Adrian Avila is a 28 year old immigrant who recently recieved legal status, he writes about the”the power of transformation of undocumented to documented.” This piece originally appeared in the San Jose Mercury News.
I am a 28-year-old immigrant who now finally has the life opportunities of an 18-year-old American born. I have been undocumented for 22 years, and as such, traditional America milestones have eluded me.
In this country, the milestone of turning 18 is about becoming an adult, and gaining a whole new set privileges and responsibilities. When I was 18, my friends were driving, working summer jobs, applying to colleges and some even voting. I was dreaming of those things while I sat on at the bus stop, or working under the table at a hotdog stand.
Eighteen is the age when one sets out to create the life one is seeking. For me this all is coming to me now, at age 28, when I received my legalization.
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