Who have been the giants in your life?
Sir Isaac Newton once said, “If I have seen further, than it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” For me, there’s no doubt in my life that the first giants in my life were my parents.
Father
My father made a decision to flee his home country full of family and friends when he heard he was next in line to be killed. He was caught in the middle of a Civil War he didn’t believe in, with few options left before him. Migrating to the United States wasn’t a decision made out of luxury; it was borne out of necessity. His first attempt into the United States ended in Mexico where he was tortured to the brink of death by Mexican state police. The journey left him scarred; he almost gave in to what seemed to be his inevitable fate. Fortunately, he was able to make it through legally with all the appropriate papers, that is, until his papers were stolen from him by those he trusted most. He had to start at the bottom and work his way up the restaurant business, moving from dishwasher until he became a chef and owner of his own restaurant.
My father’s story was a part of my upbringing and a constant source of motivation for me.
Mother
My mother’s decision to leave El Salvador was based on the extreme sense of responsibility she felt over her parents and siblings. She grew up in poverty, and the Civil War only made things worse. During the Civil War, boys as young as 14 were taken by either side to fight in the war. My mother needed to come to the United States to set up a stable environment for her younger siblings and to make enough money to send back to her family who chose to stay in El Salvador. My mother’s second journey ended just across the border into the United States after she crossed the Rio Grande when she was caught and placed in jail. Eventually, she was able to make it across using a tourist visa. She ended up being the rock for her family, taking in siblings, cousins, and friends when they made it here.
There’s no doubt in my mind that the responsibility I feel over my students and the greater Latino community is borne from watching my mom take care of those around her.
