A letter from Georgetown University student Jonathan Espinoza to the residents of Santa Ana:
October 14, 2012
Dear Fellow Residents of Santa Ana:
Three months ago, I gathered what little belongings I had to my name, packed them in my bags and headed out to LAX to catch a plane that was scheduled to depart at 6:00 am en route to Washington, DC. As my family and friends said their goodbyes, I did not know what to make of everything going on. I saw my mother burst into tears as I walked away into the terminal (I don’t know if they were tears of sadness as she saw me leave, or tears of happiness because I was going out and finally chasing my American Dream). I remember the smile on my friend’s face as he said his goodbye, and I remember the feelings that suddenly took over me as I realized that a new chapter in my life had just begun. After I passed the TSA checkpoint I had to wait about an hour to board the plane, and so emotions and memories began to rush through my mind. I felt happy, sad, joyful, anxious but most of all – afraid. Continue reading