Please Welcome Special Guest Jacqueline Aguilar

¡Inmigrantes, No Criminales!

By Jacqueline Aguilar

Dear people behind those bars,

I understand your pain,

Dejando tu cultura,

Dejando tu familia,

Dejando tu hogar,

But Living in grief is not Living!

I know why you are here,

Un mejor Trabajo,

Una mejor salud,

Una mejor vida,

But it takes work!

I know you're more than what you think you're worth,

Eres mas que 6 dólares la hora,

Eres mas que una estadística,

Eres mas que un numero,

Yet you're still considered The minority while being the majority!

You are a human being,

Una persona de palabra,

Una Persona de respeto,

Una persona,

Yet you're an "ILLEGAL ALIEN!"

You are an immigrant,

Estás aquí por una educación

Estás aquí por un trabajo ,

Estas aquí por el sueño americano,

Yet you are not here because you want to,

you are here because you have to!

These bars do not flatter you,

your culture,

your work,

your grief ,

Bars are for criminals,

Pero no somos criminales,

SOMOS TRABAJADORlES!

Immigrants, Not Criminals!

(Translated Version)

Dear people behind those bars,

I understand your pain,

Leaving your culture,

Leaving your family,

Leaving your home,

But Living in grief is not Living!

I know why you are here,

Better Status

Better health,

Better life,

But it takes work!

I know you're more than what you think you're worth,

You're more than 6 dollars an hour,

You're more than a statistic,

You're more than a number,

Yet you're still considered The minority while being the majority!

You are a human being,

You're a person to trust,

You're a person to respect,

You're a person,

Yet you're an "ILLEGAL ALIEN!"

You are an immigrant,

You're here for an education,

You're here for a job,

You're here for the American Dream,

You're not here because you want to,

You are here because you have to!

These bars do not flatter you,

your culture,

your work,

your grief ,

Bars are for criminals,

But we are not criminals,

WE ARE HARD WORKERS!

Jacqueline Aguilar is a Coachella Valley High School Senior and an artist and community activist with Raices Cultura, a local non-profit organization that focuses on leadership development and youth empowerment to build healthier communities in the Eastern Coachella Valley.