Santa Clara University hosted Undocucon on Friday, October 20th, an event designed to provide undocumented college students with resources and community connections. The event took place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and saw a host of speakers from many backgrounds and ethnicities. The event was orchestrated with support from Mission College, West Valley College, De Anza College, Foothill College, San Jose City College, Ohlone College, Hartnell College, Gavilan College, Monterey Peninsula College, Evergreen Valley College and other student support programs from across the Bay Area.
The event kicked off at 9am in the SCU Benson Memorial Center with words from speaker Reyna Maldonado, founder of food business La Guerreras’s Kitchen and San Jose State University alumna. Mission College President Seher Awan also discussed her story and relation to the topic, following opening remarks by several other speakers. The event featured numerous activities, including a painting workshop led by Nacho Moya, a Hispanic artist known for his free online painting videos and other courses designed for students and families. Other notable presentations involved advice for starting businesses, obtaining documentation, personal experiences, and other important topics designed to support undocumented students as efficiently as possible. Alongside these discussions, lunch and breakfast were provided for attendees and shirts were raffled off toward the end of the event.
The 2023 UndocuCon made history as the first event of its kind, and the likelihood of it becoming an annual tradition was discussed toward the end of the event. West Valley College’s Tania Pichardo, Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) Office Coordinator and Classified Senate President, played an instrumental role in planning and executing the event.
"The first UndocuCon was a success!” Pichardo said. “It was amazing to see the amount of support demonstrated during the event for our undocumented students and community. The event was filled with fun, resources, love and energy. A special thanks to our wonderful student volunteers who not only showed up bright and early and supported unconditionally, but who also expressed appreciation for the knowledge gained during the event. Looking forward to UndocuCon 2024!”
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