((PKG)) TPS CHILDREN – LAST DREAM
((Banner: An Uncertain Future))
((Reporter/Camera: June Soh))
((Map: Bethesda, Maryland))
((NAT SOUND from The Last Dream Performance))
Jackie, they hate us. They don't want us here anymore. You do not understand that? Next year, none of us are going to be here to celebrate Sofia. None of us. None of us.
((Vahdat Yeganeh, Director, Founder/Artistic Director, Boston Experimental Theatre))
This play called ‘The Last Dream’ performed and created by the children of TPS recipients. These are the children that their parents have temporary protected status. They were born and raised in the United States. Now they are in danger and living with the fear of losing their parents.
((NATS: News Clip from The Last Dream Performance))
They are ending special protection for Salvadoran immigrants. They have until September, 2019 to leave the US or find a new way to obtain legal residency. The move affects nearly 200,000 people. Salvadorans were granted temporary protective status after a series of earthquakes devastated that country in 2001.
((NATS: The Last Dream Performance))
I am Jacqueline. I am 17 and the oldest of four. I want to further my education in a college, but if my family is treated as temporary, I am afraid I will have to give those dreams up. I will have to get a full-time job and become a mother to my three younger sisters.
((Vahdat Yeganeh, Director, Founder/Artistic Director, Boston Experimental Theatre))
When we learned about the situation, and we learned how difficult it is going to be for the family with that visa, we decided that we have to do something for them. We decided to produce the show having the actual children of these families to come to this show, sharing their stories with us.
((NATS))
((Vahdat Yeganeh, Director, Boston Experimental Theatre))
The children are American-born children. So, they can stay here but the parents are not. The whole purpose of doing this production was raising awareness and letting more people know about the tragedy of what these children are going through.
((Vahdat Yeganeh, Director, Boston Experimental Theatre))
Now we did realize that because of the hardship that TPS recipients are having in their countries, such as Honduras, such as El Salvador, and more than seven other countries, they would not bring their loved ones and their children back to that country, the country that these children never visited.
((NATS))
((Milton Hernandez, TPS Recipient's Child))
My name is Milton Hernandez. I am 15 years old. This is my brother, Melvin Hernandez. He is 14 years old. I am not old enough to be here on my own, and if we were to stay here, we'd have to go up to foster care or get, like, adopted by the families. And that's not something you’d want.
((NATS))
((Sofia Landaverde, TPS Recipient's Child))
My name is Sofia Landaverde. I'm 10 years old. I was very sad to know that I might only have to be with my sisters for a very long time, and I wouldn’t have any support from my parents. Every child deserves to be with their parents. I fear that, maybe, we won't be able to see them again for a very long time.
((Beth Brooks-Mwano, Audience Member))
My name is Beth Brooks-Mwano, and I just saw this play. I can actually share their story that they've given to us so generously, and help let people know what's going on, and the real lives of some of these people and these children that are being affected. So, it was very moving.
((Vahdat Yeganeh, Director, Boston Experimental Theatre))
What we know for the fact (is) that we're going to continue performing the show as much as we can, whether in Boston where we are, or in other cities. We are going to ask everyone to join this fight and help these families.
((NATS: Sofia on the stage))
Will somebody here please, please help me?
