California is home to 10 million immigrants, 6.3 percent of which were undocumented at the time of DACA’s approval in 2012, according to a Pew Research Center report. Expanded in 2014, DACA is a policy that granted renewable temporary relief from deportation to undocumented residents who fit certain criteria. San Diego County ranked third among California counties with the highest DACA eligible population. Individuals and families struggle to save for the application fee and the cost of an attorney can be prohibitive. SDCL decided to offer a workshop series to bring solutions into one trusted space at the public library.

The Dare to Dream Workshop Series began with just one location. Staff and community partners organized eight workshops over a one-year period: two informational presentations on legal terms and immigration updates; a legal assistance workshop with pro-bono lawyers; a presentation on practical steps to take after obtaining DACA; a college fair geared toward students without status; a millennial job workshop; a Spanish-language DMV review class and a presentation on college financial aid. The success of the series allowed SDCL to combine targeted resources and informational events into a series to support the immigrant community in their educational and professional development.

More than 500 community members attended the first eight sessions. The legal workshops were replicated at the Vista branch this year with 195 attendees to date. These events drew many who were not regular library users – participant surveys showed 18 percent had never been to a public library before. The majority of participants reported an increased confidence in their knowledge and skills, and the programs reached out to a new group of library users. As a result of this work, SDCL established itself as a safe space and an easily accessible go-to resource for San Diego County residents.