Editor’s note: A question from a reader seeking advice from Lily, Catherine and Danny appears in this space every week. The recent immigration demonstrations across the nation, however, have prompted a different question today: What does the word “immigrant” mean to you? In their answers, Lily, Catherine and Danny share their families’ stories – their journeys, their dreams. If you would like to share yours with us, please write or e-mail.
Danny: An immigrant, by definition, is a person who leaves one country to take up permanent residence in another. Certainly my grandmother captured the technical meaning of the word, but her life and legacy defined its essence.
Gramita was a proud woman who held her culture and her tierra (native land) near and dear to her heart. But she was no fool. She recognized where one country had failed her and another could provide. She assimilated, adapted, and became a prosperous and proud citizen of the United States.
She came with a purpose and with respect, never looking back on how it could have been but determined to work toward a future that could be. Her dream lives on today in me, in my siblings and their kids, in my aunts, and in my first, second and third cousins.
My gramita, the immigrant, chose one home, swore allegiance to one flag, and dedicated her life to repaying a debt to a society and a country that opened so many doors of opportunity. Ten la seguridad, abuelita, que tus suenos viven en mi. (Rest assured, grandmother, that your dreams live on in me.)
Lily: Yo soy producto de la inmigracion. (I am a product of immigration).
My parents moved here from Mexico and became U.S. citizens to fulfill the American dream. They taught me that we all share a humanity despite our attempts to convince ourselves otherwise. We all struggle with el sudor (the sweat) off our foreheads and backs, striving to make a better life for the next generation.
We are not here to criticize, but to help. We are not here to judge, but to listen. We are not here to differentiate between “mexicano” and Mexican-American, but to improve the quality of life for each other based on our talents and shared heritage.
I am proud to have a voice, an opinion and a heart that will always support immigration. I owe what I am and who I am to dos inmigrantes (two immigrants). To turn my back on immigrants would be to turn my back on my brave parents and myself.
Catherine: I will never promote illegal immigration, but I will always have compassion and respect for those who leave everything they know to work toward a better life in another country.
Can you imagine moving to a foreign country and starting over, regardless of whether you want to or have to?
Learning the language, figuring out the transportation, establishing a community of friends or launching a business – which of these could you do easily or with difficulty, or not at all?
Whether someone is coming from Mexico to work, moving to start a new adventure or fleeing a repressive regime, the adjustment must be tremendous.
My mother arrived from Colombia at age 15. She often tells me how difficult it was to adjust to life in America and how lonely it was. I will always respect her and the courage she had to pursue a dream. By doing so, she ensured that her children would have more opportunities than she did. And for that I sincerely thank her.
What does “immigrant” mean to me? Someone with faith in herself and the future, who wants more out of life than a mere existence, and who is willing to take great risks and work hard to achieve this.
Consejos is a bilingual advice column focused on relationships, culture and identity. E-mail your questions or comments to consejos@dallasnews.com. Or send your letters to Consejos, care of Texas Living, The Dallas Morning News, 508 Young St., Dallas, TX 75202
