Living statue draws attention to immigrant student plight at First Friday

UNCG student and El Cambio (the change, in English) member Luis Juarez stood still like a statue for two hours outside Artmongerz painted blue and wearing a graduation cap and gown during First Friday on Feb. 3 downtown Greensboro. He held a sign reading "unfreeze the dream" to highlight the lack of access undocumented immigrant youth have to higher education in North Carolina.

"In North Carolina, undocumented students are required to pay out-of-state tuition, which is often four to five times higher than the in-state tuition that their peers pay," said a statement released about the action. "El Cambio is working to have a bill passed in the North Carolina General Assembly allowing undocumented students to pay in-state tuition."

Courtesy photo of passersby posing with Juarez. At least 40 people stopped to have their picture taken, someone connected with the group said.