Personal Narrative: Growing Up As The Daughter Of Two Immigrants

Growing up as the daughter of 2 immigrants isn't easy. There are a lot of people that discriminate them for "coming and having children just to get the benefits that our government gives". I know my parents didn't come for that. My mom came here because my grandma was really sick and she needed money so she could buy the medicine for her. My father came because he had just lost his brother and his family counted on him to bring food to the table and to keep a roof above his families head. People with power such as politicians describe Latinos as rapist , drug dealers, and thieves which not all of us are. There are always good and bad people where ever you go. They are describing them as if we are doing something wrong for trying to keep
their family safe and happy.

In my life i have only lived in 2 homes. The reason we moved from the first home was because my dad had an injury at work but he couldn't get good health services so he had to stay home to heal. My dad had to stop going to work for a few months and my moms job didn't pay enough to pay all the bills. We were forced to move out and in to a much smaller place with lots of damages. A few months later my dad started to work again , we were slowly getting better but then our home needed work . My parents had to work longer and I had to take care of my little sister, once she was born. Me and my family barely had time for each other but we are used to it and we know that they are working really hard for us.

When I first started school , I didn't know any English.
All the kids already knew all the letters in the alphabet and I felt left out and not smart enough. Once I got to first grade I was in esol and kids kept saying that only dumb kids go there. I was in esol until I was in 4th grade and for all those years people always called me stupid. My parents were always working so when I needed help with homework I didn't really have anyone to go to and ask. For the times that they were there they couldn't help me because they didn't know much English. When I was in elementary school my parents had to go to the parent teacher conferences but they didn't understand much.

Sometimes I feel left out at school because I don't have all the things all the other kids have. At school it's a really big thing to have "shoe game" or "dress game" which means you can dress well and that you have expansive things. My parents don't have the extra money to buy me all those things.

Throughout my life I have had many different problems that were caused by an even bigger problem. Being the first generation in my family that was born in the USA doesn't mean that I'm any more or less American then any other person here. We as a country need to learn that no race, ethnicity, religion, or person is more important than the other . We are all equal . We are all people. Just because my parents are immigrants doesn't mean that they are bad people. They have a dream
too.