On Thursday Nov. 29 students gathered in the Southern Utah University Church Auditorium for the screening of the film “Beyond the Dream.” “Beyond the Dream” is about three college-aged immigrants who are undocumented citizens in America.
The three college students travel together, talking to famous people who came out to say they are undocumented. The students ask how they became as successful as they are while being criticized by those who treated them as if they were outsiders.
“I am very close to people who are children of immigrant[s] and are successful in what they are working on,” Iris Grant, a freshman dental hygiene major said. “My very close friend is the daughter of an immigrant and it inspires me to see her work for the dream her mother and father wished for her.”
The film also touched on how these undocumented students keep working because their parents couldn’t or because they want to make them proud. One of the students immigrated alone to the United States to try and live the “American Dream”.
As these students grew up they realized quickly what the “American Dream” meant and were determined to say “I am living the American Dream.”
“I am passionate about the power [of] education because it helps us as individuals to find the right paths for ourselves through life and how it empowers us to make our community stronger,” Jenn Gibbs, a programer for Utah Education and Telehealth, said. “It really helps give us choices on how we can come together and solve problems.”
For more information about this topic or questions go to the Utah Futures page, Utah Futures on Ramp, or the “Beyond the Dream” documentary website.
Story by: Cairo Cook
cairo.cook@suusuccess.org
Photo by: “Beyond the Dream” documentary
