WATERTOWN PEOPLE: UNDOCUMENTED STUDENT IMMIGRANT SHARES HER STORY IN TIME
By Emily Cataneo
Wicked Local
July 17 2012
MA
WATERTOWN – Tatevik Keshishyan graduated in the top ten percent of
her class at Watertown High School. She volunteered at the Watertown
Free Public Library, acted as president of the Armenian Club at the
high school and competed in state events as a member of the National
Honor Society.
But when it came time for college, Keshishyan received a stack of
rejection letters, and ended up attending Massachusetts Bay Community
College in Wellesley at a much higher cost than most students pay.
That’s because Keshishyan, who will turn 24 this month, is one of
nearly 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.
Keshishyan, a Watertown resident, was one of several undocumented
immigrants who appeared in the June 25 Time cover story “Not Legal
Not Leaving.” The story, by journalist Jose Antonio Vargas, chronicled
the experience of undocumented immigrants in the United States.
Keshishyan’s family came to Watertown 12 years ago from a suburban
Armenian town known for its nuclear power plant. She learned English
and attended Watertown public schools, volunteered at Fair on the
Square and tutored other students through Project Literacy-but she
remained an undocumented, and therefore illegal, immigrant. Keshishyan
said undocumented immigrants end up in the United States through a
variety of channels, such as overstaying their visas, but she could
not explain the specifics of her family’s situation for legal and
security reasons.
Keshishyan found out about the Time article through her involvement
with the Student Immigrant Movement, an organization led by
undocumented immigrant students who help their peers with issues such
as working to stop deportations and helping navigate the exorbitant
cost of in-state college tuition for undocumented students, who are
considered international students by universities and colleges and
therefore must pay out-of-state tuition.
Keshishyan said she received a phone call from SIM in spring 2012
saying a national magazine wanted to do a photoshoot of students
like her.
“I literally had an hour to decide whether I wanted to go to New York
the next day,” said Keshishyan.
By going to New York for the photoshoot, Keshishyan took a risk.
President Obama had not yet announced that he would no longer deport
undocumented student immigrants like Keshishyan, and by sharing her
story, Keshishyan technically risked deportation.
“It was a scary experience. It was the first time we admitted that
we were undocumented,” she said.
But she said she decided to share her story to raise awareness about
students in her situation and to dispel the myth that all undocumented
immigrants are from Latin America. Besides, she had just graduated
from college and couldn’t work because of her status.
Tatevik Keshishyan graduated in the top ten percent of her class at
Watertown High School. She volunteered at the Watertown Free Public
Library, acted as president of the Armenian Club at the high school
and competed in state events as a member of the National Honor Society.
But when it came time for college, Keshishyan received a stack of
rejection letters, and ended up attending Massachusetts Bay Community
College in Wellesley at a much higher cost than most students pay.
That’s because Keshishyan, who will turn 24 this month, is one of
nearly 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.
Keshishyan, a Watertown resident, was one of several undocumented
immigrants who appeared in the June 25 Time cover story “Not Legal
Not Leaving.” The story, by journalist Jose Antonio Vargas, chronicled
the experience of undocumented immigrants in the United States.
Keshishyan’s family came to Watertown 12 years ago from a suburban
Armenian town known for its nuclear power plant. She learned English
and attended Watertown public schools, volunteered at Fair on the
Square and tutored other students through Project Literacy-but she
remained an undocumented, and therefore illegal, immigrant. Keshishyan
said undocumented immigrants end up in the United States through a
variety of channels, such as overstaying their visas, but she could
not explain the specifics of her family’s situation for legal and
security reasons.
Keshishyan found out about the Time article through her involvement
with the Student Immigrant Movement, an organization led by
undocumented immigrant students who help their peers with issues such
as working to stop deportations and helping navigate the exorbitant
cost of in-state college tuition for undocumented students, who are
considered international students by universities and colleges and
therefore must pay out-of-state tuition.
Keshishyan said she received a phone call from SIM in spring 2012
saying a national magazine wanted to do a photoshoot of students
like her.
“I literally had an hour to decide whether I wanted to go to New York
the next day,” said Keshishyan.
By going to New York for the photoshoot, Keshishyan took a risk.
President Obama had not yet announced that he would no longer deport
undocumented student immigrants like Keshishyan, and by sharing her
story, Keshishyan technically risked deportation.
“It was a scary experience. It was the first time we admitted that
we were undocumented,” she said.
But she said she decided to share her story to raise awareness about
students in her situation and to dispel the myth that all undocumented
immigrants are from Latin America. Besides, she had just graduated
from college and couldn’t work because of her status.
“I was at a point in my life where I had nothing to lose. With all
the education I spent the last 12 years gathering, there’s nothing
I can do,” she said.
Her parents were nervous about her decision.
“Of course, they were scared for me. But I felt I had to do it for
myself and for everyone like me,” said Keshishyan. She also said
she knew she probably would not get deported, since she knew other
undocumented immigrants like her who had fought to stay in the country
and won. .
Renata Teodoro, an undocumented immigrant from Brazil and a Boston
resident, also appeared in the Time article. Teodoro, the development
director of the Student Immigrant Movement, said she thinks the
article will act as an invaluable education tool.
“More and more people are learning about us and our stories, and I
think it will change a lot of people’s minds,” said Teodoro. “We have
become bolder. Not because there weren’t risks, but a lot of us were
just willing to accept the risks because we’ve been part of movement
for so long, and it’s only been the past few years that we’ve been
able to share our full names and faces and stories.”
For Keshishyan, the past few years have allowed her to take steps
toward fulfilling her career goals. After completing an internship
at Boston University, she applied to and was accepted there. She
recently graduated from BU and is taking a year off to study neural
stem cells at Massachusetts General Hospital and apply to graduate
school to earn her Ph.D. in biology. She hopes to open a research
lab and go into academia.
But she said she believes the United States’ legal attitude towards
undocumented student immigrants has a long way to go. She said she
supports the passage of the DREAM Act, legislation that would grant
conditional residency and eventually citizenship to undocumented young
people who meet certain conditions. Keshishyan said she believes that
needs to happen so immigrants like her can become productive members
of society.
“We’re being forced to stay out of school, stay out of work, not
contribute to our town or city,” she said. “The immigration system
is broken in the US. There needs to be a solution.”
“I was at a point in my life where I had nothing to lose. With all
the education I spent the last 12 years gathering, there’s nothing
I can do,” she said.
Her parents were nervous about her decision.
“Of course, they were scared for me. But I felt I had to do it for
myself and for everyone like me,” said Keshishyan. She also said
she knew she probably would not get deported, since she knew other
undocumented immigrants like her who had fought to stay in the country
and won. .
Renata Teodoro, an undocumented immigrant from Brazil and a Boston
resident, also appeared in the Time article. Teodoro, the development
director of the Student Immigrant Movement, said she thinks the
article will act as an invaluable education tool.
“More and more people are learning about us and our stories, and I
think it will change a lot of people’s minds,” said Teodoro. “We have
become bolder. Not because there weren’t risks, but a lot of us were
just willing to accept the risks because we’ve been part of movement
for so long, and it’s only been the past few years that we’ve been
able to share our full names and faces and stories.”
For Keshishyan, the past few years have allowed her to take steps
toward fulfilling her career goals. After completing an internship
at Boston University, she applied to and was accepted there. She
recently graduated from BU and is taking a year off to study neural
stem cells at Massachusetts General Hospital and apply to graduate
school to earn her Ph.D. in biology. She hopes to open a research
lab and go into academia.
But she said she believes the United States’ legal attitude towards
undocumented student immigrants has a long way to go. She said she
supports the passage of the DREAM Act, legislation that would grant
conditional residency and eventually citizenship to undocumented young
people who meet certain conditions. Keshishyan said she believes that
needs to happen so immigrants like her can become productive members
of society.
“We’re being forced to stay out of school, stay out of work, not
contribute to our town or city,” she said. “The immigration system
is broken in the US. There needs to be a solution.”