Date: September 22, 2011
Location and Time: Johnson Center Cinema, 1:30 to 2:45 pm
This Fall for the Book event was a very special one for me. We had three speakers come out to us to talk about Immigration. Judith Freidenburg was one of the speakers that was out there and I was really touched with what she had to say. She focused on Prince William County, which is the county in which I was raised in, and the immigration issues there. She went on with explaining the stories of migrating, stating that most of the people who migrate do it for two reasons, earn money and start a family, the “American dream”.
As she spoke, I couldn’t help but to remember when my mom sat me down one day a couple of years ago to tell me her story. This story that she told me about was one that I was not aware off and a story that explained a lot of things about my mom. I was amazed to hear that she was sent from El Salvador to San Diego just at the age of 16. It wasn’t even her decision to leave; it was her mom’s, due to the fact that El Salvador was going through a civil war. My grandma gathered about $1,500 to have a “Coyote” transport my mom through Mexico and up the US-Mexico border illegally. There are no words to describe what my mom went through as she crossed the border or anyone else, in order to have a better life here in the United States. As Judith Freidenburg explained, all the people who come here illegally live in constant fear of being caught by the police so every step they take is a risk for them. Luckily my mom no longer lives with that fear but the fact is that many other people still do.
Luis, wow -- sounds like this panel was very personally significant for you. I'm glad it resonated with you and that you were able to go. Did you have a chance to ask any questions? Did other audience members get to ask questions?
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