By: Cecilia Ramirez, Brown Issues Intern, The Met High School
Voting has always been an important topic for my parents. Since I was young, voting was something they talked about and wanted to do but were not able to because of their immigration status. My dad was born in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, and my mom was born in Malinalco, Mexico. They both decided that coming to the United States was necessary because this is where dreams can come true.
When they came to the U.S., they faced the harsh reality that it was not at all like the fairytale they had heard of – where money grew on trees and where you could have anything you wanted. In this country, they were only minorities. They wanted to speak up and be heard.
But how? Because of their immigration status, they were not able to vote for someone that could help them out of poverty. This is why voting is personal to me. I am the person that could represent their voice.
From not being able to afford rent a place to call home in a safe neighborhood to receiving protections from the discrimination they faced, voting is the mechanism to which I can stand up for the things that me and my family care about. I am the oldest of three and I will be the first one in my family that will be voting in the upcoming 2018 Midterm Elections.
My parents’ story and struggle fuels me and motivates me to vote for someone who will help those families like mine who need it. I want to vote for someone who has the same values as me, and who is committed to representing the people in their community. I want to make my parents proud by sharing my vote with them and by voting for someone that strives to do away with racism, discrimination, and stereotypes.
My parents came to California hoping for a chance at success. I can play the most important role in making that happen by voting.
And you can too this November. Adelante!
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