Artist and activist Julio Salgado will present Carleton’s weekly convocation address on Friday, October 5 from 10:50 to 11:50 a.m. in the Skinner Memorial Chapel. A gay Mexican-American who was born in Mexico and grew up in Long Beach, California, Salgado will discuss his work as an activist for LGBT and immigrant rights in his presentation titled, “UndocuQueer and Unafraid.”
Carleton convocations are free and open to the public. They are also recorded and archived for online viewing here.
Salgado is the co-founder of DreamersAdrift.com, a project that aims to reclaim the undocumented narrative through videos, art, spoken word, and poetry. With an original mission of bringing attention to the DREAM act, the project has since expanded, covering a variety of topics within American politics via the immigrant lens. For Salgado, he has personally faced the unique challenges of being both undocumented and gay, forcing him, as he says, to “come out” twice.
The DREAM act, first proposed in 2001, was a bill that would have given undocumented minors a chance to gain legal residency through a multi-phase process. Salgado’s art has been fueled by his status as an undocumented immigrant, depicting key individuals and moments of the DREAM act and migrant rights movement. Undocumented students and allies from across the U.S. have used Salgado’s artwork to draw attention to the movement.
Since founding DreamersAdrift in 2010, Salgado’s work has been praised by OC Weekly’s Gustavo Arellano, KPCC-FM 89.3’s Multi-American blog, and the influential journal ColorLines. Along with several other undocumented activists, Salgado appeared on the cover of Time Magazine in 2012. Salgado holds a degree in journalism from California State University, Long Beach. Learn more on his website.
This event is sponsored by Carleton College Convocations, and commemorates Hispanic Heritage Month at Carleton. For more information, including disability accommodations, call (507) 222-4308. The Skinner Memorial Chapel is located at First and College Streets in Northfield.
