Interview Transcript
Juana Gomez
Q: You've been here how long?
A: I have been here at least 20 years. I came to the United States in 1979.
Q: Tell me about getting started working here. The first jobs you had didn't pay much, right?
A: They don't pay much, they paid $3.75 and hour, and you have to work hard. Long hours, sometimes we have to work 12 hours a day cleaning bathrooms, doing whatever we can to make money to live.
Q: It's hard, isn't it?
A: It's really hard.
Q: Tell me about starting your business?
A: I tried to start this business because I was thinking: working for somebody else to make money for somebody else, because I am working really hard, so I think it's not right. So I was thinking if I start my own business, it will be better, I can work my own hours and take care of my children.
Q: How hard was it to get going and get the money?
A: Really hard because when you don't have money flowing around you, it's pretty hard to get it alone. Before, we started in the flea market. We'd been working there four years and we started saving money and saving money and buying a lot of stuff, and thank God, we were doing pretty good. So later on we think of opening a little shop would be better, that way, we don't have to go to the flea market and can have like a show room to show everybody what we've got.
Q: When you're working here, you have the whole family here, everybody works, yes?
A: Yes, everybody works, and I have to take care of my little children in here. My son, he's helping us too.
Q: How did your son do in high school -- Any problems?
A: Yeah, he had so many problems. He always told me it's because he's a Mexican.
Q: Do you think that's true?
A: Well, I think so, because we have so many discussions with the teachers and the principals--what they're doing with these kids. He thinks it's not right because they pay teachers to teach him, it doesn't matter what kind of guys, what colors. They are supposed to be fair with everybody, but they don't do it. It's pretty hard for Spanish people, it doesn't matter, for Black people, for everybody. They make some kind of exceptions, I don't know why. They are professionals, they are supposed to be treating everybody the same, it doesn't matter.
Q: And you don't think they do?
A: No, I don't think so.
Q: You were in this country a long time before you actually went through the process and became legal?
A: I was illegal when I came to the United States and it's pretty hard for everybody. Like right now, it's more harder than when I came over. Right now, it is pretty bad.
Q: You waited how long?
A: I waited about 5 years to get legal.
Q: How hard was it?
A: Well, it was not too hard for me, because I was living in the United States for 5 years. Thank God, we had proof to prove that we were living here. So they asked for the bills in my name and everything, so we became legal. I wish right now the government would say, everybody can become legal when they live 2 or 3 years in the United States, or at least 5 years, because we have so many Spanish people that live over here 10, 15 years and they don't have any papers yet.
Q: How expensive is it to go through the legalization process?
A:Well, it is pretty expensive. Right now, they have to pay $15,000 to come in illegal. You know they have to cross the borders, so they have to pay.
Q: Once you're in this country is it hard to get your papers in order and to go through immigration and all that?
A:Sometimes, the office that helps people with the papers, sometimes they charge a lot of money: $350 or $400, $500 dollars to fill out an application for immigration and sometimes the people they don't have enough to pay. And it is harder when they have 2 or 3 people to becoming legal so it's a lot of money. We paid about $1000 for each person.
Q: Isn't it hard not to be open with people about who you are and why you're here before you are legal?
A: Yeah, a lot of people are afraid to go to the stores; sometimes, they are afraid but they don't know. Sometimes, when you do something wrong, the immigration, they can pick you up or whatever, but if you are working hard and everything, if you don't do nothing wrong or nothing illegal, there will be no problem for yourself. They've got to be good.
Q: What was it like coming illegally into this country?
A: Well, it is pretty hard because sometimes, we have to walk so many miles. Two to three days and stay in the desert with no water, no food no help no blankets, anything.
Q: By yourself or with your family?
A: Sometimes, the people that come over by themselves or they have children, so it's hard. And they come over with the coyotes to bring them over here so it's hard. Sometimes, they keep hiding us for a couple of days.
Q: So is that what you did?
A: Yes, they hide in the desert with no water, no food. It's pretty hard.
Q: What did you think when you finally got across the border?
A: I was thinking, sometimes the people thinking I'm going to be dying here, I'm going to be dying here because you never know. So many people die trying to cross the border in water or whatever so it is pretty dangerous, especially now, it's pretty hard.
Q: Were you with family or friends when you came across?
A: I was with my brother. There were two people, and they had about 15 people all together.
Q: Did you plan a long time before you came across?
A: Yes
Q: Because you had to come up with the money?
A: Yes
Q: And it was $15,000 back then?
A: Yes
Q: Where is your Mexican family?
A: I'm from San Francisco del Rincón Guanajuato. They just got U.Scitizenshipip now and almost everybody is legal now: my family, my father, my mother, my brothers. I applied already for my brothers and sisters, but it is a long wait for the sisters and the brothers, because they have to wait 10 years, when you apply for sisters or brothers when you are citizen. You have to be a citizen to apply for your brothers and sisters. Your father and mother can be legal right away, they don't have to wait, but the brothers and sisters have to wait 10 years.
Q: Has it been worth coming here?
A: Right now, yes. I still think back to Mexico. Right now, I have my family and everybody born in here so I don't know.
Q: Do you ever go back and visit?
A: Oh yes, we go to Mexico every year to see my sisters and brothers. You still feel lonely, your heart still feels upset, [especially] when you see people that don't treat you really well, they think you are bad people because you are Spanish or whatever. Sometimes, I want to run away. I wish everybody that thinks Spanish people, or people from Guatemala, El Salvador or wherever, they come to work hard and make a better life for their family, I know that.
Q: You've made a better life for your family?
A: We are trying to make a better life and I think we are pretty lucky. So, if anybody wants to start their own business, if they need any help, come over and ask. If they have any questions or whatever, we can help in whatever way we can. For any Spanish people who want to open their own business, we can try to help out, like Rose Ann helping me, so we can try to help somebody else, anybody. If they have any questions about how to start your business or whatever, we can try to help anybody. I know it's pretty hard because sometimes, you have to work long hours. When you work, you work only 8 or 10 hours and when you have your business, you have to work all day.
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