My name is Patricia, and I am from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. I moved to the United States when I was 7 years old because of my father’s job. Since I came to this country as a child, I had no expectations of what my life here would be like. I just arrived and adapted. Throughout my life I have had different jobs, but for more than 15 years I have been working in a restaurant, which I now own.
Although I have been in this country for many years, I am new to Fremont, Ohio. I am happy because people are welcoming, and most of them open the doors to newcomers. However, at the same time, it saddens me to see that there are still those who don't like to see new people and new faces in their community. This is why I think it is important to promote the positive impact of migrants’ work. It would help create awareness that it is beneficial for everyone to have migrants in our communities.
I am a very grateful person, and I appreciate the things that life has given me, like my job, my customers and the people who support my business. I love my job and I like being at my restaurant, but my dream is to be able to travel more, knowing that my business will continue to thrive. I am grateful to Justice for Migrant Women for getting to know me better. Sometimes people walk in and out of the restaurant, but they don't really know who I am, where I came from or why I came here, so I'm happy and thankful that they came to meet me and share my story.
En Español:
Mi nombre es Patricia y soy originaria de Guadalajara, Jalisco, México. Me mudé a Estados Unidos cuando tenía 7 años, por el trabajo de mi padre. Cómo llegué a este país de niña, no tenía expectativas. Simplemente llegué y me adapté. A lo largo de mi vida he tenido diferentes empleos, pero desde hace más de 15 años trabajo en un restaurante, del que ahora soy dueña.
Aunque llevo muchos años en Estados Unidos, soy nueva en Fremont, Ohio. Estoy contenta porque las personas son acogedoras. Me siento bienvenida porque la mayoría abren las puertas a los recién llegados. Pero al mismo tiempo, me entristece ver que todavía hay a quienes no les gusta ver gente y caras nuevas. Creo que es importante promover las cosas positivas que hacemos los migrantes. Eso ayudaría a crear conciencia de que es bueno que haya más migrantes en las comunidades.
Yo soy una persona muy agradecida. Agradezco las cosas que me ha dado la vida, mi trabajo, mis clientes regulares y las personas que apoyan mi restaurante. A mi me encanta mi trabajo, me gusta estar en mi negocio, pero sueño con poder tener la oportunidad de viajar más y saber que mi restaurante va a seguir saliendo adelante. Agradezco a Justicia para Mujeres Migrantes por haber venido a conocerme más y saber de mi. A veces hay personas que entran y salen del restaurante, pero en realidad no saben de dónde vengo ni por qué llegué aquí. Así que estoy contenta y agradecida porque ellos vinieron a conocerme y a compartir mi historia.
There are migrant women who move across international borders, state and county lines to work along the food supply chain and provide for their families. Some of these migrant women are among the 2.1 million immigrant community members who work in jobs growing, harvesting, processing, and selling food in the US, serving an essential role.
Despite the fact that they were named "essential workers" by government officials of all political backgrounds, companies and consumers during the global pandemic, many of these community members are denied basic rights and face unimaginable challenges. They are also often invisible to the people and the communities where they work and live.
Add your voice to the growing list of people calling on Congress to provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented individuals who worked in essential sectors during the pandemic. Call on Congress to support the Citizenship for Essential Workers Act.
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