Category Archives: STORIES

Choosing California for its Diversity (Taiwan)

  He answered my questions while eating his favorite Taiwanese Boroh bread from his favorite Taiwanese bakery. The story started at his age of 30. At the age of 30, my dad’s name was still Jyhgwo Chang, a traditional Taiwanese name. After he became a U.S. citizen, he added a middle name Benson and change his name to Jyhgwo Benson ... Read More »

How Clean the Streets and Drivers Follow Rules Here

  My mother lived in Kerala, a region in South India.  She talked about the luscious green trees and plants surrounding her house. The bumpy roads and noisy auto rickshaws passed by at night. She said, “I lived a normal life. I come from a middle-class family, which in India is just enough to live well.” She described her family ... Read More »

Family Leaves Home and Jobs Due to Violence (El Salvador)

  Where were you born, what was life like in your home country?  ¨I was born in Usulutan, El Salvador, in my home we were very happy, with economic limitations but very happy, outside my house we face a social reality with a shortage of work, exaggeratedly high prices in terms of food, transportation, basic services, etc. We also lived ... Read More »

Just Married With a Vision for Better (Mexico)

              I am a plumber, and I am 54 years old, and I am born and raised in Guanajuato, Mexico.  Why did you come to America? Interviewee: I came to America to give my wife and daughters better opportunities in life, I was determined to give them a life I did not have as ... Read More »

Following Her Love (Mexico

        My grandmother’s name is Rosá (name changed) she’s 63 years old born on May 18, 1960.  She came to the US in 1979. My grandma has always been private about her story of coming when she was 19. She doesn’t ever talk about it and she only mentions it if a part of her story has ... Read More »

Seeking Better (El Salvador)

              I began the interview by asking my mother something I have asked about many times before – about her life in El Salvador. “Well I grew up very poor, my family did not have much. However we were happy, what we had made us happy, and even though we lived in poverty we ... Read More »

Leaving War Torn El Salvador

    My name is Alex Rodriguez and I am the Uncle of my interviewer.  I was born in El Salvador in 1983.  I was 8 years old when I was forced to immigrate to the USA for a better life, leaving some of my family in El Salvador. Now living in CA, I have a job and I am ... Read More »

Wanted Something More

      My name is Diego Chavez, tengo 46 años and I’m living in California. Before I had begun living in California, I was living in Guadalajara, Mexico until I was 26. Mi vida en México era un mix de sentimientos, a veces era feliz y alegre, pero también puede ser triste y difícil. The economy in Mexico makes ... Read More »

Childhood Abducted

        At just five years old is when my life started getting complicated. When you look at a five year old, the thought of them going through something so heartbreaking will never ever cross your mind. I myself have struggled with depression since the age of 5. Life for me has never been easy. At the age ... Read More »

Nanny and Plant Lover (Mexico)

      My name is Lidia, (name changed) Mother of Leo. I am 45 years old but soon this year I will turn 46. My son asked me to do an interview for his homework because I am close to him and easy to talk to. First of all, I am an Immigrant from Mexico born and raised. I ... Read More »