Valedictorian Reveals Undocumented Status in Speech

let me be frank I am NOT going to stand up here and give you the traditional hallmark version of a valid Ettore speech instead I'd like to offer you a different kind of speech one that discusses expectations versus reality many of you see me standing up here and assume that that my life must be pretty great my parents must be very proud nevertheless I think it's important to note that those are only half truths those are the expectations my reality has been quite different on July 11 it will be exactly 6 years since I moved to McKinney from Mexico City where I was born and raised when people see me standing up here they see a girl who co bound and who seems to have her life figured out but like that is far from the whole truth so at this time if I may I'd like to convey my fair share of realities unexpected reality number one at the age of eleven I was nothing more than the girl with an abusive and alcoholic father who had to depend on her mother strength a girl whose only dream was to someday become an American and now you grow who thought that moving countries would solve all of the problems in her life an expected reality number two at the age of 12 I was faced with the task of having to embrace and fit into a new culture oftentimes my intelligence was questioned into my background I was also faced with the task of giving up a part of my childhood to help raise my little sister Andrea while my mom worked from morning until late at night school became my safe heaven because despite not having internet a washing machine or even my own bed I always had knowledge at my fingertips thanks to the library at my school and all not only that but I also realized that that might be the only way I might be able to help my family although we do not all share although we do not all share the same struggles and we haven't gone through the same hurdles throughout life we do share some of the same sentiments I know what it's like to be put down to have your accomplished acknowledged to feel powerless so at this time I would like to commend each and every single one of you here for persevering through your own challenges for being the resilient human beings you have proven to be and for not letting any obstacle stop you from getting here today we all have struggles struggles we want to face on our own behind closed doors because we know that if people were to discover them we would be at our most vulnerable state and never looked at the same way well after all of these years I have finally mustered up the courage to stand before you and share a struggle I've had to deal with each and every day unexpected reality number three I am one of the eleven million undocumented immigrants living in the shadows of the United States I decided to stand before you today and reveal these unexpected realities because this might be my only chance to convey the truth to all of you that undocumented immigrants are people too I was I was hesitant to speak about this here today because of the great divide of opinions concerning the topic of immigration in America but I feel like I owe it to all of you to be honest and I owe it to myself the most important part of the debate and the part most often overlooked is the fact that immigrants undocumented or otherwise are people - people with dreams aspirations hopes and loved ones people like me people who have become a part of the American Society and way of life and who yearn to help make America great again without the construction of a wall built on hatred and Prejudice we are here without a fish official documentation because the US immigration system is broken and it has forced many families to live in fear I myself have been waiting seven years for my application to even be processed so I hope that all of you leave here today knowing that we are trying to do it the right way but we don't know how I I asked for all of you to try to look beyond the way in which the media portrays us and that the human is dehumanizing accusations that some politicians have made I ask for you to please keep your hearts open and try to find love and understand the love and understanding the maker makes us human because after all we are people just like you well I can't predict the future and tell you how successful you're all going to be by sharing my story I hope to convince all of you that if I was able to break every stereotype based on what I'm classified as Mexican female and documented first-generation low-income then so can you we do not have to like let expectations become our reality I am no expert in this journey we call life but I am living proof that beating the system is possible we do not have to conform to the limitations that others put on us there will always be people that judges and set expectations based on their preconceived ideas of who they think we are and who they think we should be however we have the ability to prove them wrong in those moments when you need a reason to continue moving forward close your eyes and picture yourself in the future saying they told me I couldn't so I did thank

Channel: ABC News

Views: 2,052,756

Keywords: Valedictorian, Valedictorian Reveals, Valedictorian Reveals Undocumented, commencement speech, Undocumented Immigrant, illegal immigrant, immigrant speech, immigrant commencement speech, McKinney Boyd High School', McKinney Boyd High School' speech, valedictorian speech

Id: PUobmpH74Bk

Length: 6min 6sec (366 seconds)

Published: Thu Jun 09 2016