I did a TED talk — "Hiding In Plain Sight: My Life As An Undocumented American" - Page 7

Is this a REAL question? You don't understand the heck it even means to be undocumented here if you are truly asking this question. Millions of people live like this, struggling to get by, wondering how they are going to make ends meet and you here wondering how they do it with out an SSN or a drive license? Do you NOT have any friends or families who don't have any of those?

Well, I think we all have different experiences. I have undocumented friends who did not have it as hard as I did because their parents had good jobs. At the same time, I've had friends who have had it worse because they couldn't get any kinds of funds to pay for school; many of them were the main bread winners of their household. I'm just glad that she didn't have it as bad as some of us did; I would wish that situation on anyone.

Senorita, to answer your question with my own experience, I have only been on a plane once when I had a brief departure. And let me tell you that I simply loved it... Flying is amazing to say the least. I even got a meal and a sparkling water. You can only imagine the smile on my face (or look at my avatar). I felt all jet-set.

For the most part I stayed pretty low key my entire life. I've been stuck in California all my life, and it is a wonderful place to be stuck in really. But yea, I've had no credit card, no SSN, or driver license. I did have a DL a long time ago when they use to give them in California. I also had a bad ass red 1999 dodge caravan that was my baby... Ah the good old days... I use to roll the window down and drive at 35 mph to feel the fresh air hit my face. Anyways, it was tough but it was a good learning experience. Sometimes I wonder if I owe who I am today to being undocumented. Shit, I just made myself all emo right now. I'm going to go write for a little lol. Damn, I also lost my train of thought Muahaha. Oh yea, I'm glad you had better opportunities than many of us, and I am glad that you are fighting on our side. Keep keeping it real sister!

There are different levels of undocumented I suppose, the ones who came legally and just fell out of status and the ones like myself who never had any status to begin with.

My family came through a coyote , it was just my mom and us, my father left way eariler because he almost died being a cop and wanted to try something new. The details are a little blurry, as I was only two and no one really wants to talk about it. For the most part, I didn't know about my status until maybe 16 when I couldn't do what other kids my age where doing like get a drivers permit. No one knew I was undocumented because I am a tall fair Mexican who speaks perfect English. My gf, now wife didn't even know. It's hard. I remember when my dad bought me a fake ss. I didn't want to do it. But I needed a job to survive. Even now I am ashamed but at the same time Americans do not know the struggles, and they don't care. They think you have to sign some paperwork and get in an imaginary visa line and Bam your legal. It's not that easy.

Loved the video.

This is why we must educate the public.

Agreed!

Yes, it is a real question. I am a privileged person and I recognize that. Perhaps you could get off the asshole train and instead of reiterating the established fact that millions of people live without a drivers license or SSN, you could educate people about what that actually means. I am an undocumented person and I am very familiar with some of the struggles that undocumented people face, but there is also a lot about the stereotypical undocumented lifestyle that I do not understand. I am one of the LUCKY ones and I am thankful for that.

Quite honestly, your off-the-cuff responses in this thread are not good for your image and the image of undocumented people as a demographic . When someone asks a question about undocumented people or immigration, it's helpful to actually ANSWER IT rather than chastising the person who's asking it. This is especially true when the person asking the question comes from outside the undocumented community. You being a dick just pisses people off and it deters people from asking questions that can dispel myths about undocumented people.

And for your information, I have one family member who has an expired drivers license.

Beyond that, everyone in my family has a SSN.
Everyone has a credit card.
Everyone has a bank account .
Everyone is employed.
Everyone pays taxes.

Thanks for answering my question! Wow, 2 years old. I feel like even at 16, you're still a kid. You do what your parents tell you to do, even if that means using a fake SSN. Maybe it's just my culture, but I won't really feel like an adult until I get married/move out. Did you qualify for DACA this time?

Thanks for answering the question. You owe a lot of who you are today to your undocumented status. It has shaped you into a strong person. To be one of us, I think you have to be incredibly resilient. Thanks for giving me some insight into what it's like to be a "real" undocumented American

"Who here feels personally victimized by @Pianoswithoutfaith?" Lol

I did once. But you seemed to be one of those people who speak their mind. And maybe knowing or unknowingly rude as helll lol But my respects to you man I look forward to your unfiltered responses.

How the heck can someone who has live their lives with those things educate others who like hers, have those privileges, about the hardships of living life here with out them? I am swimming in a puddle of confusion here. <--- thats me right now.



You seem like a smart person given that you went to a top ranked school, so I am going to assume the only reason why you said the whole thing about not doing you were here with an expired visa was to get pity from the audience. I fail to buy that someone as educated and smart as you couldn't have possibility known that.