One of the nicest human beings I’ve ever met, my new friend Gerson and I bike to Deleware today. In this picture we were crossing the ferry from Manhattan to the northern tip of New Jersey, escaping mad NY traffic. We passed the Statue of Liberty as we crossed the bay to Sandy Hook. Gerson told me about the first time he saw the faded silhouette of this symbol of freedom. He was 6 years old, sleeping in the backseat of the car, and woke up to the tiny statue in the distance. His family had just moved from El Salvador to escape crime and corruption at their doorstep. He said he teared up at a symbol that truly did mean freedom to him. I asked him what he thought about our country’s pushback on immigration. He said he could understand their concerns, as he once remembered complications of Haitians fleeing to El Salvador. But on the other hand, he was grateful for the opportunity to escape a hard life. There’s never a simple answer, but I sure am glad he’s here.
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AuthorKatie Elizabeth: Writer, Wonderer, Wanderer. Archives
April 2022
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