Cyndy Vasquez
What would you say is the most challenging aspect of being from an immigrant family?
“I think it’s hard because not a lot of people personally identify with that background. And because of that, sometimes people can say some pretty ignorant things. For example, my best friend is a DACA recipient - she’s a DREAMer, from back home. So a lot of people would say, ‘They had it so long, so why don’t they become citizens?’ In the first place, it’s not like they’re even able to adjust their status. And both my parents are temporary protected status recipients and the Trump administration recently rescinded that program. So, right now my parents have until September 2019 to adjust their status or else they have to leave. And it’s hard - when I was at home for winter break, my dad sat me down and was like, ‘We’re going to try our hardest, but if we have to go back to El Salvador, you have to stay here and you have to graduate.’ So yeah, you have to come to terms with it a lot of times. And I guess that motivated me to do my best. Because I’m in a position of privilege where I can help people like them, like my friends and my family. I’m trying to make the best out of it.”
What motivated you to participate in this project?
“The political climate is very tense around immigration, especially considering Mexican/Central American immigration. So being able to put a face to a story, it might change their opinions around these situations and affect what they say. Because their words do affect actual people.”
