A Day Without Immigrants: "The diploma I’ll get in May is theirs not mine."

Here is my father and I.

The march on February 16 was not as big as the one we had when we were protesting the HB-1070 law back in 2010. There were not as many people but the ones that were there were risked loosing their jobs and missed a school day just to be there. I think we are realizing that they (jobs) need us more than we need them. The economy needs us and we have slowly but surely earned that status. The entire restaurant industry in the U.S. is primarily Latino. From the busboy to the chef they are all Latinos, the front of the house staff is usually always white or any other race. The same goes for the following industries construction, landscaping, agriculture, house keeping, as well as street vendors. I think that people really came together for a great cause. Which was to show that the economy is not the same without us; therefore, making us a necessary part of the economy. In this march I witnessed a tremendous amount of diversity, different people marching for what is just. Black and Brown folks walking along side each other in solidarity. I’ve never witnessed anything like it. The march brought tears to my eyes. Minorities are treated unfairly and it’s beautiful to see us fighting the oppressor together. I support the #BlackLivesMatter movement; you don’t need to be black to see what is unfair. Like Martin Luther King once said: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”.

My father Héctor Botello, 41. Came here alone in 93’, worked in the meat industry and “las oficinas” for a while until he learned to do construction work and now he has his own company.

To me personally the march meant honoring my parents and the enormous sacrifices they made to bring me here. They risked their lives and left everything behind to bring me here so I could have a better education. I will be eternally grateful for my family, and I am beyond proud de ser “hija de inmigrantes”. They came here with nothing and still managed to give me everything. The diploma I’ll get in May is theirs not mine.

¡Gracias mamá y papa!

This is my father, my awesome friend Lizzet and I.

∴

Alejandra García was born in Mexico and is now a student at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago. Her major is Spanish.