My Father's Journey For The California Dream

1. Considering my mother’s family was always residents of the state of California, my father’s side was the only part of my family to migrate to the state, although not from a different country. This began when my father Anthony Velasco traveled from Chicago, Illinois, with my grandparents and his siblings. My father came from a family of 8 children, so my grandparents lived a very frugal lifestyle. They had exactly what they needed to get by, but struggled at times to make ends meet. Living expenses were through the roof, and they were unable to experience the finer things in life. At the time, my grandfather’s job could not simply afford the expenses that came along with their large family, so my grandfather decided to search for a better employment opportunity. Fortunately, he landed a job in downtown Los Angeles, working for a newspaper company. My father’s experience of traveling to the state of California greatly correlates with the immigration wave we read about during our course for the reason that his father came seeking the “California Dream” of obtaining land and wealth.

2. I have begun to comprehend over the years how many opportunities the state of California holds and this has definitely led me in the direction of realizing my California dream. Despite the recent budget cuts, I am extremely grateful to receive financial aid that is allowing me to continue onto a higher level of education. I have come to realize how difficult it was for my father to pursue his education due to financial constraints his family was bound to. For many others like myself, we are fortunate enough to be eligible for grants or even loan options that allow us to pursue our dreams. I can confidently state that my California dream is to atta...

... middle of paper ...

... to continuously be willing to accept diversity within our state in all aspects. “Beyond racial/ethnic diversity, the state has traditionally been a magnet for and a home base of those seeking to break out of the bonds of traditional roles and lifestyles” (DeBow 237). California has drawn in so many people to the state for the simple reason that this is one of the “core characteristics” we hold. If we want to continue to grow as a state and assure the promises that people assume this state still holds, we must do this. Positively, our state values diversity and sees it as a plus. Although many have become accepting of the Latino race population increasing in our state, there are still many who are completely opposed to their migration. More people need to become educated on the actual facts surrounding this issue as opposed to judging based on their mere opinion.