All posts by vmanna

Manual Labor, Work

Worker Profile: Xavier Celestin

Victoria Manna

Professor Siegel

MCHC 1002

22 May 2014

Worker Profile: Xavier Celestin

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The physically demanding tasks while working on the baggage ramps at Delta airlines, is enough to discourage many, but not one of Delta’s veteran employees. 62 year old, Xavier Celestin has been working the ramps and baggage claim at the airline for over 25 years. “It’s beautiful at Delta. I can’t complain. I’m still around!” Says Celestin as he smiles about his experience with the company. Xavier has an overwhelmingly positive attitude, and his presence is a breathe of fresh air in such a chaotic and busy airport terminal. As Celestin clocks into work he is stopped and happily greeted by many of his coworkers, whom he refers to as his brothers and sisters. On the terminal grounds, it is very evident that Celestin’s kindhearted and warm nature is admired amongst his peers.

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Caribbean, Immigrant Interviews

Chrystelle Lanou’s Interview as told to Victoria Manna

Chrystelle’s Interview as told to Victoria

Chrystelle Lanou’s family was living in Port-au-Prince, Haiti until 1999, when Chrystelle’s mother decided that moving to the United States could give her children a life Haiti could not offer. Thought it was a grueling journey, Chrystelle and her family could not be more content with their decision to make the big move.

Continue reading Chrystelle Lanou’s Interview as told to Victoria Manna →

Europe, Immigration Narrative

A Lasting Experience

Being raised in a family where immigration is the foundation has proved to have a profound effect on the person I am today. My father, along with both sets of my grandparents, is an Italian immigrant, and their experience in creating a better life has left a lasting impression on my family. As an Italian immigrant, my father found that his social life and school life would become very frustrating as compared to his peers who were American-born. Being that he was only six years old when he came to the United States, my father had a very difficult time learning the English language, especially because English has a much more complex system of rules than the Italian language does. Continue reading A Lasting Experience →