My name is Manuel, and I am from Mexico. I came to the United States when I was 18 years old to help my parents and with hopes of a better life.
When I arrived in Ohio, there weren’t a lot of people in the community that looked like me. Everything was a struggle at the start, especially learning a new language. Moving to a new country is difficult because you feel alone and isolated. You are away from your family and your culture. You learn to adapt. Little by little, you keep pushing your dream forward.
Living in the United States as an immigrant means you are constantly learning and adapting.
I have worked in restaurants for 14 years. I continue doing this work because I enjoy it. I appreciate being around other community members and interacting with all kinds of people.
I am grateful to the United States for the opportunities that it has afforded me. If you come to the U.S. to get ahead, you definitely have to give it your all.
En Español:
Mi nombre es Manuel, y soy de México. Vine a los Estados Unidos a los 18 años para ayudar a mis padres y con anhelos de una mejor vida.
Cuando llegué a Ohio, no había muchas personas en la comunidad que se parecieran a mí. Todo era una batalla al principio, especialmente aprendiendo un nuevo idioma. Mudarse a un nuevo país es difícil porque te sientes solo y aislado. Estás lejos de tu familia y de tu cultura. Aprendes a adaptarte. Poco a poco, sigues adelantando tu sueño.
Vivir en los Estados Unidos como un inmigrante significa estar constantemente aprendiendo y adaptándome.
Llevo trabajando en restaurantes por 14 años. Continuo este trabajo porque me gusta. Me gusta estar alrededor de otros miembros de la comunidad e interactuar con todo tipo de gente.
Agradezco a los Estados Unidos por las oportunidades que me han dado. Si vienes a los Estados Unidos para echar adelante, hay que echarle la gana.
Essential workers, many of whom are immigrant women, provide life sustaining work through their labor. Yet, many of these community members are denied basic rights and face challenges such as unfair wages and workplace harassment. Such challenges are greater for immigrants in low paid industries, such as the food supply chain, who many times lack access to physical, mental and legal support. Workers in the food supply chain are among the 5 million undocumented essential workers in the United States who have always done essential work. Join us in not only celebrating their contributions to our community, but working together toward a world that treats all workers with dignity and respect.
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