My dad came to the United States when he was 19 years old. He wanted a better life for himself and for his kids in the future, so went out and made sure of it. He left because there was nothing for him in Mexico; no life, no future. When he told his parents he was leaving they were devastated, but they knew he had to go and make a life for himself, even if it wasn't there in Mexico. After many trials and tribulations, he had made it in the United States and went for days on end without eating any food. He hitchhiked and ventured his way all throughout America, visiting cities the best way he could.

Flash forward like 30 years later he has a stable job, a family of five, but the one thing that still keeps him from being a full American is his citizenship. I do not understand the culture America has for immigrants when it's sole foundation was brought upon by immigrants. If you see someone trying their best to adapt to the culture by learning the language, singing their music, paying taxes, why are people with power still denying the ideal American Dream to someone who risked their life for that purpose?

We live in a society where our President himself makes it known that Mexicans are rapists and murderers. Then why has every mass shooting in America, in 2019 alone, been by a white supremacist who is "mentally ill". How does that support any claim about Mexicans being those people? The way people claim that racism is not prevalent in modern society would be hypocrisy to say because the whole idea of the "American Dream" contradicts itself. This whole country contradicts itself, and no one is talking about it. People are talking about it but nothing is being done to help the kids being detained in the ICE detention centers, with no food for days and given Aluminum paper as blankets. Nothing is being done about the people who are being deported and have families to provide for, see them live their lives. Nothing is being done about the brutality that is faced by the police in these instances. America you need to step it up!

I am a first-generation Mexican American. I am thankful every day to my parents that I was born into a country that has so many bright opportunities for me, but that's the sad thing, they only ever have opportunities for people like me, natives. My heart hurts every time I see my father be denied an opportunity because of his thick accent, or my mother because she didn't go to college. I will continue to fight for their rights because of them. It is so sad to see your parents go through so much for the people they love, only to be given the bare minimum with no exceptions. I love who I am, and that is why I'm here, to tell their stories!