Global Know-Now <<<<<<>>>>>> [The Cuba Edition] 06/2006-8/2006

Implications of Immigration

The passion I feel for immigrant rights and issues pertaining to those who are disenfranchised stems directly from the closest case of reference—my life. In the society we live in, certain groups have been and still are subjected to an unfair reality. As a Latino, the category of disadvantaged is befitting, since my background along with my immigrant reality has placed me in a most unfavorable role in society.

As evidence of this cast-system, I offer you my experiences in the educational process. Growing up in the inner city can be taxing spiritually let a lone developmentally, for one; the notion of college was elusive to me as well as to those in my circle. While growing up there were no expectations of higher education since most parents were not high school graduates. For the reality in my immigrant enclave was of having an occupation, not a “drawn out” career. Thus the immediacy in which people had certain necessities—like financial--determined their educational aspirations.


The pertinent question being: who is at fault? Is anyone to blame for my and many other young peoples casting in the supporting role? Why aren’t we protagonists?


The sole responsibility is not entirely attributable to parents, since there are other factors at work in the lives of those who lack in this society. I am one not to ever complain about the blessings received in my life, for I am truly grateful. Despite this feeling, I am aware of the fact that there is not an equilibrium in terms of equality for all. Early on in my academic life the English language proved to be a seemingly physical barrier in my development. While many were learning core subjects in a comprehensive language, I was essentially learning a language. The reason why I focus on this stage of my life is because I believe it to be the most crucial, since the bilingual education I received lasted four years during my formative years, from the age of seven until eleven before I could move on to all English courses. All the while experiencing a sense of confusion. Thus, taking up English literature as a major in college was a way for me to counteract that which initially harmed me, since I knew the role of importance the English language would play in my future.


Retrospectively speaking: what would have been of me if I had accepted the hand dealt from the stack? What happens to those who don't know or can’t discern trick cards in the shuffle?


Consequently, this is not to say that bilingual education is not needed, in the contrary, it is essential. Having said that, my experience proved to be deleterious, as it is often the case in a single parent household. As the sole breadwinner, at times my mother needed to work several low-wage jobs in order to cover the household expenses in the United States and equally in the Dominican Republic for the family left behind. This meant that the constraints of my mother’s situation were key in the delay of my development. For in the efforts of providing for me, she seldom had time to devote to my education to know that two years into the bilingual courses would have been enough.


Can we (this society and you the reader), attribute this harm to happenstance, as it is often thought to be the case?


I offer my life experiences and place myself as the guinea pig to be picked on as a quasi case study. Despite these open-ended questions, I still feel wronged. The phrase heard often: “a product of the system,” is not a cliché in my situation. In this case the system failed me.

In the case of the disempowered/disenfranchised accountability needs to be represented in the form of policy and voice. For me voicing wrongs has served as impetus to restructure an often daunting immigrant reality for my life, as well as try to ease the chokehold for others.

So…I ask you to join in and “pick up” where they/you/we leave off. No! Not in the backbreaking agricultural sense (as fruit pickers), but in the clamor against hypocrisy. Now is the opportunity to piggyback on the current national dialogue and regardless of your legal status, speak for the silent heroes--immigrants.

posted by Henry A. Obispo @ 1:32 AM