CU-Boulder Events Calendar

The Cultural Events Board would like to cordially invite you to an event with Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, founder of Define American.com and undocumented immigrant Jose Antonio Vargas, on Tuesday December 11^th at 7pm in the Glenn Miller Ballroom. 

Tickets are free for students, staff, faculty, and community members, and will be available on a first come first serve basis at the event.

A journalist for over a decade writing for some of the most prestigious news organizations in the country, Vargas’ personal journey contends with some of the most fascinating stories he’s covered, living a double life since he was 16 years old. After being born and reared in the Philippines, his mother, wanting to give her son a better life, sent him to live with his grandparents in Silicon Valley in 1993. However, at 16 years old when applying for his Learner’s permit at the DMV, he discovered his green card was a fake. Vargas then realized he needed to continue hiding his true identity to avoid deportation and be able to pursue his American dream – a career in journalism.

Despite all his achievements, the dark shadow of Vargas’ true identity continued to haunt him, as he frequently lied to friends and colleagues, avoided close relationships so no one would ask too many questions, and didn’t travel abroad due to his illegal passport. Finally in the summer of 2011, 18 years after arriving in America he decided he was done running. Vargas exposed his story in his groundbreaking essay, “My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant,” for the New York Times Magazine, stunning the media and political circles and attracting world-wide coverage. Today Vargas runs Define American, a non-profit organization that seeks to elevate the conversation around immigration.

If you have any questions about this event, please contact the Cultural Events Board speakers coordinator at speakers.coordinator.ceb@gmail.com. For further information regarding the Cultural Events Board at CU-Boulder, visit http://www.colorado.edu/ceb