"I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream..." -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., "I Have a Dream" speech, 1963



Governor Schwarzenegger must sign the California DREAM Act by October 14 in order to make history. One of my outstanding students at UC Santa Barbara has already been deported. I want California to be the most welcoming place for young people in the world -- no matter where they were born. Schwarzenegger can help make this dream a reality by signing SB1, the DREAM Act.

See all the details as explained by Courage Campaign Chair Rick Jacobs, below.

"I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream..." -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., "I Have a Dream" speech, 1963

I also have a dream, inspired by watching Dr. King's speech again today (click here to watch it.)

I have a dream that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will realize that -- to be truly "post-partisan" -- he must do the right thing instead of pandering to the xenophobic base of the California Republican Party.

I have a dream that the Governor will sign Senate Bill 1 -- the California DREAM Act -- by October 14, the last day that he can make this historic legislation the law of the land.

I have a dream that the Governor's courageous action in California will catalyze a new awareness across America, so that the National DREAM Act authored by Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin will, one day, become federal law as well.

Sen. Barack Obama shares this dream as well. Do you?

Click here to read what Sen. Obama has to say about the California DREAM Act as well as sign our letter to urge Governor Schwarzenegger to do the right thing before October 14:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/DREAM

What is the California DREAM Act?

If the Governor signs it, the DREAM Act (SB 1, authored by State Sen. Gil Cedillo) will strengthen the state's workforce and energize California's economy by allowing qualified undocumented immigrant students -- who grew up in California and graduated from our high schools -- to apply for and receive financial aid at our colleges and universities.

Immigration and education are at the heart of the American dream. And yet there is a disconnect in California. California law already requires these kids to attend public school through age 18. Many of these students excel, as is typical of immigrants to this country. But when they graduate, many at the top of their class, they realize that the dream of attaining a college degree is almost impossible without financial aid.

This historic piece of civil rights legislation is currently sitting on Arnold's desk awaiting signature. Like the Voting Rights Act leveraged into law by Dr. King's vision for an integrated America, the California DREAM Act will transform the future of our country -- and impact the lives of millions of people, immigrants and non-immigrants alike.

Please sign our letter to the Governor today, letting him know that he can transform the lives of millions of people with one stroke of his pen before October 14:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/DREAM

The Courage Campaign believes that the most effective path out of poverty -- and the most effective way to realize California's potential -- is to invest in educating those who want to become productive members of our society. That's why we are standing with student leaders throughout California to urge the Governor to sign the California DREAM Act now.

The California DREAM Act focuses on non-competitive student aid, which ensures that current and future students receiving financial aid will not be affected by an increased pool of recipients. A previous law (AB 540) allowed these children of immigrants to pay in-state tuition at California colleges and universities. However, many of these students need state financial aid to meet the exorbitant cost of tuition.

These aren't just any students -- many of these students are the first generation of their families to attend college and are among the poorest and most in need of tuition assistance in California. They are the children of undocumented immigrants whose lives were profoundly changed the moment their parents brought them to America. Almost all of them came here without choice. Now these students need the same helping hand as other students today so that their children and grandchildren can pursue the dream of opportunity and prosperity tomorrow.

The future of California and the country is sitting on the Governor's desk today. Please join us in showing your support for the California DREAM Act by urging the Governor, an immigrant himself, to sign SB 1 before October 14, just six days from now:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/DREAM

If Governor Schwarzenegger wants to be seen as a visionary in the eyes of history, he would do well to sign the California DREAM Act into law. You can make his decision that much easier for him by raising your voice today.

Thank you for everything you continue to do to help the Courage Campaign create a progressive future for California and America.

Rick Jacobs
Chair
Courage Campaign

P.S. Martin Luther King, Jr. did not originally prepare to deliver the words "I have a dream" on that fateful day in 1963. But when gospel singer Mahalia Jackson called out, "Tell them about your dream, Martin! Tell them about the dream!," King responded with -- in the words of the U.S. government historians -- "the landmark statement of civil rights in America: a dream of all people, of all races and colors and backgrounds, sharing in an America marked by freedom and democracy."

You can watch Dr. King's speech in full and then ask Governor Schwarzenegger to fulfill King's vision today by clicking here:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/DREAM