FOLIO
As the president waffled on whether the nation will kick the “Dreamers” out of the country, some of the beneficiaries of the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program took to the grounds of Cal State University Monterey Bay to march for the program, reports Monterey Weekly. Roughly 50 Dreamers and their supporters participated in the event on Sept. 11. “Among them were Women’s March President Estefania Rodriguez and Jose Ansaldo, the subject of a PBS film, East of Salinas, and who is the only one of his siblings who is not a U.S. citizen,” Monterey Weekly reported.
One woman, herself a Dreamer, who asked not to be identified, spoke tearfully of coming to America, “the only country she’s ever known,” as an infant, reported Monterey Weekly. “We’re coming here less than 2 years old,” she said. “We didn’t have a say, we just went.” California is home to the nation’s largest population of undocumented immigrants, some 2 million. Since indicating that he was going to cancel the program, Trump has seemingly backed away from that assertion, Tweeting last week, “Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really!” and “They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own—brought in by parents at young age.”
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SOCIALISTS IN NORTH CAROLINA
Mountain Xpress reports that a simple question opened the Sept. 13 Asheville City Council candidate forum hosted by the Asheville Democratic Socialists of America: “Do you consider yourself a socialist?” The candidates were competing for the DSA’s endorsement. Of the six on the panel, four, four candidates said that, yes, indeedy, they are socialists. The other two identified as an independent as an unaffiliated “militant moderate,” respectively. No, we are not making this up. There are 12 candidates in total, Mountain Xpress noted, only six of whom showed up for the forum.
Other topics that caught interest there included the city’s high cost of living—candidate Rich Lee opined such is a “threat” to the “diversity of people in Asheville” while candidate Dee Williams said, “The other thing we can do is start paying people a living wage”—and disproportionate police enforcement against minorities. On Sept. 14, Williams got the endorsement.
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THE TWO FACES OF IRMA
Miamians experienced both the worst and best of humanity in the face of the catastrophic hurricane that rocked the entire state of Florida Sept. 9-11 and beyond. Miami New Times reports that just before the storm hit, looters stole the plywood protecting the Amarena Bakery & Bistro. The owners, spouses Ariel and Daniela Oyarzabal, had already evacuated to Georgia with their two young daughters, so there was little they could do but put out a plea for help on social media. What happened next stunned the pair, immigrants who had fled Venezuela to escape its high crime rate just a year ago.
“The response was incredible. People started calling me, writing me, they offered to come and help us. Complete strangers leaving their home to help,” they told Miami New Times. By Saturday, Sept. 9, the business, a bakery that specializes in Argentine favorites, was protected by a new patchwork of plywood and metal. Though a tree fell in front of the bakery, thanks to the kindness of strangers, the family lost only their refrigerated items, not their livelihood.
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CHARLESTON PRIDE
Though the paper had to go to press five days early due to Hurricane Irma—we feel ya on that one, we really do—Charleston City Paper made sure to give some ink to the city’s upcoming Pride Week. Though Editor Kinsey Gidick conceded an inclination to instead write an editor’s note that read simply, “Dear Irma, Fuck off. Sincerely, Kinsey,” the paper provided oodles of info and love for the LGBT community, who will take to the streets through Sept. 23 for a festivus of love, acceptance, entertainment and equality. Aaahhhhh.
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