Jocelyn Munguía Chávez
I was born and raised in Mexico until the age of 11. After arriving to the western suburbs of Chicago I soon realized that to live undocumented sometimes means you’re not accepted by new faces and familiar ones become strange. You have to adopt another language and are caught in dilemmas that no one wants to be a part of.
To live undocumented means you have to put memories of a life behind.
Falling into depression crying at night, masking emotions trying to survive. I didn’t want to think about my immigration status until I had to get a driver’s license or a job. I wanted to travel and apply for federal aid, but could not. I always worried of being separated from my family if one of us were to be deported.
To live undocumented means you have to be innovative, unapologetic, and courageous.
We need and have to fight for our rights. We have to take action in order for things to change. As our identities intersect, this goes for anything we are standing for. We have to resist while taking care of ourselves, physically and mentally. Throughout the years I’ve had the opportunity to learn and grow. I will continue to be involved because injustices keep happening…and enough is enough! We still need safe spaces for people to share their experiences and feel comfortable with who they are. I want to be part of this, and the change that’s still yet to come.
The Butterfly postcard campaign was developed by the UIC Latino Cultural Center in collaboration with student organizations Fearless Undocumented Alliance and Heritage Garden Student Group that highlights the parallels between the migration of people and Monarch butterflies across national borders.