IMMIGRATION STORIES BY BOSTON STUDENTS
This project was part of Unafraid Educators Week of Action 2020 and was inspired by the Humans of New York photography series, as well as by a similar project organized previously by the Student Immigration Movement chapter at the John D. O’Bryant School.
As part of the Week of Action, anonymous stories were collected during May 2020 from Boston Public School students to amplify their voices. Unafraid Educators distributed a Google form through our networks that included questions capturing the experiences of immigrant students and their families. Students were asked to withhold identifying information and answer only questions they felt comfortable with. All stories are in their original submitted form, with only question restatements placed in brackets for clarification purposes. Students also chose images to accompany their stories.
Interested in doing this project in your own school or classroom? This graphic organizer (created by Rebecca Mulligan at Boston International Newcomers Academy) can help students organize their ideas.
Anahi
My other fear is that I still don’t want to leave for my country. I’m afraid to leave. I just want to study in America and have a good future for myself and my family. My immigration story is about me and my father who emigrated to the United States in 2019 because he wanted …
Tuimuj
There should be no more borders. Many of my family are migrants due to problems, and others out of necessity. Only the distance from our relatives could affect us.. The happiest day of my life would be my childhood with my family friends.. The saddest day for me was when my dear dad died and, …
Untitled 2
Right now, it feels hard to go outside because I like to walk and run. My mom decided that we were going to come to the United States because my grandmother were dead. So my mom’s sister helps us so she presented and they gave the visa and we came here in airplane and we …
A little bit of my immigration story
“And after month i think , me and my dad got here and we pass in so much places like Cancun in Mexico and Texas and in other city before got in here in BOSTON“ Hi my name is [anonymous] .and i am brazilian ,but i live in BOSTON USA and today i gonna tell …
Gorge
My worst moment that happened was separating from my mom. I felt very happy with her, but for reasons like poverty and a lack of food, I decided to leave my family. This story is about me an how immigrated to the united states. Leaving my family did not affect me much because someday I …
Lais
I’m afraid my mom can’t come and live with me in America. My grandmother got married and went to America and then my dad and sister came to America. Immigration affected my friends because it was so difficult I separated from them and my family because I went to live in another country and they …
Untitled 3
“I get sad because l can’t see my family and friends” i was born on the 16th of 2009 and in boston and at 1 year old i went to brazil and at 10 years old i went and it was my dream to come back here [Immigration has affected my family or friends because] …
Charles
I’m afraid that one day a misfortune will happen and that the police will come to repatriate us. This photo means a family united to fight for a living. A few years ago my grandparents, aunt and uncle came here to the United States at the beginning. It was really very hard for them because …
Mia
Although I feel a little sad for having to leave my country, I feel happy for this new stage of my life since I always dreamed of studying in the United States. On January 29, 2020, my family and I decided to immigrate to the United States looking for a better life because of the …
Following Each Other to U.S.
[The saddest moment of my life was] When my father died because I was young and I never Knew dead existed. [The most influential people in my life are] My mother and my elder sister because they both care for me. My family came to US by Visa. It [immigration] provided with better opportunities. [The …
Untitled
“Also as i don’t have any family here is hard when we are in a holiday we are lonely” When i was 7 years old we had some problems in Colombia and my parents thought that the best thing to do is to come to the United States. [Immigration has affected my family and/or friends …
My immigration history from Colombia to the United States.
I was born in Colombia and I wanted to come to the United States because my grandmother died. And my mother wanted to come here because her sisters are here and almost all of our family. I was born in Colombia and I wanted to come to the United States because my grandmother died. And …
My immigration history from Colombia to the United States. Read More »
Selmalopi
Immigration affected me, my family and my friends in a sad way but also understandable because everyone understands that we all have to look for a way to have a better life even though we miss our roots and our country. My family the majority are immigrants in many countries for a long time because …
The first time I came to America
The thing I’m most afraid of right now is that I’m afraid to leave my relatives one more time. My family and I are sponsored by my aunt to go to America for nearly 13 years. It’s been a long time, and I don’t think I’ll someday leave my home country and go to a …