Moroccan-born rapper French Montana launches DACA campaign

More and more professional athletes and entertainers are getting involved in things that affect their communities, refusing to accept the current administration’s disregard for life-changing programs. Now comes popular rapper French Montana, who has launched the We Are the Dream campaign aimed at providing undocumented immigrants with resources to get a good education. DACA has been in the news lately as President Donald Trump and his Republican cronies are trying to discontinue the program. Thousands, perhaps millions, of children and young people come to this country from all over the world, sometimes seeking political asylum and their kids are victims when they can’t go to school, especially college or even a trade school. According to Rolling Stone, French Montana is working with MTV and a non-profit organization called Get Schooled to launch We Are the Dream. “I am one of tens of thousands of first- and second-generation immigrants that are having a significant positive impact on the United States,” the “Unforgettable” rapper told Rolling Stone. “I am excited to lead others in this fight to ensure Dreamers connect with support they need to get to college and make their American Dream come true.” The We Are the Dream campaign targets high school to college-aged undocumented students. According to a 2015 report from the Department of Education, five to 10 percent of 65,000 undocumented students who graduate high school will pursue higher education. That statistic could worsen as Congress continues to debate a proposal that would offer protections to nearly 800,000 individuals who came to the U.S. as children and were protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. We Are the Dream is centered around a new website, We Are the Dream.us, a digital hub packed with resources for undocumented students and their families. The site includes information on scholarships and sanctuary colleges as well as personal stories. Students will also be able to text “college” to 335577 to talk with counselors who will be able to help them further. French Montana will specifically helm We Are the Dream’s social media campaign, which encourages people post selfies to Twitter or Instagram and tag them #WeAreTheDream to “spread awareness and stand in solidarity with the belief that everyone should be able to go to college.” Get Schooled will also host a Twitter chat February 20th with experts in higher education and immigration. Get Schooled is also offering a handful of $1,000 grants to schools and organizations committed to supporting undocumented students. The deadline to submit a grant application is February 28th.