Why I Joined the Fast:

Tredayne Bengil Cabanlit, KRCC youth as chaperon, age 18

I grew up in Chicago and I am a youth member at the Korean American Resource and Cultural Center (in Chicago) and Housing Leader at the Albany Park Neighborhood Council. I was born in the Philippines and came to the US when I was 6 years old. My parents could not adjust their status and became undocumented. My mother was able to adjust her status through an employment visa as a nurse and that is how I became a US citizen. As someone who grew up as an immigrant in Chicago, there are many challenges immigrants face growing up, language barriers and access to services. For those that are undocumented, these barriers are a matter of life and death.

I am coming to DC to join the solidarity fast to send a strong message to my Illinois representatives and House Leadership that the time is now for immigration reform to bring everyone out of the shadows to be able to participate the same way as US citizens. As I fast, I ask that our lawmakers act on immigration reform now.