Hello friend,
DREAM Iowa hopes to keep our allies informed of important happenings across the state through this monthly newsletter.
Save The Date!
The 2023 Scholarship Banquet will be held on Saturday, August 12th, 2023. This event is a great opportunity for our 2022 DREAM Iowa Scholarship Recipients to be celebrated for their achievements and for overcoming the adversities of being an immigrant student in the state of Iowa.
In 2022, DREAM Iowa awarded 32 students of immigrant backgrounds. This event gives students the opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments along with their families.
If you would like to know more about this event make sure to follow our website www.dreamiowa.us and all of our social media platforms!
We have a date for the 2023 Youth Leadership Summit! This year’s YLS will be taking place on October 22nd, 2023 and will be hosted at University of Northern Iowa (UNI).
DREAM Iowa unites immigrant youth from across the state once a year to empower with knowledge, skill development, civic engagement, and strategy for growth.
If you would like to be in the event contact list, please respond to this email and we will make sure to keep you updated about the event!
Did You Know?
We are offering Financial Independence Workshops for everyone in Iowa. All you have to do is register here!
We have a waiting list available for anyone in the state of Iowa to join, if you are interested, please fill out this form in order to be included in our waiting list for our Financial Independence Seminar. We will contact you once we have a seminar available for you to attend.
Through these Financial Independence Workshops students can learn about financial services, money management, credit, loans, mortgages, financial planning,home ownership, and everything in between.
Young Leaders Sphere!
The 2023 DREAM Iowa Scholarship is now open! The DREAM Iowa Scholarship was established in 2018 and is proudly granted by DREAM Iowa Inc, a 501c3 organization. This scholarship is to provide monetary support for immigrant students pursuing higher education. The principal requirements for the DREAM Iowa scholarship are that the student be a high school senior or enrolled in college, demonstrate the spirit to overcome adversity and commitment to our immigrant community. The deadline to apply is October 31st, 2023. Scholarship recipients are selected during the fall semester of 2023. Funds are disbursed in 2024.
Requirements:
- High School Senior or Enrolled in College
- Spirit to overcome adversity
- Committed to the immigrant community
- Completion of the DREAM Iowa Financial Independence program.
- Cooperation with future photography and video testimonials.
- Write a brief letter of appreciation to our donors.
- 10 hours of community service with DREAM Iowa.
In The News . . . !
Source: Minnesota Reformer
Minnesota House lawmakers passed a bill 69-60 to give driver’s licenses to undocumented residents on Monday after a decade of advocacy from immigrant rights groups.
The bill now heads to the state Senate. “We are filled with hope that we can once again drive without fear,” said leader of the Minnesota Immigrant Movement Jovita Morales during a press conference ahead of the House floor vote.
Before former governor Tim Pawlenty unilaterally barred undocumented residents from obtaining driver’s licenses in 2003, driver’s licenses were available to people living in Minnesota without legal authorization. Bills to reverse Pawlenty’s decision have floated through the Legislature since 2005, but the new DFL trifecta has brought life to the movement again — despite the bill stalling the last time DFL politicians were in control.
In committee hearings leading up to the House floor vote, lawmakers heard an outpouring of emotional stories from immigrants and their family members about how the bill, HF 4, would impact more than just the estimated 81,000 undocumented immigrants who live in Minnesota.
Stories of Immigrant Iowans
Source: Ames History Museum
Terrones Family
Doroteo Terrones and his family moved to Ames from Leon, Mexico in 1916. Nine years later his 21-year-old brother, John, followed him here. It was John’s family that was to leave its mark on our town.
John had been a shoemaker in Mexico but got a job as a laborer with the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad in Ames. After a year his kind Norwegian foreman loaned him the money to bring his wife, Josephine, and their son, Faustino (Tino), to Ames. For the first 14 years John and Josephine rented various homes. In 1939 they bought a brick home at 504 Lincoln Way where they lived for the next 39 years. They had nine children, one of whom died at birth. The rest went on to live successful and productive lives.
Tino became a US citizen when he joined the army during World War II. When he returned from combat he had earned six medals. He worked at the Ames Post Office for 20 years. Tony, John Junior, Jesse, and George were veterans of the Korean War. John Junior was awarded a purple heart for his service. Upon returning to Ames, Tony was a letter carrier in Ames for nearly 42 years, and Jesse became a loan officer at United Bank and Trust in Campustown.
Toche started as a teller at the Union Story bank and then worked for the Chamber of Commerce where he worked his way up to the executive level in Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois. He served as President of the Iowa Chamber Executives and founded the Festival of Iowa.
John never owned a car, and walked to work all his life. He retired in 1969 after 44 years with the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad.