A 'dreamer', a Nasa contest and a robot called Stinky
Oscar Vazquez was an undocumented Mexican child migrant in the US when he made a robot which got him national attention – but also put his legal status in the spotlight.
In 2004, Oscar Vazquez was part of a robotics team made up of undocumented Mexican-American high school students from a poor area of Phoenix, Arizona. They entered their $800 invention – an underwater robot called Stinky – into a Nasa competition taking on high-budget creations by prestigious universities including MIT. Oscar's team attracted attention, but far from leading to opportunities in the world of tech and science for Oscar, instead raised questions about his immigration status and position in US society. The proposed DREAM Act would raise his hopes of citizenship and of achieving another ambition - serving in the US military.
This story is the subject of a documentary called Underwater Dreams, directed by Mary Mazzio and produced by 50 Eggs Films.
Get in touch: [email protected]
Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Katy Takatsuki
(Photo: Oscar Vazquez on location during the filming of Underwater Dreams. Credit: Richard Schultz Courtesy of 50 Eggs Film)
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