Freedom
What’s freedom to me? Well to talk about freedom, I must start with my parent’s. As I have mentioned in my previous blogs, both my parents are immigrants from Mexico, they came to the US at a young age. One wrong move, one traffic stop, or one mishap where they overstep and make themselves known and draw too much attention to them would be a life-altering mistake. Their whole lives, they have lived in fear of doing something wrong that would lead to their deportation. My parents always fought and sacrificed, so much so that my brothers and I could have a life with ease and a home to come to where we had our privacy, were surrounded by loved ones and where we can get an education to make something of ourselves. My life has been great because of my parents, and for that, I will forever be eternally grateful.
Being on this internship has made me realize that I am not only using my freedom to advocate for farmworkers on Capitol Hill, but I am also drawing strength and courage from my parents' because, through me, one day, if God allows it, they will be able to enjoy many of the freedoms in this nation by me making them permanent citizens. I hope to one day be able to reunite my parents with their loved ones in Mexico. My parents gave me life, and now it's my turn to give them the gift of experiencing Times Square, where I just visited for the first time.
This weekend, I had the privilege of traveling to New York City via train. And I was so overwhelmed with excitement just passing through cities like Baltimore and Philadelphia. Growing up, I always heard how iconic these cities are. Now, as a first-generation Hispanic young adult, I'm within reach of places my parents and other immigrants dream of visiting—just to grab a bite and walk around these lively, chaotic, and entertaining cities. The buildings amazed me; they seem small in movies, but in person, they make us look tiny. I also had my first haircut in NYC—a side quest, if you ask me. All in all, I am having a great time in DC, but I am sad it’s coming to an end in a couple weeks. I know I will leave DC with a new perspective on life, and sometimes that’s all you need.