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In light of the recent fraught discourse on immigration in America under Donald Trump, teen artist and writer Citlali Perez penned a touching piece on her father’s struggle as a Mexican-American immigrant. Although his immigration to this country was legal, it was still a challenging experience and one that so many can relate to. At just 15 years old, Citlali’s love for her father comes through in her words below.
Of her father, Citlali says:
He’s my entire world. It’s tough to make ends meet sometimes because he’s the only parent currently working, but he manages to keep us supported. He’s sacrificing his physical health to give my mom, sister, and I a good life, and while I will never understand how extreme those sacrifices were, I will always be grateful for them. He’s an honest man who allows me to be who I am, supports all of my endeavors, and gives me a reason to finish school to give him a better life than the great one he has given me. I love him with all my being.
I Used To Pray For Rain
I used to pray for rain
Rain meant that my dad would pick me up from school in his gray Toyota truck and we’d go home to watch Plaza Sesamo while he sipped his tea and I sat on his lap
Rain meant he didn’t have to make houses pretty that day
Rain meant he didn’t have to heave 80-pound bags of concrete mix on each shoulder that
Rain meant that his calloused hands wouldn’t get pricked by thorns but hold my hand and walk me through Costco for the free food samples
But as I got older I realized he actually prayed rain’s polar opposite:
Sunshine
Sun means he could go to work and mow other people’s lawns
Sun means an aching back, pulled muscles, and the smell of sawdust
Sun means Andale mija, sobame
Sun means we don’t have to worry about next month’s rent
That same sun was bright enough to show him to way to America but not wise enough to fulfill the American Dream he was promised over 2 decades ago, as he said goodbye to his mother and father
To become the stereotypical Mexican man in America:
A landscaper
Then he became a father and found more lights in his life other than that big star in the sky
The same star that makes his skin brown
The same star he beats every day on his route to work
That same star that gifted him the empty promise of “Work hard and receive what you wish for”
But now his wife and two daughters keep the promise of rubbing his weary feet and calves so he can stand up and continue praying for sun
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