Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

PCC hosts virtual DREAMers Breakfast fundraiser on Tuesday, Oct. 20

Photos and story by Alfredo V. Moreno

Portland Community College is hosting its second annual DREAMers Breakfast fundraiser – entirely online – on Tuesday, Oct. 20 to celebrate and support PCC’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and undocumented students.

Last year’s event at PCC’s Rock Creek Campus drew more than 220 attendees from throughout the metro area and raised more than $36,000 for PCC Foundation DREAMer scholarships. DREAMers refer to the DREAM Act (Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act), which was a bill in Congress that would have granted legal status to certain undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children.

The DREAMers Breakfast is from 8-9 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 20, on Zoom. Attendance for this year’s event is free and open to supporters. Registration is available at pcc.edu/dreamers, or by calling (971) 722-4382.

During these difficult times, the future can be even more daunting for DACA and undocumented students, who are barred from receiving federal financial aid. Undocumented immigrants and their families (including U.S. citizens), were also largely excluded from receiving aid from the recently passed federal CARES Act to address the economic impact of COVID-19. As a result, they have faced additional burdens in areas such as food and housing insecurity and a lack of access to resources.

PCC’s DREAMers Resource Center – the first of its kind in the state of Oregon – provides a safe place for DREAMers and students of any immigrant status to achieve their academic goals, gain leadership skills, and receive financial and legal support. While PCC operates remotely, the DREAMers Resource Center continues to provide mentorship, support services, and scholarship opportunities.