Why The Youngest Real World Housemate Is Risking Everything To Fight for Immigrants: Interview

Since its 1992 inception on MTV — and across more than 33 seasons and 600 episodes — The Real World has frequently functioned as a battleground for the country’s most marginalized young people to fight for understanding. Early because the show’s third season, San Francisco housemate Pedro Zamora bravely revealed his AIDS status for the exact purpose of pushing back against the ailment’s looming stigma. Eight years later, Hawaii’s Ruthie Alcaide lose light on the painful reality of addiction, and in 2009, Brooklyn’s Katelynn Cusanelli dauntlessly demonstrated to viewers — for the opening time — what it’s like to live as a transgender person.


Although the show’s latest season — which has set up shop in Atlanta — has introduced perhaps its most politically charged storyline although, as 21-year-old mother-of-one Arely Avitua revealed on the show’s premiere that she lives without permanent citizenship, and faces constant threats as her DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) status hangs in the balance.


Avitua, who moved with her parents from Mexico To the
U.S. Before she may walk or talk, hasn’t known life in another nation. Still, as a DACA-recipient, she’s forced to regularly answer for undocumented immigrants: Before she even walked by way of the door on The Real World, a fellow housemate essentially instructed her she’s a law-breaker.


Yet Avitua’s learned to stare fear in the face without flinching and is intent on debunking misconceptions about immigrants and what they seek In the United States. For starters: No, she’s not here to kill you, rape you or steal your job. Yes, she pays taxes and is a responsible, functioning member of society. And finally, though some might believe she should be sent back over the border, she’s still devoted to becoming a nurse and saving lives in the nation she loves.


The path forward for Avitua will not be easy. Right now that she and her family member have overstayed their visas (their travel documents were good only up until 2010), their paths toward permanent citizenship are narrowing. And though roadblocks continue to expand and multiply, Avitua’s resolve has follow suit, and while her mother maintains crippling fear about her daughter joining the show, Avitua has never had a doubt that fighting in plain sight seems fated. It seems right.


Below, Avitua tells MTV News about what it’s like to speak for fellow DACA-recipients with so little other representation in pop culture, how she first learned at age 16 that she was undocumented and why close by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids have become a piece of her reality.


Check it all out below, tell us what you’re hoping to be able to see from Avitua in remaining episodes and be sure to keep up with the latest season of The Real World: Atlanta — for the very first time — streaming on Facebook Watch. To get the facts on immigration and take action to support undocumented communities, visit http://www.Mtvact.Com/features/Immigration.


Just to begin at the starting, what’s your memory of the day that you noticed out that you were undocumented? You said on the show that you didn’t even know your citizenship status up until you were 16.


One day my mom enters the residence and she says: Hey, I need to take you to a lawyer because I need you to finish some paperwork. And I was like: Paperwork for what? She explained to me that Obama passed DACA. I was really confused. Although then it suddenly made sense: a few weeks before I turned 16, I wanted to apply for my allow have the ability to drive and my mom notified me I couldn’t. It was sort of a brick to the face.


It was a very tough, confusing time, although the more I learned about the program, the more I understood.


What did you realize about undocumented immigration before learning about your own status?


I knew a little about it, nevertheless my parents didn’t expose me much to it. [ICE] would do raids some days in my hometown and I remember we would routinely get phone calls any time those would happen. My hometown has a pretty good collection of undocumented immigrants and Hispanics so word travels fast. So, we would get calls like: Don’t go to this area, there’s a raid going on.


Did you ever feel “other” soon after learning you were undocumented? Was there bullying?


The area that I reside in is very conservative — I remember I would attempt to explain to some of my peers in school about what was going on and so they were like: Oh, so you’re just an against the law immigrant? It caught me off-guard, and that’s why growing up, any time people called me unlawful, I didn’t even know that wasn’t the right term. I was thinking: Wow, I am really illegal. I began to really believe that about myself.


What is the largest misconception about DACA-recipients?


People routinely say: Wow, they’re taking all this cash from the government with FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student AID). Nevertheless DACA-recipients don’t actually qualify for it, the government just wants to know how much cash we’re getting. And I remember I was supposed to get $6,000 back, me being an individual mom and everything. However then my college informed me that because I’m not a resident citizen, I don’t qualify. And on top of that, they charged me international rates.


I’m not just here to take advantages from people in this nation, use Medicaid, use food stamps. I don’t have any of that. I’ve never needed it or applied for it.


Is there a particular way you like to fight politically?


I make phone calls to Congress. Naturally, I can’t vote, nevertheless I contact our representatives and say: Hey, this is what I believe, think about what you’re voting for. I’ve also gotten better about informing people who are citizens about what’s at stake, reminding them that, hey, you be able to vote. Here’s some food for thought.





And with that food for thought, how can a permanent citizen be a higher end ally to DACA-recipients?


It’s really key that they be informed, even if it doesn’t directly affect them. Because it may affect a family, a coworker or a friend — someone really close to them. Learn about the candidates and where people stand on DACA and immigration.


Was being a DACA-recipient the exclusive reason you applied for The Real World, or were you hoping it would just be a supplementary piece of your story?


Yeah, that was really the main focus that I wanted to get across on the show. I spend a lot of time watching the news and I don’t really visualize a lot of people talking about DACA — people just think: Oh, they’re taking the advantages that other kids should have. I knew if applied, I may tell my story, and talk about all of the struggles I’d gone through. I wanted to show that DACA-recipients aren’t here to use all of the resources. We’re attempting to create better lives for ourselves, and better lives for other Residents of the
U.S., Too.


Has your mom come around on the idea of you being on the show? I know she was terrified at first.


She thought ICE was going to snatch me and put me in jail. Yet I was like: Mom, if I don’t do this, who’s going to speak for us? Toward the end, she began to feel more comfortable. She or might not make a surprise appearance later on!


Did you feel immediate pressure to be the DACA mascot? How did you deal with that?


I knew what I wanted to mention If was cast, however As soon as I entered the home, I began to second-guess myself: What if I’m not the correct person to talk about this? There was a lot of back and forth with my own thoughts. That’s why I was so grateful to have Justin, who’s an activist, in the residence. He was so accommodating in my path to find my voice and to symbolize what I want to represent.


Did you have a particular game plan for handling conflict surrounding your DACA status?


I knew I had to speak calmly, talk about what I think was right and stand my ground. It was a little bit hard at first because Dondre is so stern on his suggestion, and I’m not used to that kind of straightforwardness. A lot of people sugar-coat. I thought if I spoken about how I wanted to be a nurse although couldn’t achieve that, people like Dondre would get a clearer sense of like: Hey, I’m attempting to do something that cooperates with the other people in this country. I remember that finally seemed to create sense to him.


Did the views of your roommates surprise you? On one hand, you have a black, pansexual man, Dondre, who’s constantly tough your right to be in the nation, while a self-proclaimed Republican emblem, Clint, jumps in to defend you throughout heated debates.


Yeah, Dondre’s very first words were: Oh, and you also came here illegally? Like, wow, we’re really doing this? I was certainly caught off-guard, and Dondre took me by surprise. With Clint, I was also really surprised, because I watched his casting video and he’s on the farm, talking about being a Republican. I thought I’d probably get into a debate with Clint over Dondre. You really don’t know who believes what up until you begin having those conversations. Don’t judge a book by its cover.


Do you wish your story in Atlanta had been much less politically charged plus a little bit more comfortable?


I’ve just sort of learned to embrace it. It’s a piece of me and that’s not going to change. I try not to look at the negatives. I’m delighted of who I am and I’m overjoyed of what I stand for. If I didn’t have to deal with that in the residence then what was the point of me being on the show? If I didn’t have DACA I probably wouldn’t have applied for the show.


The Real World has a history of sharing the stories of marginalized people — are there any previous cast members whose stories or struggles inspired you?


Pedro Zamora was on before I was place on Earth yet I still watched it! I’ve watched it forever.


However yeah, Pedro was a person living AIDS plus a lot of people back then were completely against him. I knew that if he might stand up for what he believes is right and he is overjoyed of who he is, then I may come onto the show and tell my story although there really are people that wish to be able to see me fail.


You said on the show that Logic’s messaging on Trump’s border wall was encouraging — who else do you visualize fighting for immigrants in that pop culture sphere?


this seems really weird, although G-Eazy is another person I’ve been big on. I got to meet and converse with him about each year ago, and I said: Thank you so much for using your voice as a platform and defending immigrants and bringing attention to us. A lot of us don’t have that representation. He gave me a hug and was like: That’s the main thing I’m attempting to get across — we’re all human beings. I remember just crying. It was immediately after that that realized I needed to begin talking more about DACA, and starting up to my older, more conservative co-workers who don’t understand it.


You mentioned on show that in case you can become a citizen you would — right now that filming is over, what more will it take for you to achieve citizenship?


To get citizenship, the options that I have now are to get wedded to a citizen, yet even that’s a big process with lawyers and fees. Or, I may join the military and then some branches will grant you a path to citizenship. I think that’s it now.


I know the Home of Representatives just attempted to pass the Dream and Promise Act of 2019, and that would grant a path to citizenship for DACA-recipients and expand what the program currently offers. It’s up airborne and being sent to the Senate.


And has there been any more movement with attempting to get your nursing license since filming?


I’m still attempting to find places that will permit DACA-recipients to get their licenses. One of the states that’s really close to me actually passed a bill that would let DACA-recipients to receive licensing. I didn’t even find out up until toward the end of filming earlier this year. It was a big thing. The initial thing I did immediately following the show was apply for it.


Do you think your son will be overjoyed of what he sees if and any time if he watches the show?


I thought about him a lot throughout filming. I want him to understand that his mom and grandparents are immigrants and that’s segment of who he is. I think he’s going to be delighted of what I stood up for and I hope he is aware what to fight for.


More typically, what do you hope your legacy is any time the show ends?


I wanted to inform the public what being a DACA-recipient is, and not to believe all of the fake news that you hear or visualize on television. Some folks are very quick to believe lies any time as soon as they don’t do their own studies. It was about helping them to understand my side. I feel like I did a wonderful job telling my truth.


I’ve already gotten a lot of feedback — a lot of people have been like: Wow, I didn’t know this. I’m learning so much. Immediately after that, I knew I did what I set out to do.


**Editor’s note: MTV isn’t identifying Avitua’s hometown for her safety and privacy.