April B Salazar

1/25/2005

 

Family Immigration Project

 

            My mother, like many immigrants, came to this country to pursue the American dream, a dream without hunger, sickness, and corruption.  My mother was born in a small town in Durango, Mexico.  With her parents’ sacrifice and her dedication she finished school in 1968 and earned her teaching degree.  She taught classes in many poor little towns in Mexico.  Her teaching experiences led her to realize that she was stuck in a profession and in a country that did not promise her a stable future.

            In 1973 she left her family and her education behind and illegally crossed the border.  She found work in downtown Los Angeles, were she worked two jobs.  During the day she worked in a clothing factory and at nights she cleaned buildings.  The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 gave my mother the opportunity to become legal in 1987.  Becoming a legal resident allowed her to find a better job, a job that provided stability and a better life style.  In 1993 with hard work and determination she finally became an American citizen.  It took my mother more than 13 years to reach the American dream, a dream that gave her economic, physical, and psychological stability.

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