WORK IN THE USA
The Past Decade of US Work Visas in Numbers

"After my family got a visa in Yemen, I was so glad that I would be going to the USA. All my family were happy for us but most of them were crying at the time we left. We left Yemen during the beginning of the revolution to change the president. Since then people are suffering from lack of food resources. Each year it gets worse. My father told us that we would not stay for a long time in NYC but since the war started in Yemen it’s not safe anymore. We couldn’t go back so we decided to stay."
-Basam

"In Eritrea, there are nine ethnic tribes. All of them use a special utensil for coffee in a creative way. This special coffee maker is known as a jebena. Coffee made by a jebena is popular in Eritrea and surrounding countries. Serving coffee in the United States is different than the way you would do it using a jebena for Eritrean coffee. The jebena is made of clay and it has a circle base, a long cylindrical neck, and a curved handle... The jebena has a special place in my heart because of the fond memories it brings back...So, on Sundays after church or on holidays, my family and I can get together to laugh and eat our American food, but it is certain that we will pull out our jebena and start to make coffee. We are reminded of our home land and that it’s really not that far away. We miss the times we had there but with our smiles, happiness, and coffee we can make some new memories here."
-Mussie

"I was born in Jalisco Mexico, where I lived with my parents and eleven siblings. At the age of 15, I started my remarkable journey coming to California in the United States. At one point I lived in the mountains. I then began working in the vegetable fields in California in order to bring, raise and help educate my siblings. I then got an opportunity to work as a dishwasher and night cleaner at a lodge in Pebble Beach. I worked hard and long hours on the graveyard shift so I could continue to go to school and learn English. I was quickly promoted to line cook and had the opportunity to cook for past President George H.W. Bush. I am currently a private chef, radio host, writer, journalist and TV and radio producer. I maintain a very busy life doing the things I love with a passion."
-Pedro

"I was born in an outer city suburb in the Philippines called Quezon City. My family and I immigrated to the United States when I was almost 6 years old, and that was almost 12 years ago today. It was always a priority for my parents to provide a better life for us than the lives my siblings and I would have had to go through in the Philippines. They knew that living in the America would give us the opportunities to strive for a higher education and to pursue our dreams. So with hard work, dedication, and most importantly faith, my parents were able to move our family of 5 across the world, more than 10,000 miles away."
-Faye

"My grandparents were refugees at the time of partition in India from, what is now, Pakistan to present India. They worked long and hard days doing blue-collar jobs so that my parents would have a better chance at life. My parents chose to honor their sacrifices by seeking a better life in the United States. We came to this country because my mother had a fellowship. We landed with just over $800 in NYC. They recognized that the caste system in the US is based on where you go to school so they sent my sister and I to the best high schools and then the best colleges. I am now in law school working to make sure our systems provide everyone with a fair shot at success... We honor the sacrifices of our family by trying to make the world a better place. We believe that the promise of America can be a reality for all of us. We are Americans."
-Aditi