I run a service industry facility in the Greater Los Angeles area. My staff are gardeners, locker room and laundry attendants, janitors, pool and maintenance technicians. They are the backbone of our business and without them we would not be able to open the doors at 5:00 am or close them at 10:00 pm.
Of the full-timers at least 75% are Hispanic immigrants. English is their second language. As far as I know none have been through high school. They show up on time every day, and have to be reminded to take their vacation days. Some days they show up too sick to work and we have to send them home. They usually don't want to go. They are not used to getting sick days. They work. They work hard. Every day. That is what they do. That is what they know. Work. They take pride in having a job. Any job. It offends me deeply when I hear people from this country complain that Hispanic immigrants come here for free education, healthcare and to steal good jobs from real Americans, you know, to suckle off the teat of Mother America for that warm milk of the easy life. The truth is these are good people who don't expect any thing other than a chance at a better life. They take jobs that most Americans won't and would suck at if they did.
Their dream is not about making tons of money and stashing the profits overseas to avoid paying taxes, leveraged buyouts and hostile takeovers; it is not about living in a mansion in a gated community, summer homes and vacations at the beach; not about iPads and aps and ballet lessons for their kids, and certainly not about getting free stuff and cushy jobs. Their dream is more noble than that.
Rigoberto has worked for us almost a year now. This diary is based mainly on a conversation we had at a local coffee shop. I already knew some details about his life from things he told me during his job interview and his 90 day review. His single minded focus on supporting his wife and children in Mexico and efforts to bring them to live in America are both humbling and inspirational. For someone like me his story kind of hits the reset button on what it means to be an American, beneficiary of white privilege that I am. Follow below and see if you agree.