Money Shouldn’t Be a Barrier to Citizenship in the United States
“I’m proud to contribute to America’s economy as an essential worker—it’s been a long road to get here. El Salvador was my first home, but after a devastating earthquake struck, I was left homeless and with nothing to call my own. Terrified and out of options, I came to the U.S. and was granted a safe haven and work permit through Temporary Protected Status (TPS). I started rebuilding a life for my family.” – Maria Barahona, SEIU Local 2015 Member and Home Care Provider
Յոշի Հեր, Հմոնգ փախստականների որդի և SEIU HCMN անդամ
I was born in the United States, but my parents were not. As Hmong refugees, they migrated from Laos to a refugee camp in Thailand before they came to the United States. During what was known as “The Secret War” in Laos, the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) recruited indigenous Hmong people to fight […]
Թերեզա ԴեԼեոն, ներգաղթյալ Ֆիլիպիններից և SEIU 1199NW անդամ
When my father first arrived in the U.S., he slept on his cousin’s couch in a one-bedroom apartment. At night, he would sneak into the bathroom to cry because he missed his family. Later, my mother and younger sisters joined him, but as a toddler, I was left with my Lola (grandmother) in the Philippines. […]
Մերի Դևիս, տնային խնամքի աշխատող և SEIU 1199 անդամ
Ես շատ քիչ լուսանկարներ ունեմ իմ կյանքից մինչ Ամերիկա ժամանելը։ Ինչ-որ պահի ես ունեի իմ և քույրերիս նկարը, երբ նրանք այցելեցին Հոնդուրաս իմ առաջնեկի ծնվելուց հետո: Բայց երբ սկսեցի աշխատել Ամերիկայում, ինչ-որ մեկը կողոպտեց ինձ և վերցրեց գրպանս, որտեղ լուսանկարն ունեի։ Այդ կորուստն ինձ չխանգարեց այստեղ լավ կյանք ունենալ:
Marlyn Hoilette, ներգաղթյալ Ջամայկայից և SEIU 1199 անդամ
I am one of seven siblings. Three of us live in Florida and four in New York. Two of my brothers work in transportation in New York City, and two of my sisters are nurses, like me. The oldest of us is about to retire. My mom says she has no regrets; she can retire […]
Մարկիտա Բլանչարդ, հանրային դպրոցի դռնապան Դեթրոյթից, Միչիգանից և SEIU Local 1 անդամ
I had a fairytale childhood growing up on the westside of Detroit. My three brothers and I live in the same house we were raised in and where we now care for our 93-year-old mother. Throughout my teenage years, I was surrounded by people who, on a daily basis, said that “Mexicans came to this […]
Մարիա Նունո-Էստրադա, առաջին սերնդի ներգաղթյալ և Աշխատավորների միության անդամ
The American dream—an ethos that many aspire to, yet struggle to attain. For some, it is a basic hope of being able to sleep peacefully at night, awake in the morning, find opportunity to work, provide for our families, put food on the table, have access to electricity and running water, and ensure our children […]
Bobby Dutta, ներգաղթյալ Հնդկաստանից և SEIU Local 1000 անդամ
I was born and raised in India and arrived in the U.S. as a teenager during the late 1970s. My family separation story began when I was 9 years old. My grandmother, who lived in Scotland at the time, got sick, so my mother decided to leave India to take care of her. She intended […]
