Many people don’t know that June is Immigrant Heritage Month. It is a month where immigrants are encouraged to share their stories and embrace their diversity. The timing of immigrant heritage month could not be more perfect as we are living the road to electing a new president and trying to remind them that immigrants are very important. According to ACS data, there were 42.4 million immigrants living in the U.S. during 2014. Immigrants are not only a great part of the U.S. population but immigrants are vital to the economy. It is astonishing that regardless of how vital immigrants are, they are discriminated against and faced with many struggles.

Coming from an immigrant family, I am familiar with some of the struggles that immigrants face on a day to day basis. While I was born in the United States, my parents were not. They left a small town in Mexico in search of a better life. I have seen firsthand the struggles that my parents have faced as immigrants. I have seen the discrimination that they have and continue to endure on behalf of ignorant people. I have seen the tiredness in their eyes and their hurt bodies from working themselves to the max. I have seen my mother go to work even if her blood pressure is too high, her blood sugar is too high, her headaches are hitting in, or her arthritis pain is hitting in. Both of my parents have worked themselves to the bone ever since they set foot in the United States, just like millions of other immigrants.

I am fortunate enough to have been born in this country and not have to face the difficulties that many young adults and kids face being undocumented at such a young age. I am fortunate in so many different ways and everything I have I owe to the hands of two immigrants who do nothing else than care for me and help me get the college degree they were never able to achieve. My parents have sacrificed themselves in every way they possibly could to help me pursue my dreams, and for that I am thankful.

I thank my parents for all of their sacrifices, but I also thank the millions of immigrants who sacrifice themselves on a daily basis. I thank them for working the fields that subsequently puts the food on my table. I thank them for moving forward and showing me that anything is possible.

To all the immigrants out there who suffer from discrimination, racism, and who are struggling to fit in, you are not alone and you are very strong. Thank you for persevering and teaching me that statistics can be beaten.

P.S. If you want to shed some tears, watch this video of Valedictorian, Larissa Martinez, as she admits in front of all of her fellow high school graduates and teachers that she is an undocumented immigrant.