Birthright
by Anonymous
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Of all places, I was born in Laurinburg
He was born in Veracruz
I know one language
He’s fluent in two
He can recite the Constitution,
But could you?
Without one piece of paper,
His life for thirty years was simplified
To these phrases:
No hospitals
No travelling
No secure jobs.
He fled a dictator at twelve
Learned a new culture,
Lived a new life
No one around can tell,
Because by day he is a normal cook
But at night he’s an outcast
Where is his tokenization?
Where is his glory?
It’s the unknown that creates the most fear
Will someone report him?
Can he visit abuelo in the hospital?
What if there’s police?
What if they ask questions?
What if, what if, what if?
The thought of him leaving forever, still lingers.
Anonymous
Anonymous
This poem dives into the thoughts running through my mind when my uncle was trying to get a green card after being "undocumented" for many years. These are thoughts that unfortunately a lot of children of immigrant families have to process, but I think it's comforting to know that you are not alone. I was most worried because I felt like there was nothing I could do to help him or keep him from the dangers of being deported, but my family assured me that my biggest job was to take his secret to my grave. Now he is documented, and even though I'm still not comfortable attaching my name to this work, I want others to hear my voice and know there is an entire community to comfort and support them.
Carina Lei
Carina Lei
This piece is entitled “Painted” and it represents my feelings towards creating art. Art is what makes my world interesting and colorful, as it allows me to look at the world in a new way with a new understanding.
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