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Macaulay Honors College
at Baruch, Spring 2013Professor Els de Graauw
ITF Benjamin Miller Log in
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Author Archives: yafav132
Posts by yafav132
Dominican Immigration Timeline
Yamel Talks About Growing Up in a “Mexican” Home
Introduction
As a class were asked to write a paragraph or two reflecting on the class. In it, we were asked to describe our experiences completing the assignments for this class. The assignments include: the readings, a personal immigration essay, completing a statistical profile, and interviewing a recent immigrant.
Moreover, we had to reflect on what we learned and what we liked, also, on those things we didn’t like. Lastly, we had to think and share how the skills that we learned in this seminar will help us in the future.
Undocumented and Less Worthy
Fernando talks about his knowledge of the United States prior to immigrating.
I knew, is that if someone is here illegally and they do something, the first thing that happens is that they get deported—I knew I wasn’t going to have any right—Like hospitals, I wasn’t going to be able to go to one and receive medical care. I thought that if something happened to you, no one was going to help you, not even the police.
Fraud and Coming to America
Fernando describes what things pushed him to leave Guatemala:
I wanted to help my family, I wanted a better life…. I was happy and life was going great for me. I was in a good position economically. But it changed when my parents became victims of fraud… the land we lived on wasn’t ours…we had land titles and everything but they were false–We had to take out a loan from the bank in order to pay for the land […] but later we realized that we didn’t have the means to pay those loans off.
Learning English and Making Friends
Fernando talks about going to night school and how that expanded his social circle:
I went to night school in order to learn how to speak English. I speak it well, or so I think, but it is really difficult for me to read it and write it. [And] I met people; I met some of the people who I consider my closest friends. I also met my fiancée.
TANF
Those receiving TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) is significantly lower amongst native born Dominicans than the other groups compared in the graph above.. The lack of need to use these programs means that Dominicans are able to sustain themselves financially, which in itself can mean integration.
Philosophy of My Life
I’m Yamel Favela. I could be like everyone else, and list everything I love in this biography, but what does that actually say about me? Next to nothing. I’ll try to tell you what I think of myself. That may tell you far more. I appear to have an ego. Just sometimes, but I don’t. It’s just a front. In my mind, I am no better than anyone else. In many ways, I think I am far worse. I’m just afraid to admit it. Does that make me weak?
Yamel at Times Square, May 2013
I’m indecisive, when it comes to big and small things. I don’t know at this point what I want to do. But as of right now, I am a Spanish major at Macaulay Honors College.
I was born in Juarez, Mexico, but have lived most of my life in Denver, Colorado. So in other words, I’m new to the city and I love it. It can be somewhat irrational at times, but I try to be rational. I hate to be wrong. It leads me to argue when I shouldn’t. Maybe I hate it because I feel like being right is the only thing I have. The one thing I am absolutely certain about when it comes to myself is that I am smart. When that is challenged, I defend it. You would too, I think.
