Associated Students Inc. welcomes Cal State Fullerton students, staff, faculty and the surrounding community to the “Know Your Rights” workshop on March 15 from 4-6 p.m. in the Titan Student Union Pavilion. Potential attendees can register for the event on the Wufoo website.
The workshop is open not only to those associated with CSUF, but for all interested community members. Led by immigration attorney and CSUF alum Julio Perez, the event will be presented in English and Spanish and will cover amendment rights, essential documents to carry, access to resources and will conclude with a Q&A session.
“Even citizens don’t fully know their rights,” said Andrea Ramirez Rivera, chief diversity and inclusion officer. “For the individuals who are undocumented, they don’t know their rights either, so now none of us know. It’s important for us to know so we can advocate for ourselves.”
Ramirez Rivera and the social justice and equity commission designed the workshop with the goal of equipping the community with accessible resources and helping them confidently navigate exercising their rights.
“I’m a firm believer that the resources should come to the individual,” Ramirez Rivera said. “I don’t think it should fall on someone to come and seek it out or have a far commute to get access to services that they should have access to.”
Community partner CARECEN will also be available at the workshop for those who want to schedule a free legal consultation to get specified advice for their cases.
“It’s not just an issue that’s affecting Cal State Fullerton students, staff, faculty and their families. It’s affecting the broader community,” said Ramirez Rivera. “They do pay into our institution, so it’s only fair that we give back to them in some way by opening it up to everyone.”
With rising immigration concerns, the workshop aims to alleviate stress by providing guidance to everyone affected and clarifying misconceptions with qualified sources.
By Arianna Pastrana