“For decades, I have cringed whenever someone called me 'illegal,' as if I'm an insect on someone's back. I found out I didn't have the right papers - that I was here illegally - when I tried to get a driver's permit at age 16. But I am not 'illegal.' No person is.”

Filipino-born American journalist, filmmaker, and immigration rights activist

Jose Antonio Vargas is a Filipino-born American journalist, filmmaker, and immigration rights activist. Raised in the United States from age twelve, he became known for reporting and advocacy that connect immigration, identity, and public life. He was part of The Washington Post team that won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting for coverage of the Virginia Tech shooting online and in print. He has also worked for the San Francisco Chronicle, the Philadelphia Daily News, and The Huffington Post. In 2013, he wrote, produced, and directed Documented, an autobiographical film that CNN Films broadcast in June 2014.