This writing piece was my final project for The School of the New York Times, which I attended in Summer 2018. I was enrolled in the course “The Foreign Bureau: Covering the World.”
Picture a store that sells foods ranging from Goya beans to pasta to Chinese fish sauce. It’s owned by a multilingual Dominican man who is at ease with all of his customers — whether that be an elderly Hispanic woman or a group of Asian schoolboys. It’s a store that, as its owner Rafael Perez says, is so diverse that there’s “something for everyone.” Welcome to Chinatown’s Chinese Hispanic Grocery, a place whose unparalleled diversity epitomizes the American immigration ideals.
Throughout history, immigrants from many countries and backgrounds have come to the United State to pursue the American Dream. In their eyes, United States is a place where the prospect of following your dreams becomes a reality, a place where you can reach success through hard work without being held back by social barriers. “My family was constantly faced with economic struggles back in Puerto Rico,” says Hannibal, a bus operator for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. “Puerto Rico is a US territory, but life was rough. In the 1970s, we packed our bags and my parents brought me and my siblings to New York City so that we could finally control our own fate. That was all my family ever wanted.”
However, while most immigrants to the United States share the vision of a more prosperous life upon arrival, their views on the country’s current state are far from uniform.Nora, a second generation Palestinian immigrant who works in the Bronx as a caretaker, believes that the American population is, unfortunately, divided. “I’ve always been a proud American. But given everything that’s happened in the past few years … ” Nora says in a hesitant tone, “perhaps I have changed my mind.” Nora thinks that issues such as bigotry and racism existed even before the Trump administration but were suppressed and quietly restrained. Now, these issues cannot be ignored because President Trump’s policies and comments are bringing them to the forefront.
“I was honestly shocked when Trump won the election,” says Nora, shaking her head. “I believe everyone is entitled to their own opinion, so I still respect the people who voted for him — but I cannot understand them.” Nora is afraid of the “political whirlwind” that she believes the United States has become. She calls her niece and nephew almost every day because school shootings have become so frequent. “I never used to do that type of thing before,” Nora adds.
As a second generation immigrant, Nora is also outspoken about Trump’s travel ban, which prevents people from Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen from entering the United States. Under Trump’s new policies, applicants trying to be cleared for a waiver to get a United States visa are also required to undergo stringent background checks performed by the State Department. “Of course I want to live in a safe country, and of course I think national security is important,” says Nora. “But refugee families do not think any differently.” Being a caretaker, Nora frequently looks after children from immigrant families. In her experience, all immigrant parents want are well-paying jobs and the opportunity for their children to pursue education and carry out happy lives. “Immigrant families don’t want to violate national security and make the country unsafe — in fact, safety is among the reasons why they are drawn to America!” Nora exclaims, letting out a sigh of exasperation. “They are not all that different from the rest of us. Don’t keep them from their American Dream like that.”
When asked whether she can extract anything positive from the current situation, Nora pauses for a moment before telling me that the powerful reaction by those who oppose Trump’s policies has empowered her and given her some renewed hope. “There is power in numbers”, Nora says. “And if we all stand together, I’d like to believe that we can influence desirable and necessary change.”
On the other hand, Hannibal, who feels that he greatly benefited from his family’s decision to immigrate from Puerto Rico, does not think that President Trump’s policies fully represent American society. “Some people agree with [President Trump’s] decisions, but not everyone,” he points out. “When I think about my perspective on the United States, I choose to look past current political events. There is so much more to our country than that.”
As a bus operator, Hannibal’s job allows him to both provide for his family and do something that he loves — engage with locals and tourists on a daily basis. “I am so happy with my work,” he says with a chuckle. Hannibal often cannot help but remember that had his family not left Puerto Rico, he probably would not have gotten the chance to live the life that he is currently living.
When asked whether he believes America is united, Hannibal hesitated for a moment before telling me about his memories from September 11, 2001, when al-Qaeda launched four terrorist attacks on the United States. “After the attacks, I saw the best of New York City and of the United States,” Hannibal recalls. “During this dark time, people from all professions and corners of the country came together and they rushed to help even though they weren’t being paid. They simply wanted to be kind.” This moment hit home for Hannibal and reminded him of exactly why he loves the United States — there exists a feeling of strong camaraderie and unity that he is proud to be part of.
“Every day when I wake up and look outside, I am amazed by the diversity of our melting pot of a country,” says Hannibal. “ I am proud to be a ‘New Yoakah’, and I am proud to be an American.” While Hannibal recognizes that the current climate of the country inadvertently encourages discrimination, such as when President Trump failed to call out the white supremacists involved in the protests at Charlottesville, he believes that the loud and explicit opposition towards racially charged movements is a clear sign of their rejection by society. In fact, it is a whole-heartedly encouraging sign that society is slowly changing to more openly embrace diversity. “On the outside, our country only seems to be getting worse, but people are condemning discrimination and speaking up more and more. I’ve realized that people are slowly starting to not only accept differences, but actually celebrate them. It’s cheesy but true.”
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