José is a Dreamer
José is a Dreamer
About José
My name is José Castillo, and I am 22 years old. When I was four years old, my parents took my little sister and me and packed up everything they owned. We got on a plane and headed to the United States to escape a country in its early stages of turmoil.
My parents gave up everything they had to provide us with a sliver of a chance, one they knew we wouldn’t have in Venezuela. They made it a point to raise us well while shielding us from racism and their fears of deportation. Eventually, we came to understand just how many doors were closed to us. Disheartened and frightened for our future, we prayed for something, anything. DACA was that something.
DACA has given me hope and a real chance, but more importantly, it has given me a voice. I can proudly tell my story to anyone who is willing to listen. A story about a family who is determined and persistent in their pursuit of an American life. DACA’s removal would rip that away from us.
Ending DACA will hurt more than 800,000 people. People not just with dreams and aspirations but people that want to be seen, understood, and welcomed. They are your friends, and your neighbors, your school teachers and your doctors and they need you to come to their side and help. Call congress, have an open conversation, relay facts and fight for my family and the hundreds of thousands like us.
Download José’s and other Dreamer’s posters for print here.
Other Dreamer Stories
Mayra is a Dreamer
Special Education Paraprofessional & Student
Mayra is a DreamerSpecial Education Paraprofessional & Student
