Dream Action NIU will be hosting its 10th annual Coming Out of the Shadows (COS) event at 5:30 p.m. on April 12 in the Martin Luther King Memorial Commons. 

“Coming Out of the Shadows” is a statement of defiance against the rhetoric that seeks to silence and discredit the experiences of undocumented immigrants. 

A rally will be held by undocumented students and others to protest the pervasive anxiety and a climate of silence that ignores student’s opinions. At the event, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from community members about their experiences fighting back against unjust immigration policies.

The Immigrant Youth Justice League (IYJL) coordinated the first Coming Out of the Shadows (COS) in March 2010 in Chicago. Dream Action’s COS is modeled after that event. 

COS was the first event of its kind for undocumented people in the Midwest, and across the country, but its origins can be traced back to National Coming Out Day event celebrated by the LGBTQ+ community.

Olmeca and Four Poets One Mic will also be performing for the students at the Huskie Den, located in the Holmes Student Center.

The event will be open to all students and aims to promote a more welcoming and inclusive environment on campus.

More information on this event can be found by emailing [email protected] or calling (815) 753-8281.