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Clarissa Martinez

Profesor Batty

English 101

10 February 2018

Pursuing Dreams

As we were small we all had many dreams and wishes of becoming something in our

future. Now many young undocumented youth are in danger of achieving their dreams. The

program Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals (DACA), helps young undocumented immigrants

of protection from deportation and a work permit, which helps them in the future to have their

dreams come into reality. Although there's people that believe young latino/latina children that

came to the United States illegally should not have an equal education, Levi Ponce mural,

“Sueño”, indicates the dream that young undocumented immigrants have, empowers

undocumented youth and raises awareness on the repeal of DACA.

In Ponce's mural there are many symbols in this mural that stand out to me. One of all

these things that stand out to me the most of this mural is the butterfly because it relates to me as

a Dreamer. Butterflies for us Dreamers represent freedom the reason why butterflies symbolizes

freedom is due to its ability to freely move across borders and for us that can’t do that it’s like a

dream. The butterfly in this mural is a monarch butterfly and it is above the young girls head on

the top right side of the mural. Also another thing that stand out to me was a young girl looking

at a book as if she would read it. In the book a beam of light is swirling out and going above her

head as if it's her imagination or dreams of her. Therefore, I believe this mural represents DACA

because it indicates the dreams that many young undocumented immigrants dream to have in

their future such as anything that has to do with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and
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mathematics).

Once the Trump administration ended DACA many people went to the Trump tower in New

York to protest about repealing DACA. About thirty-four end up being arrested for not being

cooperative and turned over their personal information to police, according to the New York

department. Many protesters then shouted, “When DACA is under attack, what we do? Stand up,

fight back!” Shortly after, the program DACA was being rescind. This demonstrates as what

Ponce's mural empowers young undocumented youth to do, which is to pursue your dreams and

to fight back for them. Ever since then the Congress had to decide whether to end up keeping

DACA. However, I know that even if congress does Dreamers will still fight back to have the

right to have an opportunity for their career. The reason why I believe Ponce thought of this

mural is because he wants to empower undocumented students to keep pursuing their dreams.

Many Republicans may believe that DACA recipients leen from the government and do

not contribute to society's well-being. However, many people actually don't know that DACA

recipients have paid about $2 billion in state and local taxes in a year. In a article called “5

DACA myths debunked”, a young undocumented student from Arizona State University stated, “

[I] just filed my taxes and PAID $300 to the state if Arizona.” She also had a announcement to

President Donald Trump saying, “ Wanna tell me again how I should be deported, contribute

nothing and how leech off this country while 1% wealthiest people in this country steal from you

everyday?” This proves that undocumented immigrants do contribute to society's well being.

Furthermore, I believe that Ponce's mural shows awareness on the repeal of DACA since most of

American society is not knowledgeable about it.

Overall, Levi Ponce mural tells a historical story about young undocumented youth

through his mural by raising awareness of the repeal of DACA, indicating the young
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undocumented immigrants dream, and by empowering undocumented youth through his mural.

He doesn't only to Dreamers, but to every young children that will see that mural. I believe that

when young children see the mural they will know that it's about education and their future.

Therefore, the mural will encourage them to pursue their dreams for their future no matter what

their circumstances are. At the end they will have the mural in mind and as they grow older they

will know the meaning of it, which is to to never give up and to keep pursuing their dreams.

Works Cited

Chavez, Nicole. “ 5 DACA myths debunked”. CNN. October 11, 2017.

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