Sometimes we find role models in our families or even in our teachers. Other times we can find them in our comic peers! Introducing ScholaR, Rosita, and Masir in the color we always imagined them in. These illustrations were created to provide affirming messaging for young people as portrayed through comic young people. It’s ok for little girls to get angry, we should be very proud of the skin we’re in, and YES it is ok for boys to wear heels! Feel free to download and print and display these illustrations anywhere young people may wish to freely exist :)

Rosita: Mom, are we going to be ok?

Rosita's mom: Yes, but for now it's best that we don't tell anyone...

TV: 150 detained in Ohio / 2000 children separated from their parents / More raids in Illinois / Various abuses against migrants in Texas…

Nearly 8 years ago, undocumented youth declared themselves undocumented and unafraid at the first Coming Out of the Shadows March in Chicago in front of the federal immigration office in downtown.

Two years later in the spring of 2012, undocumented youth across the country staged hunger strikes in Obama reelection offices ignoring the advice of “advocates” who insisted it would hurt their cause. Obama announced DACA in June.

In the fall of 2012 and in months to follow, undocumented and queer activists infiltrated detention centers and brought to light countless abuses being committed within the detention centers where men, women, children, and queer migrants are held.

In the summer of 2013, the Dream 9 crossed the southern US border to reunite with family they had never seen in person, tested the malleability of our borders on their return, and made us imagine a world without borders for all.

All of these actions created an environment where countless migrants felt safer discussing their undocumented status with organizers, with lawyers, with doctors, with friends. It created communities where people felt more connected, safer, and healthier. What we are seeing now in 2018 is a shameless attempt to reverse all that the undocumented community has worked towards and send everyone back to the shadows. Don’t let them.

If you’ve read “Rosita Gets Scared”, you know that Rosita is an incredibly bright and self aware young girl who is ready to speak openly about her fears and her joy. If we allow the undocumented community to live in fear, we pave the way for little girls like Rosita to lose their voice to fear. Fight like hell for the youth being separated at the border but remember that the undocumented community needs everyone to keep the fight going for so much more. Abolish all prisons, #AbolishICE, and keep fighting until we all get free.

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Rosita is a character losely based off of Angy Rivera. To learn more about her story visit http://www.pbs.org/pov/donttellanyone/

To read more on the above mentioned stories see these links:

http://www.iyjl.org/comingout2013/

https://longislandwins.com/issues/comprehensive-immigration-reform/dream-activists-go-undercover-in-south-florida-detention-center/

https://www.thenation.com/article/the-young-activists-who-remade-the-democratic-partys-immigration-politics/

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/08/dream-nine-immigration-activists-freed

Masir is home alone and bored.

It's never just a pencil.

*Hmar is Palestinian Arabic for "donkey".

An ode to the friendships built from being the last kids in the building...

"Rosita Gets Scared" and "Rosita Se Asusta" by ScholaR Comics is here! This a 14 page comic where Rosita tells us her scary story and gives advice on how to cope with fear of deportation. Below is a short preview of the booklets' pages in English and in Spanish. It is designed as a teaching tool for culturally relevant social and emotional learning of all children but especially children who are undocumented or have undocumented family members.

Purchase a copy by visiting the shop at http://scholarcomics.bigcartel.com/ . If you are interested in multiple copies and need a discounted rate please email alvarez.vicko@gmail.com. If you are interested in helping translate the booklet to a language other than Spanish please let me know! Any and all feedback is very welcome as I hope to create more comics to address more emotions in the very near future. <3

Masir can't stand these security guards. ScholaR can't stand Masir. Good thing school's almost out I guess...

Being suspended means really boring daytime TV and a lot of Judge Mathis. 

A short story about crushes. This comic was created as part of the Lenses showcase on queer artists processes and perspectives. More on the event here https://www.facebook.com/events/570829236448944/

ScholaR has an unexpected visitor while working with her Tia Mari.

Last panel translation:

Tia Mari: Who was that, ScholaR?

ScholaR: A white man, Tia Mari. 

Tia Mari: A Morman again? Tell them that this is a house of God!

ScholaR: I did.

It's ScholaR's birthday but she's not sure what all the hype is about.

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*Background*: Stop jumping so much! / Hahaha! / Mommmm!

ScholaR's mom: Open your gifts, ScholaR.

ScholaR: It's towels.

ScholaR's mom: Give them to me.

ScholaR: It's socks.

ScholaR's mom: They'll be useful for school.

ScholaR's sister: Open the last one, twirp.

ScholaR: Thanks, sis.

ScholaR's sister: Sure, shrimp.

It's a bird...es un avión...no, it's Super ScholaR! With the help of her calcetines volarines she's reaching heights never imagined by mean adults.

A new adventure coming soon... ‪#‎SuperScholaR‬

Teacher: Everyone, welcome our new student, Rose.

Rosita: Me llamo Rosita.

Teacher: Take your seat, Rosie. 

Teacher: Everyone take your Valentine's Day cards out.

ScholaR: Ey, what's wrong?

Rosita: I don't know what she's talking about. I don't have cards. 

ScholaR: You don't celebrate Valentine's Day?

Rosita: Yes, but in my rancho we gave each other flowers. 

ScholaR: Here. Take some of mine. They're from the dollar store but no one can tell.

Rosita: Ah! Thank you.

A young scholar's weekend doesn't always seem worth writing about. Who wants to read about going to the WIC office? On the plus side, it's made ScholaR a really good story teller. 

Assignment: Write a story about what you did this weekend.

Mama: ScholaR! Wake up so we can go to the WIC office!

Mama: Ask for the baby's formula.

ScholaR: Can we get formula?

ScholaR: Mama, can we go to the park?!

Mama: You stay here where I can see you!

TV: Today on "Primer Impacto"

ScholaR: Hmmm...

ScholaR wants to wear what they feel comfortable in. Bows aren't for everyone. 

Don't patronize ScholaR. She doesn't mind a challenge.

TV:  William Eduardo de la Luz Ferrari! I have my money, my house, my children, my name brand clothes, my own business, but without you... I'M NOTHING!

ScholaR: What?

Mom: Scholar! Come help me in the kitchen! It's time you learn how to cook so you can cook for your husband when you get older!

ScholaR: WHAT?!?

This is ScholaR. She’s as tough as she is creative and as bossy as she is loving. She's observing the world around her and realizing that some things aren't quite right. Check out the rest of the series to find out why.