What it’s like growing up in a house of immigrants

In 4th grade, I overheard my mother talking to my stepfather about possible deportation if she never got her legal papers. The next morning, I cried on the school bus to my classmate because I thought they were going to take my mom away.

I remember her words clearly: “No Sharon, they can’t do that.” It’s still fresh in my mind, but this is the first time I mention it publicly.

This June marks the third annual Immigrant Heritage Month. In 2014, President Barack Obama declared June as Immigrant Heritage Month for us to recognize that America is a collection of immigrants from around the world. This allows us to celebrate our origins as a nation of immigrants, and I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of this community.

I was born in America, but I come from a family that emigrated from Honduras to America 25 years ago for a better living. My mother fled violence and an economic crisis – leading to two months of crossing the border, swimming through rivers, no sleep, walking in the rain, drinking urine and terrible encounters with people who were caught by Immigration patrols.

She still relives her experience in her head to this day, but she’s always said her struggles and hardships are what make her “strong and proud to be an immigrant”.

My mother left everything behind to make a better living for my family in Honduras. She wanted a better job, a better house, and better opportunities. She started off by working in a nail salon to cleaning houses and schools six days a week. She was getting paid less than minimum wage and slept few hours at night. There were times she would cry in her room while talking to my family in Honduras, but the next day she would go to work with a smile on her face – like everything was perfect. Indeed her faith, courage and determination was strong enough to uplift the whole family.

Today, my mother is still an ‘illegal immigrant’ and doesn’t have the same opportunities that we, Americans, often take for granted. She can’t continue her education, she can’t have a career and she can’t travel to Honduras see her family. But in 2012, we were able to visit our family in Miami after they emigrated to America – it was the first time meeting them.

My oldest brother came to America when he was 16 years old – and I met him for the first time after missing out on 10 years. He went to high school for one year, but couldn’t complete the rest of his time because he needed to work. So he assisted my stepfather with construction where he was willing to work at the most dangerous sites.

Today, he is a server at a restaurant where he works to provide for his son and wife – whom are U.S citizens.

My 29-year-old brother came here with my mother, not knowing where he was going and why. Yet, he’s overcome violence, bullying, foster care and ten different schools throughout his life here.

He graduated from Kingsborough Community College with an Associates degree in Accounting and a 3.9 GPA. My brother didn’t have any financial aid or loans to assist him with paying for college, so he worked hard to pay it all out of his pocket with help from my mother.

He never failed to help me financially and mentally as I transitioned from high school to college. He always told me: “I’m proud of you for accomplishing what I never could.”

Growing up in a house of immigrants, I learned to reflect on the strength, courage and determination of every immigrant – whether they emigrated here legally or illegally. I learned the true value of hard work, determination and opportunities through my family. Everything that I’ve accomplished is only thanks to them because they’ve taught me to always stay grateful for the opportunities that I have as a U.S citizen, and to always keep moving forward.

This June, we, immigrants, look forward to the Supreme Court’s decision on whether or not they will move forward with President Obama’s proposed change in immigration rules – which would shield more than four million immigrants from deportation.

Whatever happens, I will always remain a proud immigrant who continues to celebrate the hard work, strength and stories of every immigrant. No one can take that away from me – not society, not the Supreme Court, not Donald Trump, not anyone.