The Voiceless Dream of An Immigrant

Aliens, Intruders, Outsiders, Border Bandits, Illegals; these are some of the words often used to describe an immigrant. One just needs to turn on the television and if you watch the news long enough this is the rhetoric that would describe someone like me. I remembered boarding my flight to Atlanta, my passport in hand, which was not just a passport, but it claimed my will to pursue a dream and the hope of what the dream had to offer. I was resolute on living the infamous dream of making movies, what better place to pursue that dream than the United States. However, when I landed in the States, l began to engage in a script that I felt I had no control over. I became voiceless, in a way that the core of who I was and what I came to the United States to pursue was stifled and controlled by the mere quest to survive. My immigrant story is one that unfolded in the United States. My story is like many other immigrant’s story; you arrive in America to herald your voice which is your dream. However, an immigrant’s story is stifled by policies that restrict you from pursuing your dream because you are choked just by the mere will to survive.

Alice Walker said, “a lesson she learned growing up poor was, that people assume that if you didn’t have a voice, you were ignorant and backward and that is what happens to oppressed people.” (Alternative Radio, 2010) Walker’s statement resonates so truthfully with an immigrant’s story; as the first reality that you are faced with is that the power of your voice is not as resoundingly strong as you thought it was. When I speak of voice I speak of the ability to fully express who you are without any reserve. As an International Student in the United, I paid more than the average citizen in my school fees; yet any opportunity for me to fully develop was hardly provided. There were limited scholarships or funding, if any. The possibility of getting any such opportunity was highly competitive and scarce in its offering. The reality; it’s never a free ride for any Immigrant that comes to the United States. According to the American Immigration Council (2014 ) “the average immigrant contributes nearly $120,000 more in taxes than he or she consumes in public benefits (measured in 2012) in addition, there are over 31 Department of Health and Human Services programs that legal Immigrants are still not able to access.” The grueling process prior to arriving in the United States is often hidden. There is a hard and frustrating process prior to starting your life in the US. In my case and as I am sure for many others who fall in this status; coming as an International Student, calls for a surmountable of paperwork and declaring an exceedingly large amount of finances. It is a process you engage in for the hope of fulfilling a dream. However, when you get to the States and you are bombarded with the usual rhetoric; “they take our jobs,” “they take our benefits,” while trying to stay afloat and survive, you are crushed with despair and left feeling hopeless and voiceless. Because you are voiceless, your worth is now judged by those who wish to see you for what they merely don’t understand.

It takes an immense amount of courage to follow through on a dream. While some may not have the dream that lead me to the United States, others' dreams may have been for a better quality of life; this may be, being able to do more with your paycheck, purchasing a home, feeding your children properly, or fleeing political persecution. When the dream becomes just as heavy as what you were running away from, the sheer feeling of hopelessness and disappointment overshadows your consciousness. The dream isn’t a dream anymore, but a journey of survival and scant opportunities to recapture your voice. The immigrant’s journey is a hard trod; it’s not a glamorous feat, it’s a journey that every single human who calls themselves an immigrant has experienced.

However, the lesson I’ve learned is, it is important to never let go of your dream. The pursuit of the dream is still the lifeline of any Immigrant’s story. I’ve learned it takes serious thought and sacrifice to realize that there are many roads to any particular dream. Yes, there are many who may think I have no voice but the most important opinion is the one I hold of myself. In pursuit of the dream, I’ve gathered a voice from the marrows of my soul and learned to voice my truth with conviction and certainty.