ProductsRideExperiences and information for people on the move Transforming the way companies move and feed their people Expanding the reach of public transportation Explore how Uber employees from around the globe are helping us drive the world forward at work and beyond but the next morning I noticed that my arms were covered in little thorns Today I work as a software engineer at Uber “Now you have different types of problems; the good type of problems.” Life at Uber has given me the opportunity to experience so many new things I flew in an airplane for the first time; I traveled outside of California for the first time; and now I can order food and have it delivered directly to me This change from milking cows to writing code did not happen overnight. It was made possible by the individuals who took the time to reach out and guide me along the way. I am very thankful and appreciative of all the support and effort that made these opportunities possible, including the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) my mom and dad would go to California to earn money and my dad came home with the intention of bringing me back to California with him He told me I had two options: I could stay in Mexico with my grandma but then it would be a long time before I saw my mom What does a 10-year-old kid know about immigration laws My mom took me to the classroom’s front door and knocked A tall white guy opened the door and said something in English that My mom just handed him a piece of paper that someone in the school’s front office had given her and he walked me to a desk The man who answered the door turned out to be a substitute My actual teacher spoke Spanish and gave me a lot of support and encouragement To bolster my understanding of the language I did well in English and excelled in math which most students did not learn until high school I worried about getting arrested and deported Or what if my parents were deported while I was at school [perfectpullquote align=”right” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]One day at school I heard rumors that Immigration Control and Enforcement (ICE) officers were coming to take students like me.[/perfectpullquote] I heard rumors that Immigration Control and Enforcement (ICE) officers were coming to take students like me I opened up to my teacher and although I found it difficult to explain my situation She said it would be like this for as long as I did not have citizenship I considered scenarios of ICE officers knocking at our apartment door what I might do and the potential outcomes One Saturday morning in high school while I was weeding lettuce I heard on the radio that ICE was in the city next to mine my father worried about being pulled over and asked me to drive him and some of the other workers home There are times when DACA holders are expected to go above and beyond helping their family members who may not speak English as well I was responsible for ensuring the safety of all of us How was I supposed to focus on school when I was constantly worrying about my family being separated someone told me that there’s no point in studying hard if you can lose it all overnight and there’s no point in going to college if you can’t even legally hold a job But there’s one thing they can’t take away from you and that’s knowledge I realized that the more knowledge you accumulate “The only thing you have to fear is fear itself.” I had decided to focus on gaining knowledge So I came up with three questions for my parents about what I should do if my worst fears were realized: My parents gave me detailed answers and suggestions on how I should live day-to-day to come to terms with these fears I always kept some cash with me so that if I was deported I could take a taxi from wherever they sent me in Mexico to my tío’s (uncle’s) house always watching out for trouble two blocks ahead and to always follow the law so I wouldn’t be pulled over or end up in prison and then deported I also worked with my parents weeding lettuce fields I asked so many questions of the adults around me With so many questions and so much knowledge gathering occupying my time I started to forget about deportation and focus on how I would make the best of all possible situations I told myself that if I got deported I could get work as a mechanic All that I learned came from the guidance and advice of many compassionate people Those are the Americans I’ve known in the U.S I’ve heard the accusations that immigrants take jobs that aren’t ours my grandma taught me never to take something that is not mine unless it was offered I was brought to this country and offered a public education I did not apply to any university because it was expensive and there was a lack of financial assistance for students in my situation When my pre-calculus teacher went on maternity leave she had me going over lectures with the class and reviewing the students’ homework problems [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Although I originally had no plans to go to college the DACA program gave me a Social Security number and a work permit Although I originally had no plans to go to college I knew I could actually use a college education to get a job During my senior year of high school, a program manager for an organization called CSin3 came to my school to give a talk. He said that the program could help me get a bachelor’s degree in three years from California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB), with a scholarship from the Matsui Foundation dedicated to the study of computer science (CS) I started watching YouTube videos on programming One of the videos showed how to program a laptop to talk so I followed its instructions until my laptop could say “Good afternoon Benito.” That experience hooked me on coding so I emailed the CSin3 recruiter and applied for the CSin3 program This material didn’t appear on my course curriculum for another two semesters In my third semester, Uber recruiters came to our campus and conducted interviews with CS students for summer internships. One of the interview sessions that stood out to me was with an engineer that became my mentor. For the first ten minutes of the interview, we just discussed Linux, Bash Joining Uber changed my life. It was my first time living in a big city and my first time using public transportation. I got lost on the BART a few times during my first few weeks I wrote code and released it into production I worked on three unique features for Uber Eats The code I wrote enhanced the experience for millions of users DACA let me come out of the shadows and find confidence in my knowledge and abilities Having that status helped me get a college education I’ve grown so much as a person since I got my work permit [perfectpullquote align=”right” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]I don’t recognize the negative stereotypes of immigrants I read about or see on TV I don’t recognize the negative stereotypes of immigrants I read about or see on TV They do not reflect my experience or the people I know I’ve given talks at my former middle school and high school sharing my experiences with current students several of whom are also immigrants or Dreamers I have also begun mentoring college students giving advice to help them succeed in tech interviews and better understand what it’s like to work at a tech company I tell the students I talk to about how I went from milking cows to writing code at one of the fastest growing companies in the world surrounded by a support network of teachers encouraging them to pursue their own success I search “DACA news” to find out if the program will continue my job prospects were limited and deportation was a given I don’t know whether I’ll have a work permit tomorrow Luckily, I am at a company that listens. I have spoken about DACA with my team members, board members of Uber’s Hispanic employee resource group (Los Ubers), and our executive leaders. Our CEO has even publicly expressed his support for Dreamers I am just thankful for the people I am surrounded by Uber offers options in case of a worst case scenario but I’m hopeful for a resolution that works for every DACA holder Although I cannot speak for all Dreamers, I know many other talented students share my story. To educate yourself more about DACA recipients, I invite you to visit Faces of DACA, a website that collects and shares stories from immigrants like me. All my life I have worked to gain knowledge and improve myself. Opportunities were given, but I had to put in the work. As a DACA recipient, I am not asking for a handout, but merely the ability to continue to work and pay taxes in the country where I grew up, a country I consider my home. Benito Sanchez is a software engineer on the Uber Eats Trip Experience team and a member of the Los Ubers Employee Resource Group. In his free time, he likes to play his acoustic guitar and take quiet walks along the beach or in national parks. How the Uber and Uber Eats apps and websites work Select your preferred languageEnglish Sign up to drive Ride Experiences and information for people on the move Careers ENSelect your preferred language English Sign up to drive Demonstrations by activists have sprouted throughout Los Angeles following a leaked audio recording of city officials making racist remarks Jospeh Williams being grabbed at the back of his neck by LAPD as Williams is being pushed out of the Los Angeles City Hall as protesters made their way inside to tape up flyers calling for the resignation of Kevin De Leon on Tuesday Chants filled the streets of Glendale in the late evening of Oct 24 as InnerCity Struggle (ICS) and other organizers formed a rally and march Community members of Los Angeles gathered at the Eagle Rock Field Office as they marched down to Kevin de Leon's home to meet with Black Lives Matter L.A.(BLMLA) “The dance is called Carnaval Putleco from Putla Villa de Guerrero Our costumes are made of leftover fabrics from other skirts and clothing from all regions which makes the colorful views of the costume indigenous community members danced at the Marcha Por Justicia This march was organized by Comunidades Indigenas en Liderazgo (CIELO) which means Indigenous Communities in Leadership on Sunday “We don’t need his representation,” said the ICS Director ICS aims to send a message to de Leon as they find his type of representation is not best suited for their community “He said that he would be here in the long term and others of different backgrounds came togther to march Greeted by the BLMLA encampment group as well as a few guest speakers the march stopped as the speakers expressed how they felt De Leon’s refusal to resign your bigotry and your bias at the door,” said Roger Walls “The people don't want an apology anymore but would rather see De Leon resign as city council as he presents a false representation of their community.” was organized by Comunidades Indigenas en Liderazgo (CIELO) an Indigenous women-led organization fighting racism and culture garments in preparation of the two miles walk to City Hall The leaked audio came as a surprise to Oaxacan-born Edith Farree who closed her business for the day to join others from their community “We did not expect this and this is why we are doing this now Escorted by the Los Angeles Police Department As the protestors made a left turn off 18th Street onto Main Street rapidly honked his horn while pumping his fist out of the window in the air This prompted the crowd to chant “si se puede” as they walked on People came out of business and watched from balconies as the protest made their way down Main street Some even showed support by cheering the crowd on or in a few cases waved Mexican flags Protests have also erupted in front of City Hall where police detained several protesters that interrupted the weekly city council meetings Despite the widespread protests and calls from prominent elected officials for their resignation both de León and Cedillo have refused to step down Protesters carry banners and march to Los Angeles Council Member Kevin De León's house in response to the leaked audio tapes in City Hall after racist remarks from León and other LA council members were revealed marched from Council Member Kevin De León's office at Eagle Rock Field to his personal home in Glendale The rallygoers stand in solidarity with the black and indigenous community who have been encamping there for 10 days and demanding the immediate resignation of De León Eastside Leads and Community Power Collective are the rally's main organizers Mixtec and other indigenous communities gathered to march downtown Marcha Por Justicia was organized by Comunidades Indigenas en Liderazgo (CIELO) which means Indigenous Communities in Leadership Marches and protests continue around Los Angeles in response to leaked audio of L.A during a conversation about ways they can benefit from redistricting politics and redrawing council-district boundaries Community demands for resignations were of Council President Nury Martinez County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera Mixtec and other indigenous communities gather by City Hall after marching for miles from Los Angeles Trade Technical College Comunidades Indigenas en Liderazgo (CIELO) Hundreds of protestors gather by City Hall after marching for miles from Los Angeles Trade Technical College (L) Maria Isabel Rutledge holds a sign demanding León to "exit stage left" in response to the leaked audio tapes in Los Angeles City Hall consisting of racist remarks from León and other LA council members In response to the leaked audio tapes in Los Angeles City Hall consisting of racist remarks from LA council members with Southern Christian Leadership Conference speaking during a recent protest demanding Los Angeles City Council member Kevin De León (district 14) to resign over a recent recording of him The march was from Eagle Rock City Hall to De León's house where the group join up other protesters who have been camped outside About Contact The 87th edition of the Guelaguetza kicked off yesterday in Oaxaca city where the annual celebration of the indigenous traditions of Oaxaca’s eight regions drew a record-breaking 15,000 visitors the star of Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma and the face of this year’s Guelaguetza accompanied by Oaxaca Governor Alejandro Murat and federal Tourism Secretary Miguel Torruco Marqués The delegation of Chinas Oaxaqueñas from the state’s Central Valleys region launched the festivities with a lively jarabe balancing baskets of flowers on their heads as they whirled around the auditorium with giant paper-mâché figures huge paper lanterns and decorative symbols They were followed by representatives from Chicapa de Castro in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec who delighted the audience with The Kidnapping and the Carrying of the Trunk a representation of a traditional wedding in the region Huautla de Jiménez and Tlaxiaco also presented traditional dances from each of their regions culminating in an emotional performance of Canción mixteca a famous song by Oaxacan composer José López Alavez that evokes the loneliness and longing he felt while living far from his home state The audience gave loud approval for the myriad colors and intricate choreography displayed in other spectacles from the dancers of Santa María Tlahuitoltepec with their sones mixes to a feather dance by representatives from Zaachila and even The Taking of the Turkey by the delegation from Ocotlán de Morelos during the presentation of the delegation from Putla Villa de Guerrero the dancers invited the representatives from the other 22 delegations to join in the fun Even Governor Murat could not contain himself from moving to the happy rhythms of the Mixtecan sones and chilenas kindling the celebration’s festive spirit in one of the largest crowds of spectators the Guelaguetza has ever seen A variety of other festivities will follow throughout the week until next Monday when the dancers will once again meet at the auditorium to continue with the second show Source: Milenio (sp) ADVERTISE WITH MND COMMUNITY GUIDELINES Subscription FAQ's Privacy Policy Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed Dear Reader,Unfortunately our comment platform isn\'t available at the moment due to issues with our paywall and authentication vendor David Pelaez-Chavez’s family is raising money to send his body back to his mother and children in Oaxaca When David Pelaez-Chavez left his hometown in southern Mexico for Lake County about a year ago his sights were set on realizing the American Dream that meant earning enough money to provide for his two young children who live with their mother in Putla Villa de Guerrero The town is located in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca The youngest of seven brothers and a sister Pelaez-Chavez told his family that he was living in Lower Lake and had found good work as a farmworker One of his brothers and his sister live in Clearlake Jose Pelaez and another brother call Sonoma County home He never commented about anything (bad in his life).” Pelaez-Chavez’s life was cut short Friday morning He was shot and killed by a Sonoma County sheriff’s deputy who was responding to an 8:20 a.m report of an attempted break-in at a home on a vineyard property east of Healdsburg a rock the size of a cantaloupe and a garden tool similar to a pickaxe when the deputy fired three shots at him from 10 to 15 feet away shortly after 10 a.m. The deputy fired on him after an attempt to subdue Pelaez-Chavez with a stun gun was unsuccessful Pelaez-Chavez was pronounced dead about 30 minutes later at the site of the shooting identified the Sonoma County sheriff’s deputy who shot Pelaez-Chavez as Michael Dietrick He’s a five-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office who previously worked for the Clearlake Police Department Both Dietrick and Sonoma County Sheriff’s Deputy Anthony Powers who deployed the stun gun against Pelaez-Chavez and was with Dietrick at the time of the shooting remained on paid administrative leave Wednesday The shooting leaves Pelaez-Chavez’s siblings and other relatives mourning his loss and questioning the chain of events that led to his death Jose Pelaez described his youngest brother as a friendly man driven by the aspirations he had for his family “He wanted to give his family a better life,” Jose Pelaez said Relatives are skeptical of the official police account of what led up to the shooting Pelaez-Chavez was described as behaving erratically in the moments leading up to and during his encounter with deputies but he had no history of mental illness or substance abuse asked why was it necessary to shoot and kill Pelaez-Chavez “Why were they hunting him like an animal?” Castro said A call from a homeowner in the 5200 block of Tre Monte Lane set off the search for Pelaez-Chavez who authorities suspect of using a rock to smash a pane of glass on a door leading into the home The homeowner confronted Pelaez-Chavez with a handgun and told him to leave he got into a pickup that belonged to a worker on the property and drove off Pelaez-Chavez drove through several vineyard gates on the property and eventually crashed into a ditch in the 5600 block of Tre Monte Lane Someone in a nearby home then saw him go near a back door while he carried large rocks prompting that person to confront Pelaez-Chavez with a gun and tell him to leave the property Pelaez-Chavez told that person to shoot him he left and stole a Gator-style farm utility vehicle from a nearby storage building He used the vehicle to drive through dirt roads in the neighborhood before crashing again and continuing on foot deputies followed his path across steep hillsides and through creeks for about 45 minutes as they attempted to catch up to him Deputies eventually encountered him in the area of Franz Creek according to the Santa Rosa Police Department yelling and rambling words as deputies told him to drop the items in his hands Jose Pelaez said his brother did not speak English Powers fired his stun gun but it was unclear whether the darts struck him In the moments before he was shot by Dietrick Pelaez-Chavez “started making the motions to throw” a rock at the deputies but the rock never left his hand a Sebastopol-based lawyer who has filed lawsuits in several police brutality cases in Sonoma County said the information released by the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office and the Santa Rosa Police Department about the shooting so far leaves many unanswered questions Schwaiger said he thinks the omissions are telling “If the facts of the case justify the use of deadly force we'd know more than we do now,” Schwaiger said “I think that the absence of certain information speaks more loudly than the information that they've given us.” Based on his experience representing the families and victims of multiple excessive force cases in Sonoma County Schwaiger added “the best indicator of the future is usually the past.” Pelaez-Chavez’s family has turned to the community for monetary help to send his body back to his mother and children in Oaxaca, where they hope to bury him. One of Pelaez-Chavez’s nephews started a GoFundMe to collect donations A vigil for Pelaez-Chavez is planned for Friday at Santa Rosa’s Old Courthouse Square It is being organized by the North Bay Organizing Project’s police accountability task force and religious leaders caucus “We will have some faith folks out to offer prayer,” Sanchez said “We want to keep it as a vigil so it feels safer for the family to come and share their stories.” You can reach Staff Writers Nashelly Chavez at 707-521-5203 or nashelly.chavez@pressdemocrat.com Alana Minkler at 707-526-8511 or alana.minkler@pressdemocrat.com and Matt Pera at matthew.pera@pressdemocrat.com