photo by hvaldez1 via stock xchng
There are so many stories out there of families who are being hurt by Alabama’s new immigration bill, and more are being told as the media does their job, and as people reach out to one another through phone calls, conversation, social media, and email. I got my first Spanish language email a few days ago from a woman named Mariana. A friend helped me translate it since was entirely in Spanish.
Mariana’s story is similar in its broad strokes to the story of many other immigrants, but is unique in its details. Mariana moved here with her parents when she was young. She and her parents are hardworking and honest in general, although they broke the law in crossing the border.
Mariana’s parents have a story of their own—a bootstraps business story of starting with nothing and slowly building a business based on providing a worthwhile product for the community. Now, like all other undocumented business owners in the state, they are facing losing their business under HB 56. Among it’s many harsh and probably unconstitutional provisions, business owners cannot renew their business licenses in Alabama.
Mariana has been through her own share of heartaches and loss, but the thing I noticed throughout her 3 emails is a total lack of complaint. Some of her difficulties come from this law, but others are accidents and still others are just from rotten luck. I’m looking forward to sharing her story, and that of her parents with you soon. There are 18 or so stories so far—enough to launch the campaign.
Becoming Visible 