Dec. 4, 2019
In November, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas was at DePaul to discuss immigration and human rights as part of the university's President’s Lecture Series.
Brought to the U.S. as an undocumented immigrant at the age of 12, Vargas now is a leading voice for the human rights of immigrants. He is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Emmy-nominated filmmaker and Tony-nominated producer. He founded the non-profit media and culture organization, Define American, which Face Company named one of the world’s most innovative companies. In 2018, he published his best-selling memoir, "Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen."
A. Gabriel Esteban, Ph.D., president of DePaul, introduces speaker and activist Jose Antonio Vargas during the President’s Lecture Series event on Nov. 14. (DePaul University/Randall Spriggs)
Chris Tirres, an associate professor of religious studies and faculty member in the Grace School of Applied Diplomacy, shares a brief list of Vargas' accolades in both journalism and activism. (DePaul University/Randall Spriggs)
Journalist Jose Antonio Vargas spoke about his travels across the U.S. focusing on the discussion surrounding immigration rights. “I really am curious what different groups think about this issue.” (DePaul University/Randall Spriggs)
A Filipino immigrant, Vargas found out he didn’t have legal papers when he rode his bike to the DMV to get a driver’s license. He says of most children brought over illegally, “We don’t know, how would we know.” (DePaul University/Randall Spriggs)
Talking with young people about where they are from and how their ancestors immigrated to the U.S., Vargas found “we are not all operating from the same definitions” of immigration and race. (DePaul University/Randall Spriggs)
Writing “Dear America” and coming to the realization “home is not something I should have to earn,” has helped Vargas cope with the legal and physical limitations of being undocumented in the U.S. (DePaul University/Randall Spriggs)