About Us
Where This Idea Came From
After having been given the freedom to come up with a senior project of our choosing, we knew we wanted to focus on an issue we were passionate about. Since we were both incredibly interested in immigration and had our own opinions about government policy, we chose to center our project around it. Coming from immigration backgrounds, we knew how different each immigration story was and that individual stories would best represent the complexity of the issue. We decided a platform filled with information on immigration policy, interviews with a diverse group of immigrants, and various forms of media would best fit our goal.
Nashleen Salazar-Rodriguez
About me
Hi, I’m Nashleen Salazar Rodriguez. I’m currently a senior at Princeton Day School who will be attending Oberlin College in the fall. For my senior project, I wanted to capture the stories of various immigrants in New Jersey. As a daughter of an immigrant. I’ve struggled in my daily life. From having two last names to applying for financial aid all on my own, I’ve seen the struggles of being the first generation in my family to go to college in the United States. On top of that, I’ve seen my mother struggle as an immigrant. In Mexico, my mom went to college and received her B.A. With the hopes of having a better life and achieving the “American Dream”, she risked her life and endured difficult conditions to cross the border. Despite leaving everything she knew behind, her journey didn’t end there as she had to adapt to a new country, learn a new language, and begin a new chapter in her life without her family and friends. As a mother of three, she has worked various jobs to provide a rood over our heads and be able to feed. Although it is hard at times, my mom has never lost hope and continues to persevere in her daily life. When I turn on the news or walk the hallways, I’m hurt by the comments that I hear because I don't think they realize that I’m the daughter of an illegal immigrant. People fail to notice that immigrants are everywhere and can easily blend in your daily lives. It’s easy to generalize a whole group of people. But, it is hard to stop and get to know their story. The immigrant experience is rarely talked about and we want to start that conversation by providing the stories of various immigrants. I hope you enjoy reading as much as we enjoyed interviewing people and writing their narratives. Thank you.
Léa Namouni
About me
Hi, my name is Léa Namouni and I'm a senior at Princeton Day School and will be attending Boston University in the fall. When I was five, my parents explained that we would be moving to the United States. This was a good thing as I was told I’d get a big backyard and I’d learn to speak a cool language. I was very lucky. I got a nice 6.5 hour plane ride, went straight to a house in a neighborhood with green lawns, and was generously greeted by a welcoming public school. Immigration is an individualized experience meaning no two experiences are the same. I was lucky enough to have everything set for me and to become a dual citizen after 10 years in the US. Recognizing I had it easy and that I was fascinated by international politics, I knew I wanted to research immigration more. Our country is in the midst of a heated debate surrounding immigration and I’m constantly disappointed by the arguments made. I know the sole reason my family came was for better opportunity, a common denominator amongst immigration stories. I always hear statements relating to how immigrants are undeserving of rights in this country, how they are here to steal jobs, and contaminate American culture. I’ve always viewed immigration as a means of interconnecting the world, improving our economy, and adding to what is “American culture.” I hope that people try to remove the stereotypical image they have of immigrants as a whole and see the risk and work that comes with being an immigrant in this country.
Throughout this project, I’ve learned so much. The first is that your immigration experience has to do a lot with where you are from in the first place. It seems to be a common theme that immigrants from developed countries are offered more benefits and struggle less to find stability. This may not seem new but seeing it up close was a different experience than through a news story. Furthermore, I learned assimilation is a difficult part of the journey for most immigrants. I was lucky enough to be 5 and even if I struggled I know that it’s a harder process for older migrants. I know that for my parents it was more difficult than for me and learning a new language and adapting to a new way of living presents a challenge for many people. Lastly, I was shook with the lack of presence of stories like these throughout national debate and conversation. It made me realize the faults of the current administration in their “tackle” of the immigration crisis. It always fascinated me that Americans separate themselves from immigrants so much regardless of whether or not they know that they themselves come from immigrants unless they are Native American.
I take pride in the fact that I am an immigrant. However, I also need to acknowledge I had it very easy and other people weren’t granted the same liberties as me. Our country must improve its current policies and that begins with the acceptance that the US is responsible for the influx of migrants. We aren’t here to take over this country, but to contribute to its success.