La Santa Cecilia Goes Back to Mexico, with their DREAMer

The Mexican band, La Santa Cecilia, has been together for seven years. Their name comes from the Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians. In 2014, they won a Grammy for Best Latin Alternative Album. One of their band members, Jose "Pepe" Carlos, is an undocumented immigrant. He came to the United States from Mexico when he was a child, and received deferment from deportation under the DACA (Deffered Action for Childhood Arrivals) Program, which protects immigrants who came to the country as children. The band feels that they are somewhat of a voice for undocumented immigrants. Upon receiving their award, the band's lead singer, Marisol Hernandez, said, “We dedicate this award to the more than 11 million undocumented people that live and work really hard in this country, and that still need to live a more dignified life in this country!"


La Santa Cecilia after their Grammy win.

Pepe has not been back to Mexico in 26 years. But for the first time since his band has been together, he will be able to travel back to Mexico with them to perform at the 15th Vive Latino Music Festival in Mexico City. La Santa Cecilia will be playing alongside bands from America such as Diplo and Nine Inch Nails, as well as bands from all across Latin America. 


Jose "Pepe" Carlos

Pepe said that winning their Grammy proved to the country how immigrants contribute. He said that immigration reform would mean a lot to him, his band, and his family. Other members of the band, including the lead singer, have parents who were undocumented immigrants. The DREAM Act was first introduced in 2001, and has been reintroduced in congress multiple times since, though it has not yet been passed into law. The bill would provide permanent, legal citizenship to immigrants who fit the criteria (the criteria being good moral character, residency of at least 5 years prior to the law's enactment, graduation from a United States' high school, and they must have moved to the United States as minors.) La Santa Cecilia also performed the title song for the new movie Cesar Chavez, directed by Diego Luna.








Sources: http://www.buzzfeed.com/adriancarrasquillo/dreamer-who-won-a-grammy-receives-immigration-permission-to
http://www.buzzfeed.com/adriancarrasquillo/a-dreamer-won-a-grammy-last-night
http://dreamact.info/