Coming to America has granted opportunities to many immigrants since the United States was created back when settlers came from Europe. Guadalupe Oseguera H. Luz is a Mexican women living in Rialto, Calif. She met the love of her life on an online dating site and moved to California to get married a few years ago.
Guadalupe, who goes by Lupita, was born in Mexico City, Mexico. There, she had a daughter, but decided to come to America for love. She married Jonah McWhirter, and it provided her a better life in America. Lupita was able to come to America on a visa, when she visited family in San Francisco. Since getting married, she has become a legal resident, but has decided to keep her Mexican citizenship.
“I love my country, Mexico, and I like to live there. The area I used to live in, the conditions were already bad. There were a lot of robberies, they would come with pistols to your house and if the car was on, they would take people. It happened to me and a friend,” said Lupita.
Immigration from Mexico has slowed down in the past several years. Mexican immigrants are about 40 percent of California’s immigrant population that equates to about 10.7 million. What many people don’t understand is that most immigrants are here legally, either on green cards or visas.
Lupita describes Mexico City and California as being completely different, especially in regards to safety. There she said that you have to always be careful, and law enforcement was not to be trusted. In America, law enforcement has come under debate due to police brutality, but at least many still protect our citizens compared to Mexico.
“Some are doing right by us, but we have seen lots of unfair treatment and racism, especially perpetrated by the current President. It wasn’t like that before Trump. He has gone crazy with the view of immigrants. With the Burger King scandal, I’ve questioned if I should speak Spanish, but why would I hide my background.”
Her family still resides in Mexico, but she was able to talk her daughter into joining her in California. Andrea, her daughter, wanted to stay in her home city, but decided it would be safer for her to move to the States in 2013. She finished off her last year of high school in Rialto before attending a junior college. She is currently in the process of transferring over to CSUSB.
“The process hasn’t been easy here for her. In Mexico, high school is three years, not four. You think in Spanish, but she is extremely into learning English. DACA is good, we are giving people from other countries a chance to reach their dreams that they can’t achieve in their own countries.”
CSUSB is a Hispanic Serving Institution, which allows for many DACA and minority students to attend our campus. The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, represents about two-thirds of Hispanic students attending a higher level institution. Many changes can be made in the future, especially in support of DACA, but for now Lupita thinks we as a country are on the right track.
Tradition is important with keeping one’s heritage alive, especially while assimilating to a new country. Lupita had a head start when moving to America because she had a large knowledge of the English language. Unlike others dealing with immigration looking for better jobs and livelihood, she has had the chance to mix her husband’s culture with her own.
“I try to keep my Mexican life here; like cooking the traditional food or watching the Spanish channel. My husband tries to learn Spanish and that is how I talk to my daughter. My favorite thing to cook is Pastel Azteca,” said Lupita.
Mexico City, as a metropolis, had a lot to offer in the arts and culture category. This has led her to taking part in artistic practices such as: painting, drawing, singing, and dancing.
“I just hear music and my feet start moving.”
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