Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and undocumented immigrant launches campaign on Change.org to push for a new conversation on immigration; More-than 85,000 sign growing pledge

WASHINGTON, DC (As sent by Joseph G. Lariosa of Chicago, IL.) – In the past few weeks alone, more-than 85,000 people have signed an online petition pledge on Change.org started by Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas. By signing the pledge, the campaign’s supporters have committed to becoming part of a new conversation around immigration. The campaign was profiled when Vargas made a guest appearance on Comedy Central's top-rated show, The Colbert Report.

"Since publishing ‘My Life As an Undocumented Immigrant,’ the response has been overwhelming. Our small team at DefineAmerican.com has received thousands of tearful letters, emails, and powerful Facebook messages representing the stories of Americans in ever part of the country, and from countless backgrounds.” says Vargas. “I decided to quit my job as a Pulitzer-prize winning journalist and come out about my immigration status in order to launch the project ‘Define American,’ because I knew the only way to solve a problem is to tell the truth about it. I knew it would be a risk, but I also knew it was long past time to strike up a more civil, inclusive debate about immigration in America. We hope thousands more will join us in committing to change the conversation through our petition on Change.org."

When Vargas' story first came out, it was one of the most-shared articles online. Vargas took to Twitter and Facebook to keep the conversation flowing about his new project, entitled, ‘Define American.”

"Jose Antonio Vargas' story has captured the hearts and minds of millions of Americans," said Jackie Mahendra, Director of Organizing for Immigrant Rights at Change.org. "We are thrilled that Jose is using the Change.org platform to connect with Americans who don't normally think about the complex issue of immigration. It is especially powerful coming from a Pulitzer prize-winner who finds out, at age sixteen, that he is undocumented."

More than 85,000 people have signed on to Vargas’ pledge on Change.org since its launch, at least 7,200 people have shared it on Facebook, and there are over 1,775 comments on this increasingly popular petition.

"What is remarkable is that the ‘Define American’ pledge is exploding on Change.org, gaining more than 50,000 new supporters in one day. Jose has already changed the debate about immigration with his courageous story,” said Mahendra. “Now, we are excited to see what tens of thousands of Change.org members who have pledged to stand with him can do to repair our country's badly broken immigration system, starting with our toxic immigration debate."
 
View Jose Antonio Vargas’ petition here: http://www.change.org/petitions/stand-with-me-jose-antonio-vargas-for-a-new-conversation-about-immigration

Visit Define American:
http://www.defineamerican.com/

Find "Define American" Watch parties:
http://www.meetup.com/Defineamerican/

Change.org is the world’s fastest-growing platform for social change — growing by more than 400,000 new members a month, and empowering millions of people to start, join, and win campaigns for social change in their community, city and country.

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Jackie Mahendra
Director of Organizing, Immigrant Rights
http://immigration.change.org/

jackie@change.org
m: 202-222-8699
skype: Jackie.Change
twitter: @jaxsun @changeimmigrant
http://www.facebook.com/immigration.change.org

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