Preface

e Preface

From Yessica Ramirez, Senior majoring in Communications at Avila University, Daughter of immigrants

My first and foremost priority is to say thank you to Avila University for allowing me to speak about my personal experiences as a daughter of undocumented immigrants in First Year Seminar (FS 101). Opportunities like this have permitted me to be the voice for not only my parents, but other undocumented immigrants, who were once unacknowledged in today’s world.

I cannot thank Avila University enough for selecting the topic of immigration for their First Year Experience. In the First Year program, first year students read the book The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande; which as a First Year Mentor, we were required to read as well. As I was reading Grande’s book, I related with her experiences. Grande, my parents and myself have endured similar yet different struggles. Grande’s parents and my parents had to give something up for a better future, while Grande and I had to learn and accept the reason why they gave it up. It feels great to be able to look up to someone that many students, including myself, can relate to.

Being able to speak to the student body about my own personal experiences with immigration allowed me to meet others at Avila similar to me, and most importantly, allowed me to educate the uneducated.

As a daughter of immigrants, this experience has taught me to never take things for granted. My parents suffered to live in a country that is not their own for my own well-being. My hope for the future on immigration would be to educate as many as possible. We are humans, and should not be treated any differently because of a document stating if one is “illegal” or not.