look around everyone in this room has a
different backstory to how they are here
in Florida today some of us moved from
different states some of us have family
that made the journey from a different
country some of us emigrated ourselves
in the end we’ve all settled here in
America land of the free home of the
brave you have so many freedoms and
opportunities you have an education
money and a roof over your head
living in America has made you feel
secure I’m going to be talking to you
today about immigration but more
importantly the American idea of the
American dream so what is it the
American dream has many different
meanings u.s. born citizens usually
think of it as wealth financial security
freedom and even family immigrants the
u.s. however are more likely to define
the American Dream as the pursuit of
opportunity owning having a good job
owning a home and in some cases safety
from war and persecution while u.s. born
citizens have increasingly viewed the
American dream as becoming harder to
obtain immigrants have remained more
positive and hopeful about their
potential to achieve it the foundation
of America is based off of the American
dream the American Dream has been kept
alive today because of immigration to
the nation as a second generation
American
I was curious learn about my parents
past and how it affected me in my
preconceptions about immigrants my mom
and dad both immigrated from Haiti to
the United States in 1979 at 15 years
old my dad moved to Brooklyn New York
where he immediately started high school
and similarly my mom came to the States
in 1976 at the age of 12 here on the
left is a photo of my Dada 8 years old
just six years before moving to America
and on the right is a photo of my mom at
13 just one year after moving to New
York they made it to the land of the
free home of the brave determined to
start over my parents left Haiti in
pursuit for a better lifestyle and
higher education this was their American
dream and this came at the expense of
having to move to a strange land learn a
foreign language and blend into a new
culture my dad took part in the Haitian
Club in college as a way to keep a
connection to his home country the
struggle as we say
is definitely real this past January our
president made remarks specifically
towards Haitian immigrants he reportedly
said why do we need more Haitians take
them out and why are we having all these
people from shithole countries come here
this is how many people feel about the
influx of immigrants to the United
States the complex issue raises many
questions and concerns that really come
down to the heart of the American ideals
should we send the refugees back to
their countries brush them off as a
burden even if it could mean certain
death if we keep them in America how
will we afford to take care of all the
unaccompanied minors again this is a
complex issue but when one takes a
closer look some solutions clearly
present themselves for one thing many of
these kids in particular cross the
border with notes attached to them
telling the government to contact
certain relatives that are legally
living in the u.s. already and in these
cases or reasons do we have not to send
the kids to stay with their relatives
many Americans have voiced concerns
about what would happen if refugees
stuck around feeling threatened by these
new additions to society because they
were raised in violent and crub parts of
the world therefore many people’s
expectations are that these children and
even adults will take after the
criminals from their home country and
disrupt the peace within our own borders
however studies show that this
preconception is statistically wrong I
recently read an article from the New
York Times stating that 25% of
native-born second generation Americans
have been involved in crime while only
17% of first-generation immigrants have
been involved in the crime at the same
exact age so why is the president so
quick to say that all immigrants are bad
why is there so much support for the
temporary protected status or TPS
expiration in 2019
it currently protects over 300,000
immigrants from Haiti El Salvador and
Nicaragua with nowhere else to go
perhaps you’re still feeling unsure that
allowing immigrants to our country is
the best solution perhaps then we should
take a look at ourselves the Americans
we are the melting pot of the world
comprised of so many different cultures
languages skin colors and backgrounds as
a country that is defined by its
equality and rights for all can we close
our borders for those looking for those
same freedoms our nation was built by
immigrants who originally came to start
over where there was religion
persecution or just overpopulation
people came to America in hopes of
living a better and honest life our very
legacy comes from the stories of
millions of determined people like my
parents and my grandparents from
oppressive societies who came to begin a
whole new life saying that somebody
cannot be a part of this American Dream
goes against the very idea of it all men
are created equal and many people have
fought to prove this time and time again
the civil rights movement this fight for
women’s equality have they all been for
nothing
the Statue of Liberty itself says give
me your tired your poor your huddled
masses yearning to breathe free now we
have to live up to that Maxim America
was a shining beacon of hope for my
parents and it continues to be for
people dreaming to come here and who are
we to take away this hope this freedom
away from the dreamers thank you
[Music] [Applause]
different backstory to how they are here
in Florida today some of us moved from
different states some of us have family
that made the journey from a different
country some of us emigrated ourselves
in the end we’ve all settled here in
America land of the free home of the
brave you have so many freedoms and
opportunities you have an education
money and a roof over your head
living in America has made you feel
secure I’m going to be talking to you
today about immigration but more
importantly the American idea of the
American dream so what is it the
American dream has many different
meanings u.s. born citizens usually
think of it as wealth financial security
freedom and even family immigrants the
u.s. however are more likely to define
the American Dream as the pursuit of
opportunity owning having a good job
owning a home and in some cases safety
from war and persecution while u.s. born
citizens have increasingly viewed the
American dream as becoming harder to
obtain immigrants have remained more
positive and hopeful about their
potential to achieve it the foundation
of America is based off of the American
dream the American Dream has been kept
alive today because of immigration to
the nation as a second generation
American
I was curious learn about my parents
past and how it affected me in my
preconceptions about immigrants my mom
and dad both immigrated from Haiti to
the United States in 1979 at 15 years
old my dad moved to Brooklyn New York
where he immediately started high school
and similarly my mom came to the States
in 1976 at the age of 12 here on the
left is a photo of my Dada 8 years old
just six years before moving to America
and on the right is a photo of my mom at
13 just one year after moving to New
York they made it to the land of the
free home of the brave determined to
start over my parents left Haiti in
pursuit for a better lifestyle and
higher education this was their American
dream and this came at the expense of
having to move to a strange land learn a
foreign language and blend into a new
culture my dad took part in the Haitian
Club in college as a way to keep a
connection to his home country the
struggle as we say
is definitely real this past January our
president made remarks specifically
towards Haitian immigrants he reportedly
said why do we need more Haitians take
them out and why are we having all these
people from shithole countries come here
this is how many people feel about the
influx of immigrants to the United
States the complex issue raises many
questions and concerns that really come
down to the heart of the American ideals
should we send the refugees back to
their countries brush them off as a
burden even if it could mean certain
death if we keep them in America how
will we afford to take care of all the
unaccompanied minors again this is a
complex issue but when one takes a
closer look some solutions clearly
present themselves for one thing many of
these kids in particular cross the
border with notes attached to them
telling the government to contact
certain relatives that are legally
living in the u.s. already and in these
cases or reasons do we have not to send
the kids to stay with their relatives
many Americans have voiced concerns
about what would happen if refugees
stuck around feeling threatened by these
new additions to society because they
were raised in violent and crub parts of
the world therefore many people’s
expectations are that these children and
even adults will take after the
criminals from their home country and
disrupt the peace within our own borders
however studies show that this
preconception is statistically wrong I
recently read an article from the New
York Times stating that 25% of
native-born second generation Americans
have been involved in crime while only
17% of first-generation immigrants have
been involved in the crime at the same
exact age so why is the president so
quick to say that all immigrants are bad
why is there so much support for the
temporary protected status or TPS
expiration in 2019
it currently protects over 300,000
immigrants from Haiti El Salvador and
Nicaragua with nowhere else to go
perhaps you’re still feeling unsure that
allowing immigrants to our country is
the best solution perhaps then we should
take a look at ourselves the Americans
we are the melting pot of the world
comprised of so many different cultures
languages skin colors and backgrounds as
a country that is defined by its
equality and rights for all can we close
our borders for those looking for those
same freedoms our nation was built by
immigrants who originally came to start
over where there was religion
persecution or just overpopulation
people came to America in hopes of
living a better and honest life our very
legacy comes from the stories of
millions of determined people like my
parents and my grandparents from
oppressive societies who came to begin a
whole new life saying that somebody
cannot be a part of this American Dream
goes against the very idea of it all men
are created equal and many people have
fought to prove this time and time again
the civil rights movement this fight for
women’s equality have they all been for
nothing
the Statue of Liberty itself says give
me your tired your poor your huddled
masses yearning to breathe free now we
have to live up to that Maxim America
was a shining beacon of hope for my
parents and it continues to be for
people dreaming to come here and who are
we to take away this hope this freedom
away from the dreamers thank you
[Music] [Applause]
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