Columbus resident Yamileth Loyo wears well the label of “Dreamer” — the name given to students linked with the United States’ Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy allowing undocumented immigrants brought here as children to remain in this country.
She dreams of many other Latino students other than herself embracing a future of hope and promise. And, she dreams of becoming one to facilitate those dreams for others.
The 22-year-old IUPUC junior is well on her way to that reality. The young woman who knew no English and was mocked by other youngsters when she arrived here from Mexico at age 8 now works part-time as a liaison and interpreter for Latino families in the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp.
She recently completed a project titled “In the Shadows: Immigration Stories” from places such as Mexico and El Salvador as her part of her studies. She is attempting to shine a light on local immigrant families’ determined struggles to make a way for themselves in America — and eventually become citizens.
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And, especially in the wake of the recent U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to block the Trump administration’s plan to abolish DACA, she wants to share those stories online with a larger audience. The stories involve eight IUPUC students who interviewed their parents about their immigration to the United States.
“I would like to get as much feedback as possible,” she said.
The title refers directly to the fact that Loyo has found that most immigrant families, documented or not, feel a need to remain somewhat hidden. There always seems to be a hesitation, a fear, or a concern that they’re going to be pointed out in some way,” she said. “And the fear is one maybe of being detained somehow.”
She arrived in Columbus against her initial childhood wishes accompanied by her 13-year-old brother. Her mother already had located here.
“She decided she wanted a better future for her and her children,” Loyo said of her mother.
For the longest time, though, Loyo never thought college would be financially possible — until Su Casa Columbus referred her to Matt Souza, who operates the Hispanic/Latino Scholarship Fund at IUPUC. Souza, also the university’s special assistant to the vice chancellor and dean for strategy, told her about a DACA college scholarship.
The recent Supreme Court ruling temporarily has bolstered her future nearly as much as the scholarship.
“When I heard the news (of the ruling), I was very excited,” Loyo said. “I just felt very joyful and hopeful for the future.”
With the court’s decision has come a sense of heightened responsibility about her emerging local role. Though she is only one local face of DACA, she is willing to be front and center for the sake of others.
Three years ago, she shared part of her story with a degree of emotion but considerable confidence at an immigration rally before 450 people at Columbus City Hall. She graduated with academic and technical honors from Columbus North High School. She worked part time as a School To Work mechanical drafter at Cummins Inc. while in her second year of college, majoring in mechanical engineering technology at Purdue Polytechnic Institute.
She eventually changed her major at IUPUC to elementary education as a way to help students who arrived in the United States as she did.
“As a bilingual student, I am very passionate about helping students and parents through difficulties similar to mine when I was in school,” she said.
So she feels as if she can be a messenger of sorts to tell people that a controversial program on a controversial topic can make the United States even stronger.
“I feel like it is part of my responsibility to inform our community about the importance of DACA, and the amazing opportunities it provides for young, aspiring individuals professionals and students and parents to contribute to this country that they already call home,” she said, adding that she greatly hopes for a path to to citizenship, which currently is not possible for Dreamers.
She has had an impact on some of her fellow college students, according to Souza.
“Really, in part due to Yami’s leadership and the signal that she sends by the choices that she makes, there are now several DACA (IUPUC) scholarship students who have chosen to become elementary education majors,” Souza said. “So they will be able to perhaps come back to this community and other communities in the region to help teach and to be a symbol and a signal to immigrants in those communities.”
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Yamileth Loyo’s project, "In the Shadows: Immigration Stories" highlights eight fanukt stories of coming to the United States from Mexico.
"Our parents have taught us what sacrifice looks like," Loyo said. "It is time we tell their story."
To read the stories: click on the link https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeQ42TDigG4to3daCC5682H-8H9OhlFOWs6rxqBV24izGbtdQ/viewform?usp=sf_link
or go to the Facebook page for Yamileth Martinez (her maiden name until her marriage last month) and click on the post from May 2 about the effort.
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