Proud Daughter of Immigrants from Mexico | Jessica Hinojos | TEDxYouth@ParkCity

Undocumented immigrants. Illegal. Criminals. These are words that my parents constantly hear over and over and over again. My parents are always being reminded that they'll never fit in and that they don't belong. But people that say these words don't understand how hurtful they can be. They're simply too blind to see the story behind these amazing people. Both my mom and my dad are from Mexico. They are from the state of Chihuahua. My dad was born in a big city called Parral and my mom was born in a small town called Huejotitan. My parents had the best childhood ever. Even though they had to work every day in the fields with the burning rays of the sun, they had everything they needed. They had family and love. My dad grew up with six siblings. Four were male and two were female. My mom grew up with seven siblings. All of them were girls. My parents always tell me stories of how the weirdest things made them happy, such as playing in the river with teacups or making their own dolls out of sticks. They tell me how these things always made them smile and appreciate everything they had in life. But unfortunately, at about age 18, they were forced to leave. They were forced to leave because they could only afford to put one meal on the table each day. They were forced to leave because they only had one pair of shoes. They were forced to leave to a new place where people like them would be treated differently. My parents left their house, their friends, and their childhood. My mom crossed the border with proper documentation and had no problems with border patrol. But recently, I learned about the painful story of how my dad had crossed. My dad crossed the border with his brother, my uncle. They left their house, their parents, and they said bye to their love. My dad's journey was long and rough. They had many stops and stayed at numerous hotels. Their last stop was at a place called The Mean where they were launched into a truck with a big heap of people and covered with a thick sheet of plastic. My dad nearly suffocated, but he had a vision. He had a vision of happiness in the future, and he knew that this happiness would only be obtained with sacrifices. About 7,216 people have died trying to cross the border between 1998 and 2017. Yet my parents still made the choice to cross the border that separates wealthy from poor. This is the story behind my wonderful parents. The story that people never hear. The story that tells others how many sacrifices they've made. But my parents have not stopped working. My mom works cleaning houses, and every day I see her come home with her knees bruised from kneeling down and cleaning the bathroom floors. Yet she still manages to help us with our homework and put a really, really good Mexican flavor on our table, such as arroz y frijoles. My dad works in hotels. He makes sure that everything is working correctly in every room. He hurts his hands and his legs trying to fix a broken pipe or repairing a sink. I never get to see my dad, but I know that he sacrifices his afternoons in order to give us opportunities he was never given. These are the sacrifices my parents constantly make for me and my sister. These sacrifices are the reason why we can have food on our table three times a day and have enough money to buy ourselves some clothes. These sacrifices are the reason why I am here. They are the reason why I have the courage and strength to stand here and tell you their story. Yet some people still have the nerve to call these so-called criminals lazy and even say that they steal jobs. Others still discriminate and make stereotypes about mi gente. My people deserve better because they have earned their stay here and they have earned their respect. They deserve more acknowledgement. My family deserves to be here. They have earned their stay here. My mom always tells me that she wants me to grow up and have a good job instead of cleaning houses like she does. I have promised her that that dream she has for me will come true and that I will never stop until I pay off all the sacrifices my parents have made for me. I will try my best to earn scholarships and get good grades in school. I will try my best to make my parents proud of their little princesa. When I get to see my parents in a house, retired and enjoying life, that's when I'll know that all their sacrifices have been worth something. That's when I'll know when my goal has been met. I dream of graduating high school and college. I dream of being a successful immigration lawyer. I dream of having a good life. I will be many things in this world, but one thing I won't be is a disappointment to my parents. My people, mi gente, mi familia, should not be discriminated. They work hard for what they want and they fight for a better future. My parents are the perfect example of this, and I appreciate them for their hard work and their commitment to make my life better.