Hello everyone,
My name is Wanling Chen. I am a new intern at Long Island Wins, and currently a first-year student at SUNY Old Westbury. I am interested in this opportunity because I want to learn more about immigrant rights.
I know what it feels like firsthand to be discriminated against. For example, because English is my second language, people often treat me differently and criticize me for my accent.
During my internship at Long Island Wins, I want to learn about different perspectives on immigration issues. For instance, immigration reform is a very controversial topic today. I feel that many Americans do not support reform because it may decrease the job opportunities in American society, which is a common misconception. I believe immigration reform will be very helpful for undocumented immigrants, allowing them to have the same rights as others. Immigrants often suffer due to the lack of finances. Due to that, they can’t afford to pay for basic expenses, such as rent, because they cannot get a sustainable job in this competitive society.
Moreover, I would like Americans to have a better understanding of the perspective of immigrants. Many immigrants come to America to change their lives and for the chance at a brighter future. They want to pursue the American dream, to have a good life, a good education and to have freedom. However, not everyone has been able to successfully pursue the American dream. Many immigrants have a hard time assimilating to the American way of life. They struggle with the language barrier because sometimes English can be their second, third, or even fourth language.
I would like to have opportunities such as an education, jobs, freedoms and so on. I want to be a voice to represent immigrants in different communities.