Tammy Lee
I was born and raised in the United States. Like all white Americans, my ancestors were immigrants to this country. I strongly support the immigrant and undocumented community. Although I cannot fully know their struggles, I have experienced feelings of fear, vulnerability and isolation while having the strength of my dreams, determination, and desire for a better life carry me through.
After living with friends in the Netherlands for a brief time in my early 20s I came to better understand the obstacles one faces trying to live and survive financially in a foreign country. Nevertheless, I can only begin to imagine what immigrants must struggle against. Recently, my husband and I moved to Chicago. We had no friends or family here when we arrived and began to establish a new life in an unfamiliar place far from home.
As U.S. citizens we encountered frustrating attempts to prove our identity and financial strain, as our acquired legal documents were misplaced during our move. My husband is Mexican American and wondered what would happen if he was stopped without a driver’s license, birth certificate, or social security card. I appreciate the culture and diversity I have found in Chicago and I know it would not be here without the presence of immigrant populations.
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.