Youth Opinion : Who Are Immigrants? : Students Look to Families, Their Neighbors, Themselves

When teacher Naomi Roth asked her eighth-grade students at Palms Gifted Magnet Middle School to interview an immigrant and write a report about it they “hemmed and hawed and said they couldn’t find any.” But few actually had to look further than their own families, friends or their bathroom mirror to locate one--no surprise in a city where more than one in three residents is foreign-born. After they completed their assignments Roth compiled the essays into a booklet the students titled “Coming to America: Oral History of Immigrants.”

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Voices gave disposable cameras to six of the students and asked them to photograph their interview subjects. Freelance photographer and photography teacher Theodora Litsios met with the students to give them some photography pointers. Here are the photos with excerpts from their essays:

“He Thought America Was Amazing” by Christina Lu

In Vietnam, at the age of 9, my father, Xuong A. Lu, sold paper boats and animals to help the family. There were a lot of hungry mouths. My father was the fourth son out of a family of 7 boys and 3 girls.

In 1973 my father was drafted. When he came back he brought stories of endless fightng, like watching his friends being bombed to death. Many men left for the war, but few came back.

In 1981 my father, mother, and my two oldest sisters and I boarded the plane to San Francisco. My father thought America was amazing. There weren’t any skyscrapers in Saigon or subways or El trains. The people were unfamiliar to my father. Worrying that he would meet the wrong people or say the wrong things throbbed in his head, making him very self-conscious.

Our religion was one thing the Americans were concerned about. Being a Buddhist was hard. They thought our religion was something bad.

My father said one night to my mother, “If you want something there will always have to be sacrifices. But never sacrifice your religion and always remember to be proud of who you are...yellow or white it doesn’t matter.”

“There is More Freedom Here” by Steven Phillips

Adina Grodsky was born in 1950 about two miles from Haifa, Israel. Adina’s parents were divorced and she lived with her father in Israel while her mother lived in the USA.

During the Six-Day War, when Adina was 16, her kibbutz was bombed. Though bombs were falling and people were pounding on her door, she insisted on finishing her shower. Another time, when most of the children were gathering potatoes, they saw planes which dropped bombs on them. Before they could reach their shelters, one child was killed by a bomb and another by gunfire.

In 1968, her father allowed her to come to the USA. She decided to stay because there is more freedom here.

As a member of a non-observant Jewish family, this project has made me appreciate this part of my heritage. I am proud of my Jewish ancestors.

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“I Know Where I’m From” by Natalia Tucker

I listen to my classmates talk with disdain and disgust about others not born here.

them talk with disdain and disgust about others not born here. Telling them that they aren’t wanted or needed.

What I consider an immigrant is different than the views of others. If a person or their ancestors moved from one country to another they are immigrants. No matter how far back in time they moved to this or any other country. The only race or group of people who aren’t immigrants of the U.S. are the Indians.

I didn’t come here because of war or a civil dispute. I came here because my mom wanted a better life and education for me. I am a Jamaican native. I stepped off the plane on Jan. 14, 1985. I know the date because it was my birthday and I was 5. At no time have I ever considered myself an American. I never will. I know where I’m from.

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“My Father Was an Immigrant” by Fabienne Leys

My very own father was an immigrant, from Haiti. Here is the conversation we had:

Q: Why did you leave the land you were born in?

A: I left when I was 17 because of the dictatorship government. Papa Doc (Francios Duvalier) was in power. It was 1959.

Q: How did you leave? Did you come directly to the U.S. or did you go elsewhere first? Why did you choose the U.S.?

A: Whoa, slow down! OK, I came here by plane. And, yes, I did go elsewhere. I moved to Montreal to live with family, but I hated the weather greatly, so I tried New York. Then I decided to visit my older brother out here in sunny L.A. That was 1967.

Q: Was your idea of the U.S. the same as reality? Were you disappointed or pleased?

A: I had never fallen for the “streets are paved with gold” bit. Sure, it’s not as good as it used to be, but neither is Haiti. My idea was, “If I don’t like it, I don’t have to stay.” And I’m still here, aren’t I?

Q: Has your plan for life in America worked out? Have you faced discrimination?

A: My plan has definitely worked out. I have a good job, a beautiful family and my relatives live five minutes away. Of course I have faced discrimination, but doesn’t everybody get bitten at least once by the bigotry bug?

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“Their Flight Was Canceled Due to the Revolt” by Emily Clark

My mother met Cynthia Tugnao (while waiting) at the bus stop one day when my bus was an hour late. Once Cynthia and I got to talking I found out that her thick accent wasn’t from nowhere. Cynthia was born and raised in the Philippines.

She met her husband and had her three children there. Her husband had to travel often to the U.S. for business and they decided that it was pointless to spend so much money on airfare when they could move to America.

So they did--or attempted to. But there was a revolution going on. Cynthia said they called it ‘People’s Power.’ People revolting against a corrupt president, Ferdinand Marcos.

Their flight was cancelled due to the revolt. They finally did leave in late 1986.

She said, “At first I missed home. No one seemed to care about each other and it was very hard for my childern. But after we made friends and I got a job and our children into good schools, things seemed to work out. Part of the missing went away and now I can’t imagine living there again.”

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“In America You are Measured by What You Do” by Elanor Boyd

My father, Anthony W. Boyd was born in England in 1950.

When I asked my dad to compare America and England, he said: In his homeland people take great pleasure in discussing things. If they can go to plays, read and talk about good books and drink good wine then, regardless of how they are doing economically, they feel they have a way of life that is the envy of every other country. In America, the standard of living is measured by what you do and what you have achieved.

I don’t think the immigrants should be made our scapegoats and be shut out from our country. Someone might say, “Well your father is different, he’s from England. It’s the Mexicans that are screwing us up.” But it’s not different. It’s exactly the same thing. All immigrants want is to make a better life for themselves, their families and to be given a chance.

Coordinated by CATHERINE GOTTLIEB / Los Angeles Times