Page 26 - FerMUN 2020 - Futurecasters Global Young Visionaries Summit, 8th-10th January 2020

placed in. My grandfather migrated back and forth from El Salvador to the United States to
work the jobs in the fields to make enough money to send back to El Salvador. My mother was
not raised with her father around. In fact, when he would return, he was a complete stranger

to her. Little did she know that the man in front of her was the man that walked for days at a
time, battling hunger and heat while risking his life so she was able to buy a new pair of socks.
The man in front of her was the same man that made her breakfast and dinners possible by

putting his body between the currents of the river that divided his people from the world.

She grew spiteful of him, especially during the Salvadoran Civil War. He was nowhere to be
found. Where was the lazy fat man on the nights when they ran under the mattresses because
the shootings and bombs were released while they ate dinner. Where was that man to protect

his two other sons, who whimpered despretely and yelled for their mother who was out working
late night at the tile factory because it was the only job available. Where was that so called
father when his wife had to hide her 7 and 14 year old sons because they were being drafted

into the war, creating a dangerous situation for his so called family and having the guns all
pointed at them.

If poverty and crime was not enough reason for my mother to leave, her only source of
happiness was soon taken from her as well. My mother enjoyed learning but unfortunately she
was unable to stay in school for months at a time to help with duties at home. The constant

routine and the feeling of never having enough infuriated my mom. She heard life altering
stories about “El Norte” a.k.a The United States. She saw movies and tv shows depicting the
american dream, a house with a porch, a car and a stable job with an amazing education,

she knew she had to make her dream into reality.

It was not until she headed for the journey on her own that she realized how grateful she was
for her father. She was now in his shoes, but she took me with her. She often tells me that the
reason for my work ethic is because of that journey, I inherited her strength through our

connecting veins.

Although she was unable to obtain her american dream, she always makes sure to be hard on
her daughter so she can give it to her in the future. My mother traveled miles away from home
to work long days and nights cleaning massive homes and properties, but if you ask her, the
journey does not compare to the feeling of knowing that her children do not have to worry

about choosing between new jeans or bus fare. Like my mothers’ story, there are millions more
all over the world. We all have a beginning, a root that molded us to expand our wings. My
mom’s wings took her to San Francisco, California. Every decision she made for my future made

it possible for me to stand here today, and that is why migration is beautiful to me because you
will never know where it will take you.

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