Being the first from your family to cross to the United States, leaving everything and everyone you know behind is tough. Even the thought of doing that is difficult. But my dad knew it had to be done. He had always wanted to have a better life for his family. He couldn’t let his family pay the price for his mistakes and knew that coming to the United States could help him achieve his goal. The United States was the ideal place to do so because of the job opportunities it had unlike the lack of jobs in Mexico. Crossing the border from Mexico in the 1980s and entering into a society where he wasn’t welcomed because of his color, ethnicity, culture, and beliefs made it difficult for him to begin his journey for a better future. But my dad was strong and didn’t let anything stop him from achieving what he wanted to do. He continued working hard and didn’t give up and now he has a healthy family in a good community, earning a good living, and is currently paying for me to attend a 4-year university. The hardworking and strong person I am today is because of him. Even though he is the one that passes this knowledge on to me the real credit for what he knows and the knowledge that he passes on to me has to go to the lady in the picture, my grandma. If it wasn’t because of her strength and knowledge that she had implemented into my dad, he would’ve never come to the U.S. and I would have never become the person I am today and have all these resources to benefit my future.

– Bryant Martinez

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