inVISIBLE Americans

Storytelling is a powerful medium for understanding and empathy. Recently, my students bravely told their stories of challenging situations that they and/ or their families experience. Transience, immigration, language barriers, and translation ran as common threads. Via telling their stories, they are helping to make visible the topics that society often pretends are invisible. Many thanks to Melissa Engle Photography for her work photographing the students and to those involved in the original inVISIBLE Americans project for their inspiration. Here are some samples from the students:

Student 1:

When my mom and my brother and I came to the U.S., it was hard. My mom came in August 2015 and I came in July 2016. I stayed with grandparents and cousins in Costa Rica. When I came to the U.S., I did not know English. I was scared because I did not understand. Now I understand the people a little. When my mom went to the U.S., I felt bad. I spent a birthday without her. My dream is to be a baker and do it in the U.S. for the people that know English or Spanish because I will speak two ways.

Student 2:  

            I was helping my mom to know what it is in English. It can be in a store. My mom wants to go in the store, but she doesn’t know the words. I feel happy to help my mom! 

Student 3:

I have a difficult time because I can’t be with my dog. My family is not in Puerto Rico. We are in the United States of America.

When my family goes back to Puerto Rico on summer vacation, we can visit my dog. When we go back to the United States of America, someone would take care of him. I would still miss him and his licks. If I made a wish, I would say I want to stay with my dog.

Student 4:

When my mom needs help talking English, I will help her. When someone knocks bam on my mom’s door, I will help translate English for her. I will go to Walmart with my mom to buy food when I don’t have any food at home to eat. My mom wants to know how much the bread costs. She tells my sister to ask as a grownup. It feels strange to me because she is the grownup and I am a kid. I wish she knew all words in English.