Housing Hosts DACA Panel About Immigration Issues

University Housing will host a panel discussion, DACA: The Impact of Dreamers in Northwest Arkansas. The program will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24, at the Union Theatre. This event is free and open to the public.

University Housing is working In conjunction with the University of Arkansas' One Book, One Community initiative.

Immigration and DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) are issues impacting the Northwest Arkansas region as well as the nation.

Mireya Reith, the executive director of the Arkansas United Community Coalition, will facilitate a panel discussion on DACA and the impact of dreamers in Northwest Arkansas.

Panelists include:

• Juan Bustamante, assistant professor of sociology and Latin American and Latino studies;
• Christina Pollard, visiting associate professor of law
• Ana Aguyao, a DACA advocate.

A brief documentary filmed by students from the School of Journalism and Strategic Media will also be shown.

The Book of Unknown Americans

The program connects directly to issues raised in The Book of Unknown Americans by Christina Henriquez, this year's One Book, One Community selection.

"Providing students with an outlet to learn more about a segment of our population is a great way to create an open dialogue about the differences within the American culture," said Takama Statton-Brooks, University Housing's director of residence education.

"The issues facing the DACA students seem so foreign to many and this program allows attendees to better understand."

Henriquez will visit the U of A to give a free public lecture at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2, in Hillside Auditorium.

She will also meet with members of area book clubs for a luncheon Friday, Nov. 3, at the Fayetteville Public Library.