Mexican American

My grandparents came from small towns in Chihuahua, Mexico. Tutuaca is just outside of the city. It is a very small and in the middle of nowhere. My family has talked about the struggle of maintaining basic necessities out there. Water was one of them.

They were a poor couple that knew they were living in an area where they could not live an obtainable life.

My grandma got pregnant with my aunt Cely, and they made their way to the U.S.

I always hated the derogatory term “wet back” that refers to people who cross the river from Mexico to the U.S. because so many Mexicans sacrifice so much for the American Dream.

Crossing the river is extremely dangerous and so many have lost their lives due to the extreme waters.

My grandparents were extremely blessed to have made their way in successfully.

They made their way to Tatum, NM a very small town in NM. This is not the best town to have landed in but it was good enough to make a start to their new lives. There they had my dad Melecio and my uncle Angel.

They spent their childhoods growing up there and taking casual trips back to Tutuaca.

They moved to another small town called Eunice, NM where majority of my family lives now. My Wello worked a job in the oilfield that he loved so much. His favorite thing was to work hard. This beat any hands-on labor in Mexico that did not pay enough.

My grandma cleaned homes and workspaces and took care of people in their homes. She values hospitality in every form. She dreamed of a life outside of Mexico because having well-paying jobs was important to them. In Mexico they worked more and harder but for way less.

They were living in a trailer until they moved up and bought a beautiful home. This home is still standing and full of love.

From my grandparents they brought my dad and uncle. Who are owners of a successful oilfield company in my hometown, Hobbs, NM.

They all wanted to work hard, and they wanted their work to payoff. They all dreamt of better lives for their kids and themselves.

My grandma became an official American Citizen 2022. My Wello was not here long enough to do the same. However, through him came many American citizens who work hard every day to make him proud.

Coming from nothing to something is such an amazing feeling and I am thankful I saw my family reach this level of achievement so far. I am the first of my family to attend college and I am the fifth oldest kid in my family.

I am thankful for my grandparent’s sacrifice to make this happen for me and my future.

The American Dream is achievable with great sacrifice and perseverance. It is not easy, but I say it is worth it in the long run.