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Fronteras: Health Of 'Dreamers,' DACA & A Push For More Hispanics In Nursing

Enrique Cerna / KCTS 9
DACA recipient and nurse Jessica Esparza (right) at work at Central Washington Hospital, Wenatchee WA

This week on Fronteras:

  • Immigrant rights activists  in San Diego protest Congress’ inaction on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
  • A San Antonio charter school aims to increase rate of students who go on to earn college degrees (1:46).
  • A Dallas high school offers low-income and refugee students a crash course in financial literacy (5:51).
  • The push by a national organization to recruit Hispanic nurses (10:45).

  • A “dreamer’s” letter to President Trump (19:19).
Credit Matt Hoffman / KPBS
People gather outside the City Heights Performance Annex for a rally supporting immigrants rights, Jan. 19, 2018.

RALLY FOR YOUNG IMMIGRANTS’ RIGHTS

Immigrant rights activists in San Diego joined a chorus of voices nationwide to protest Congress’ inaction in coming up with a solution to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Matt Hoffman of KPBS reports from a protest that took place just before last week’s government shutdown.

 

Credit Camille Phillips / Texas Public Radio
KIPP college counselor Peter Vandermeer helps high school senior Jozelle Mares fill out college applications online during class Nov. 30, 2017.

5-YEAR GRANT AIMS TO LIFT SAN ANTONIO STUDENTS, BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT ENDS

A San Antonio charter school is in year three of a five year experiment: Can the charter school’s method of helping low-income students of color earn college degrees be replicated by a much larger district? Texas Public Radio’s Camille Phillips reports on a partnership that’s showing early signs of success, but it’s unclear whether the program will last once the funding dries up.

 

Credit Courtney Collins / KERA
A student works under the stock ticker that runs in the Conrad High School finance lab.

TEACHING STUDENTS REAL-WORLD FINANCIAL SKILLS

One Dallas high school is home to many low-income and refugee students -many of whom financially support their families. Conrad High School is devoted to providing students with a first-hand experience of dealing with budgets, saving, and investing.  KERA’s Courtney Collins spent an afternoon with students in the school’s finance program as they find out the value of their dollars.

 

Credit Brenda Andrade
Dr. Angie Millan (right) with student nurse Vanessa Sanchez (left) at Mervyn M. Dymally School of Nursing at Charles Drew University in Los Angeles.

EXCLUSIVE: A PUSH TO RECRUIT HISPANICS INTO NURSING

Over 3 million registered nurses practice in the U.S.  Of those, only 7 percent are Hispanic. Hispanics make up 17 percent of the population of the U.S.

Now a five-year, $1.5 million National Institutes of Health grant, the Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA), is making it possible to reach out through media resources to teachers and students in high school and college.

In this Fronteras exclusive, we talk to Angie Millan, a registered nurse in Los Angeles County, who serves as nursing director at Children’s Medical Services. 

Credit Enrique Cerna / KCTS 9
DACA recipient and nurse Jessica Esparza

A DREAMER’S LETTER TO TRUMP

Jessica Esparza was uprooted from Durango, Mexico in 2005 and joined her father, a farm laborer, in Quincy, Washington, along with her mother and younger sister. In December, Esparza, now a registered nurse, used her Facebook page to share a personal letter with President Trump. The crux of her message: my patients do not care about my accent, my origins, or the color of my skin. This audio profile was produced by Enrique Cerna of KCTS TV 9 in Seattle, WA.

Norma Martinez can be reached by email at norma@tpr.org and on Twitter @NormDog1

Norma Martinez can be reached at norma@tpr.org and on Twitter at @NormDog1