Candidate Forum hosted by Universidad Popular, North County Latino Dems and Vista Dem Club for California's 49th
The first time I heard of Universidad Popular was back in June. A very outspoken and amazing local activist had organized a group of us to speak during public comment at a June Vista City Council meeting. It seemed that Darrell Issa had grown weary of hearing from his constituents on a weekly basis outside of his office, so he had complained to local officials and asked to have our permit revoked. Below is an actual phone message Darrell left to local officials:
"The protesters here are kind of loud today and they have a megaphone and are being very disruptive to our business. This is Congressman Issa. I want to verify that that's true."
(Read the local news story on the messages and request to scale back protests).
After Darrell complained the City of Vista was expected to reissue our permit, but with restrictions- including eliminating the use of a loudspeaker, and controlling which side of the street we could be on (they preferred us to be across the street, with no amplified sound.) The ACLU had gotten involved, and had deemed the restrictions unconstitutional, but we felt the Vista City Attorney should hear from regular constituents, too. We filed into City Hall and began the long wait toward public comment (we sat for over 2.5 hours). While we were waiting, Vista was deciding on new District Maps for voting in new Council members. Some citizens had proposed maps, and some council members did, too. But most impressive was a group of about 17 who had created a map that they felt best represented their community. The group of 17 was Universidad Popular. I remembered being absolutely inspired by their calm, kind, intelligent and solidified activism. This group was a force.
Our group spoke later on in the meeting (about 15 of us), on the rally/protest permitting issue, and the City of Vista ended up having to re-issue the permit with no restrictions (turns out Darrell Issa himself likes to use a loudspeaker and that side of the street to hold rallies, so it must not deter biz too much). Thank You, ACLU!
Doug being interviewed after the 49th Candidate Forum at Universidad Popular
A few weeks later, Universidad Popular offered to hold a forum for the 49th Congressional Candidates at their spacious headquarters in August. The event would be organized by the Democratic Club of Vista and the North County Latino Democrats. Team Applegate spent the week before the forum canvassing the neighborhood with invites. Turns out not many Congressional Candidates had ever made their way into the surrounding mobile home parks and apartment complexes, but 600 people came to that forum and it was a tremendous success (there were translators, voter registration tables and Telemundo reporters).
Taco? Yes. Doug DOES want a taco.
Our team made sure to eat at the local taqueria afterward, considering we had taken up so many of the parking spots in the shopping center for a large part of the day. We love this neighborhood. We love Universidad Popular. We feel at home in this part of Vista.
Then, on September 5th we found ourselves slack-jawed at the announcement that the Trump administration would be discontinuing DACA. Other activists and politicians were carpooling to a protest at the County Administration building for a vigil. We had been quietly made aware of an event at Universidad Popular. We decided we’d go there.
Discarded toys on the floor at the DACA forum
When we got to the large meeting room there were about 100 chairs set up. A powerpoint presentation was being loaded in the front of the room. Children and parents were slowly and quietly filing in. As the seats began to fill, some children were given take-out dinners to eat on the floor, or played with dolls and toys, while their parents nervously watched the presentation given by immigration lawyers.
We stood in the back.
They kept having to bring in more chairs.
Every 10 minutes, another row had to be added.
You could’ve heard a pin drop in that room.
Doug turned to me, head shaking, and whispered “The anxiety is palpable.”
I whispered back “I’m going to burst into tears if they have to bring out another row of chairs.”
DACA clinic at Universidad Popular in Vista
Here we were. 2017. Did they really have to go after DREAMers? Were we really in a room full of hardworking, loving and beautiful families, that were so immensely stoic in their grief and confusion? They weren’t as shocked as I. No, they had been through this before.
It was then that a 2 year old child scooted across the floor in front of me, playing joyfully as their mother simultaneously tried to take notes and shush them from the back row. The child was playing with a bright red piece of paper, tossing it back and forth across the floor. That paper?
That paper the child was playing with was a “Know Your Rights” flier from the ACLU.
That’s when I cried. What in the world has our America come to? This has to stop.
Doug met with the lawyers who presented afterwards, and he offered help wherever and whenever needed. We thanked those that had invited us, offered our condolences for family and friends affected, and then we quietly left. It seems we can’t get people like Doug in office fast enough. We need real, lasting change in Congress. We need to flip the house in 2018.
In the meantime, there is plenty that you can do to support and help local DREAMers locally:
Universidad Popular continues to do their amazing work to organize, defend and represent this beautiful community. Please find a way to support them if you can. http://www.unipopular.org
Please also support fearless local groups such as North County Immigration Task Force — they are organizing a DACA Screening event on September 30th in Escondido.
REGISTER HERE: tinyurl.com/dacascreening
Thank You as well to Jewish Family Services for offering to pay for DACA renewal fees. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.
In 2018 we’ll create a more compassionate, unified, and respectful 49th when we flip the house.
Keep up the fantastic work in the meantime, and know Team Applegate has your back.
California CD 49 - Colonel Doug Applegate
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