Letter of Leadership: URO Club

My name is Josselyn Cruz and I am an ally and the currently the Vice President of Undocumented, Resilient, and Organized (URO) Club. Our URO Club leadership team is made up of Itzel Linares, President, Kathy Reyes Hernandez, Marketing and Communications Manager, and Diana Bahena, Treasurer. 

 We are the Undocumented, Resilient, and Organized Club and we believe in the power and potential of students – demanding full education, full access to resources and participation in all programs at NEIU, no matter students’ immigration status. Our goal is to provide a safe space, and access to resources, leadership opportunities and a strong network of support to ensure students’ success in and out of school. URO is an organization of Undocumented and fellow students that continue to challenge the denial of resources and programs to undocumented students at NEIU. It is an ongoing struggle, which everyone is invited to join and help make NEIU a TRUE and better welcoming institution for all students no matter their or their families’ immigration status.

URO has hosted several events including Day of the Dead, a 3-part series where we honor those whom we’ve lost, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic; Undocu-Career Series, where we provided workshops on how to build a resume, LinkedIn, and how to dress professionally; we organized a Valentine’s Pinata fundraiser where we raised over $1000 . You will also see us participate in Diversity Food Fest, Organization Fair, along other collaborations with the rest of the NEIU clubs/organizations. As we became an official club in the Spring of 2012, we are planning to launch the URO Scholarship for our 10-year anniversary in the Spring of 2022. This scholarship will be available for undocumented and first-generation students. 

We look forward to the NEIU community getting involved with URO, as it is a way for students to come together and tackle similar issues we might face in higher education. It also provides an opportunity to uplift undocumented student’s voices and have the ability to network and interact with students otherwise one wouldn’t do so.

For the Fall 2021 semester, the Undocumented, Resilient, and Organized club meets bi-weekly on Thursdays from 5-6pm via Zoom or SU 216. If you’re not available during that time, but would like to still be part of the club or know more about us, you can send us an email at [email protected] or feel free to follow us on Instagram @uro_neiu. You can also contact our President, Itzel Linares, at [email protected]. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Sincerely,

Josselyn Cruz, Vice President of URO Club