SAN LUIS — The Arizona Students Association (ASA), Save Our Schools Arizona (SOSAZ) Network and Instituto sponsored an education town hall at the Comité de Bien Estar in San Luis, Ariz. Wednesday night.
All Congressional District 7 candidates were invited to the event, and three answered the call: Adelita Grijalva, Deja Foxx and Jose Malvido. Each candidate took a moment to address questions and concerns raised by locals, but more than anything else, the town hall was a listening opportunity for the candidates to hear the stories of those who are pursuing or have pursued an education in San Luis.
The main panelists for the event included:
- Zahid Plantillas, a community engagement coordinator for First Things First.
- Armando Olmos, an organizer for SOSAZ, a recent graduate from San Luis High School and current student at Arizona Western College.
- Briseida Morales Gonzalez, a recent graduate from AWC transferring to Northern Arizona University-Yuma for a bachelor's in business administration with an emphasis in management.
- Alberto Plantillas, central regional director for ASA and SLHS alum currently pursuing a master's in public policy at Arizona State University.
Residents raised a variety of questions to the panelists and attending CD7 candidates:
- "... from everything that you experienced: from education to outside programs or anything of that sort, how is it that you found out what you wanted to be, what you wanted to educate yourself in, and what you wanted to major in?"
- "What resources were available that helped you through school? What more would you have liked to have that would have been a big benefit?"
- (In reference to potential cuts for Pell Grants) "What are the implications of taking away the Pell Grants in San Luis?"
- "What's been your experience around the border from San Luis Río Colorado (Mexico) and San Luis, Arizona?"
- (In conversation about affordable housing) "I would like [CD 7 candidates] to address how they're planning to help rural counties so the families [won't] have to move to Mexico and cross every single day."
- "What's going to happen right now with so many deportations? What's going to happen with those kids? The line is getting longer. The [U.S.-Mexico border port of entry] sometimes has two lines, but they're open lines. The government doesn't want to let in more people. What's going to happen? That's the question, what's going to happen?"
Stay tuned at KAWC.org for a more comprehensive article on the town hall later this week.
This reporting is supported by a grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation.
