Background
In February, 2010, during Sacramento Friends’ monthly Meeting for Business, Patricia Portillo spoke about her leading to help undocumented students attend college. Patricia’s leading emerges from both her personal experience and her ongoing commitment to education. Recalling her own experiences as an undocumented student, she felt a deep calling to organize a scholarship fund.
After hearing Patricia speak of her leading, and after becoming acquainted with several undocumented students from Sacramento State University, a number of Friends have been moved to join Patricia in exploring and seasoning this leading.
There are thousands of undocumented students in California. While the exact number of undocumented students at Sacramento State University is not known, we estimate that the number is close to 100. These undocumented students at Sacramento State are our neighbors. They are young people who have grown up in our state and prepared themselves for college. Most come as children through no choice of their own. These neighbors have lived for years in fear of deportation for themselves and family members. Jobs, travel, car ownership, and schooling that citizens take for granted can be difficult and perilous.
We seek to show love to these neighbors by providing college scholarships. In doing so, we seek to live out our testimonies to equality, integrity, community, and peace. Scholarship support from our Meeting for these students could make a significant difference in their lives, and could offer some hope in the face of the many challenges confronting these young people.
From Faith and Practice:
“The Spirit we follow is present in each individual human being. To be true to that Spirit, we must recognize and nourish the spiritual worth of all people, particularly those who have been devalued or excluded. Following the Spirit’s leadings together, we hope to overcome the neglect or disrespect of children, the poor, and the socially marginalized.”
In February, 2010, during Sacramento Friends’ monthly Meeting for Business, Patricia Portillo spoke about her leading to help undocumented students attend college. Patricia’s leading emerges from both her personal experience and her ongoing commitment to education. Recalling her own experiences as an undocumented student, she felt a deep calling to organize a scholarship fund.
After hearing Patricia speak of her leading, and after becoming acquainted with several undocumented students from Sacramento State University, a number of Friends have been moved to join Patricia in exploring and seasoning this leading.
There are thousands of undocumented students in California. While the exact number of undocumented students at Sacramento State University is not known, we estimate that the number is close to 100. These undocumented students at Sacramento State are our neighbors. They are young people who have grown up in our state and prepared themselves for college. Most come as children through no choice of their own. These neighbors have lived for years in fear of deportation for themselves and family members. Jobs, travel, car ownership, and schooling that citizens take for granted can be difficult and perilous.
We seek to show love to these neighbors by providing college scholarships. In doing so, we seek to live out our testimonies to equality, integrity, community, and peace. Scholarship support from our Meeting for these students could make a significant difference in their lives, and could offer some hope in the face of the many challenges confronting these young people.
From Faith and Practice:
“The Spirit we follow is present in each individual human being. To be true to that Spirit, we must recognize and nourish the spiritual worth of all people, particularly those who have been devalued or excluded. Following the Spirit’s leadings together, we hope to overcome the neglect or disrespect of children, the poor, and the socially marginalized.”