Walking for Dreamers and Immigrants

By Debra Cohen

In January 2018, Alan Dornan, an elderly resident of Wethersfield CT, began to walk in his neighborhood in support of our nation’s DREAMERS, the young people who arrived in the United States as children with their families who lacked documentation. He has continued to do so every day since.  It was Alan’s hope to raise awareness of the need to support these young people and demand that they be afforded a fair path to citizenship.  He carries a sign on a 2.2 mile walk every day without fail regardless of how he might be feeling as the result of multiple health issues that would keep many people comfortably at home.

People began to notice Al.  Some honked or verbally exhibited disapproval of his cause but many more showed appreciation, support and an eagerness to join him.  More than 100 like-minded people from all over the region, including some from New Britain’s ACLU People Power, did just that on Sunday, October 21^st in Hartford.  Over the course of many weeks, a planning committee met to choose speakers and a route which included stops at several Hartford cites relevant to our history of immigration and welcoming others.

The goal of the walk was to bring further attention to the need for a path to citizenship, now not only for DREAMERS but for 11 million undocumented immigrants across the country who made long and often harrowing journeys from their countries of birth to reach the United States in order to provide a safe place in which they could work, raise their families, contribute to the community and live with the basic dignities that so many of us take for  granted.Speakers included undocumented youth who face a daily fear of having their lives disrupted, citizen youth who fear for the safety of their undocumented family members, members of the clergy and elected officials.  They delivered messages of historical significance as well as real-time experience at the federal courthouse, Hartford City Hall, the Old State House, several churches and the Capitol.  Signs were visible, voices were heard, community was shared and encouragement was given for each person there to continue to do the work of advocating for our undocumented neighbors after the walk.

It is Alan Dornan’s intention to continue walking every day until he is no longer physically able to do so to bring this crucial issue to its desired goal and his hope is that people across the nation will join that effort!  Anyone  interested in learning more can contact ACLU’s People Power here in New Britain by emailing Marianne Hebenstrit at, [email protected].