Storyteller Series - #63 My Story Tiles 11-14

... continuing our virtual tour....

These "My Story" tiles are just above the drummer picture tile. To make reading them easier I have re-typed the words:

top to bottom left to right

My Story - tile 11
When I came here with my family I
didn't know anything about the life here
in the USA. I didn't speak English. All I
knew was that I had left my Mexico, my
people, my language, my culture. But I
had the most important thing in my life --
my family and a desire to succeed.
Everybody said it was too hard to
move here but I had to try. Yes, it was
hard, but not impossible. At Rosa Parks
Elementary, I experienced something
different -- smiling faces, people talking
my language and asking me to be part of
the "team" of the community. They not
only understood my language but they
understood my feelings, my fears, my
dreams.
Now time has passed and the
"dream" is coming true, little by little.

My Story - tile 12
African-Americans are a strong and proud
people. We struggled, fought and died to be
free and, in doing so we tamed a beast of a
country. Our quest for freedom and equal
rights forced our oppressors to face their
atrocities and become more humane.

My Story - tile 13
My family and I arrived in the land of
dreams leaving behind fathers, mothers
and family -- all left with a sense of
melancholy. My dream was to support
my child in his education. I knew if he
tried his hardest he would succeed.
We help guide our children in the
right direction because they are the
pillars of the future. They learn the
importance of college so they can
progress without leaving their family
behind.

My Story - tile 14
I grew up in Spring Valley. My mother is
full-blooded Indian and my father Scotch-
Irish. I flunked first grade because I refused
to speak English but after that became a
straight-A student. I love nature and live
very simply but because of losing a job, I've
been homeless and have lived on the
streets. I have used drugs, but now I'm
clean and sober and have a son. I've grown
up with him and because of him have
become a very active community member. I
have learned from what I've done and have
no regrets. I don't have my High School
diploma yet but know I will get it so my
mother can proudly display it next to my
sister's.

The designing artist featured In Today's Views is Sayoko Kay Mura