My Grandpa, Roque Navarro Torres, born March 10th, 1942, in San Roque De Torres, Guanajuato Mexico.The oldest, with 10 brothers, he had to start working at a very young age. In 1961, When he turned 19 he decided to go work in the United States to pursue a better life. He was able to get into a migrant worker program called the Braceros Program. This program brought millions of Mexican workers to the United States. It's amazing to know my Grandpa was a part of a historic program. After his contract was up he returned to Mexico where he continued working. He soon met his wife. With a baby on the way, he decided to try to go work in the United States again. He was contracted in 1964 the same year the Bracero Program ended. He was able to fix himself and his family papers to be residents in the United States. He came to Oxnard CA. Not too long after moving to the US with his family, he bought a house. The house cost $30,000 dollars at the time. It was located in a neighborhood many people are familiar with in Oxnard, La Colonia. He had fulfilled his American dream. He continued working in the strawberry fields in Oxnard. This story is not a harsh story like other families having to cross the border illegally. My respect goes out to them. However, this is a story about hope and that anything is possible when you put your mind to it. He wanted a better life for him and his family and he achieved that. The house he bought for $30,000 sold for $450,000 in 2006. After he bought a new home he retired. Now he runs a business fixing bikes. Still, at 78 years old he cant stop working.

– Luis Preciado

Relationship:  Grandchild of im/migrant Grandchild of im/migrant