiInstitute for Public Strategies
Stelle Andrade, Institute for Public Strategies
Meredith Gibson, Institute for Public Strategies
Gerrlyn Gacao, ACLU
Dalia Gonzalez, Chula Vista Human Relations Committee
Jim Scofield, South Bay People Power