Written Itzel Calvo Medina
Author's Statement:
"I wrote this guide as a collection of anecdotes and lessons I have learned from being an undocumented, working-class woman of color who is also an organizer and a student. I want this guide to inspire people to organize in their communities and develop the tools they need in the ongoing fight for liberation and freedom.
This guide is not a step by step manual for you to join a movement and be successful, but rather a testimony to the many things you can and will face when you’re starting to organize." - Itzel Calvo Medina
About Itzel
Itzel Calvo Medina is an abolitionist and deportation defense organizer at the California Immigrant Youth Justice Alliance. Itzel’s undocumented status led her to advocate and organize for immigrant rights beyond the Dreamer Narrative. She works against the Carceral state that is mirrored in detention centers by supporting the efforts of directly impacted people fighting for their freedom and uplifting the narratives of the most criminalized that are often left out of the national conversation in immigration. She has been interviewed by CNN, Al Jazeera+, and Glamour Magazine. She migrated with her family from Oaxaca, Mexico in 1999 and currently resides in San Francisco. She is an undergrad at UC Berkeley as an Ethnic Studies Major. Itzel is the 2020 recipient of the Robert J. and Mary Catherine Birgeneau Recognition Award for Service to Undocumented Students.
Graphic Design by Maria Hu Wu
Artist's Statement:
"As the designer and artist bringing this into life from scratch was a fun challenge, I wanted to portray this as a journey of a student that wants to start organizing on campus. However, not everybody has a clear idea of how that looks. Thus this feels more personal—it is like a friend that is guiding you through the hoops of community organizing as you get enriched with experiences, organizers and resources on- and off-campus. My vision was to make it accessible, approachable, and friendly, reflecting the environment and people we organize with." - Maria Hu Wu
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