My father has led a very difficult life, to be able to provide an easier life for my sisters and I. My father grew up in Mexico, but early on, he lost many important people in his life, dealing with the loss of his father when he was only 6, his mother when he was 15, and his brother at 16. Due to losing these support systems very early on in life, he had to drop out and was unable to finish secondary school and high school. These hardships were difficult to work past, but he never gave up and was determined to work towards building a better future. He worked as a beekeeper, maintaining bees, and helping with the cultivation of honey. He would spend time in the town square, where he would meet my mother, and fall in love. In 1997 and 1999, my parents had my sisters, and they began to think about immigrating to the US because they wanted a stable future for their growing family. In 2001, my family made the difficult decision to come to the US. For some time, they lived in California, and when they came to NY, they lived with my aunt, until my parents were able to afford their own apartment. My father continues to work hard for the betterment of our family and has never failed to be a good person and a great father.

– Vanessa Bravo

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant