1. Write a short family immigration story explaining your ethnicity, immigrant dreams, and any reasons for wanting to come to America over other countries to CA. over other states. In this writing, also explain reasons why you like or dislike living in SoCal, and if, and how you have felt racial discrimination.

My ethnicity is of Irish, English, and Spanish decent. I was born in America, so I did not have a choice to live in any other country. My family moved to southern California from north Texas six years ago. I feel I have more opportunity living in SoCal because everything is really close together here. In Texas, there were a lot less people. I love California more than any other place in the world, but it is difficult to explain why. Like I said, SoCal offers everything one could ever think of. The scenery and beaches aren’t bad either. I am of European decent, so I have not felt racial discrimination of any kind. The people who mostly feel the effects of racism are those in the Latino community in places like East LA or extreme southern San Diego because of the illegal border crossing.

2. Write a short response to the photograph and its picture of reality here in SoCal and America. Explain what the different images mean to you.

I do not think this picture represents only LA or Southern California, I think it’s about Mexican immigration as a whole. I see the man with what looks like tree roots coming out of his feet that represent taking his native family up and out of Mexico. I see the sunset with the donkey being lead by a man, and that represents Christianity being brought to America. I see a wall with really green grass beyond it, so that makes me think of the phrase, “the grass is always greener on the other side.” I also see people of all skin colors looking to get into America because it is seen as the land of opportunity.