Episode 4: Deport Me

José Andrés reads the story of Alejandro Fuentes-Mena
Musical Guest Ozomatli responds

José Andrés is an internationally-recognized culinary innovator, New York Times bestselling author, educator, television personality, humanitarian, and chef/owner of ThinkFoodGroup. He reads Alejandro Fuentes-Mena’s story of his hard working parents and celebrates the assets he and his family are to our country.

Guests

José Andrés

José Andrés is an internationally-recognized culinary innovator, New York Times bestselling author, humanitarian, and chef/owner of ThinkFoodGroup. A Spanish-American chef, he is often credited with bringing the small plates dining concept to America. Andrés is the founder of World Central Kitchen, a non-profit devoted to providing meals in the wake of natural disasters and was awarded a 2015 National Humanities Medal. He owns restaurants in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Las Vegas, South Beach, Florida, Orlando, New York City, and Frisco, Texas.

Ozomatli

Ozomatli: With a unique blend of latin, funk, hip hop and rock musical styles, Ozomatli is a six-piece band that advocates for the rights of workers, immigrants, and more. Winning two Grammy awards for ‘Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album”, Ozomatli’s 10 albums promote global unity and peace amongst people, cultures, and nations. Ozomatli has opened for Santana, performed before Barack and Michelle Obama, presented the first musical TED talk at the TED Conference in San Francisco, and served as the house band for the television show Gabriel Iglesias Presents Stand Up Revolution.

Alejandro Fuentes-Mena

Alejandro Fuentes-Mena was born in Valparaiso, Chile and grew up in San Diego, California after age four. Through Teach for America, he was one of the first two DACAmented teachers in the entire nation, and Senator Durbin featured his story on the Senate floor to showcase the transformative impact of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. With eight years of classroom teaching experience, a bachelors in psychology, and a masters in educational leadership, Alejandro is opening an arts-based school named Radical Arts Academy of Denver in Fall 2023. He regularly performs in an a cappella group, the StoryTellers303, and sings in the band, the Pink Hawks.

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Full Episode Transcript

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Kirsten Wilson, Host (00:09): From Motus Theater, welcome to the Shoebox Stories Podcast where we invite you to stand in someone else's shoes. I'm Motus' Artistic Director Kirsten Wilson. (singing) For our first podcast series, UndocuAmerica, Motus asks a prominent American to stand in the shoes of an undocumented person by reading aloud their story, saying their words, and holding for a moment the weight that they carry. By reading the story handed to them in the studio, the reader is not saying they agree with everything written, they are simply agreeing to suspend judgment and feel the impact as they word-by-word experience the world through another's eyes. (singing) Our guest reader is José Andrés. He is an internationally recognized culinary innovator, humanitarian bestselling author, and star of Made in Spain.

José Andrés (01:21): I do believe in walls, but not walls of exclusion but walls of inclusion. Walls that are about community, community centers and hospitals and universities and schools.

Kirsten (01:33): He will be reading the story of Alejandro Fuentes-Mena, one of the first two DACAmented teachers in the nation. It is a story about his hardworking parents that celebrates the assets he and his family are to this country. After the reading and reflections, we have a musical response to Alejandro's story from Ozomatli, a Grammy Award-winning Latin hip hop and rock band. But first, José Andrés reading Alejandro Fuentes-Mena's autobiographical story entitled Deport Me.

Jose (02:27): I was just a kid when I realized what being undocumented meant. At age eight, I start going to work with my dad so I could help him rebuild the entire outside of people's homes all the while not having a real home of our own. I would see my dad as he calculated. I would help him do the math. I would research and discover that for this job people will charge $20,000. He had been screw over so many times that he decided he was only going to charge $15,000. They would see his strength in his Spanish, his lack of English, undocumented status and give him about 10,000. And that's who my father believed he was, half the man I thought he was, half the value of any other.

Jose (03:30): I witness as my mother will leave for an entire weekend, 72 hours to take care of someone else's family. And that entire weekend she was lured with the promise of over 300 for her work, but she would come back with only hundred dollar in her pocket, hundred dollar that she saw as a blessing, hundred that I saw as an attack on our family. All those rich families saw little value in everything my mom did for them. They would take her away only to use her and then spit her out. The money they pay her was barely enough for food on the table. It didn't cover the worry my mom had because she couldn't be home to take care of us when we were sick. Help us with homework, comfort us when we return to an empty house. Hundred dollar for a whole weekend away from her family, like she was worthless. But don't you understand? She was priceless to me.

Jose (04:45): Well, spending my weekends without my mom as she cared for other's people's children and spending those weekends working for my dad's for free so he wouldn't lose money for the privilege of building a home for someone else's family. And witnessing this over and over and over again, I began to think that I wasn't worth much either despite the fact that I had been recognized at this school as gifted and talented, despite the fact that I was a math whiz, that I learned English, a completely unknown language, in a year, and that I was an engaged student. Despite the fact I was the precautious worship leader at my church. I let those weekends of feeling worthless affect me. I began making jokes rather than making plans for my future, playing games rather than paying attention. Chasing girls rather than chasing my dreams. And like all self-fulfilling prophecies, I got to the point where my grades reflected what society said, my parents and I were worth half priced human beings.

Jose (06:17): But luckily, I had a teacher named Mrs. Kovacic, who worked hard to remind me of my value and helped convince me that what this society was telling me and my family was wrong. With her support and that of many others, I got myself out of that pit of self deprecation, past the insecurities, past the hate, past negativity, past the half version of me into good college and into a position where I'm now an educator who teaches math. Like my mentors, I teach young children their value because all children are valuable just as you and I are by valuable. As a teacher, I can't help myself.

Jose (07:12): Let me take you to school for a few moments. You're good with that? So let's just start off with a little math lesson. My father is one man, one of the hardest workers I know. My mother is one woman, one of the strongest and compassionate individuals in my life. My sister is one daughter, a brat but a lovable one and an American citizen. And I am one son, half of this country and half of Chile, but we are four whole beautiful gifts, indivisible with liberty and justice for all, not the half priced individuals that society has attempted to make us. And moving to apply math and economics, if this country continues to deport the undocumented community, it is missing out on courageous, strong, intelligent family-loving, hardworking people of great value, and that is not only our loss, it is your loss to miss out on us. Not to mention the billions in taxes we bring in every year, which is billions more than large corporations are paying.

Jose (08:35): Lastly, moving beyond math to ethics, paying an undocumented person half of their value for their lives' work, extracting all you can get from them to build your homes and take care of your families and then deporting them as if they had not brought value is not just mathematically flawed, it is also an American math story problem gone wrong. It is criminal to treat us as subservient and less desirable. I am living in this country undocumented, teaching your children, supporting them, engaging their minds in math and in their dreams. I'm 100% clear and 100% committed to this country in which I was raised. This country that constantly seeks to spit me out. Lose me, and you lose my value, not just the money I pay in taxes, the money I pay into social security that I would never be able to benefit from, but you lose my ability to inspire, connect, and engage. You lose my ability to bring an impact. You lose the knowledge I bring to my students who are your children. This country would be foolish to lose me. Deport me. Deport me. But in the end, it's your loss.

Jose (10:20): Well written, my man.

Alejandro Fuentes-Mena (10:51): Thank you.

Jose (10:52): So the reason probably I'm part of this today and you guys invited me to join you and I'm humbled by it, I could be you, I could be them, I could be another undocumented. Life is a lottery ticket. Some people born with the winning lottery ticket and other people are not even in the know that there is a ticket at all. So the truth is that life cannot be just a coin in the air, and depends what's the flip? You become one thing or another. Everybody should be able to share the same dreams my daughters share or the same opportunities I got.

Jose (11:32): When I got to America, I was blond hair and steel blue eyes, and I wondered myself if I didn't look like that what it will happen to me. So using mind only on the look of a person you are in the good or the bad luck side. So I need to make sure that nobody's just unlucky and at the very least everybody has the same chance. That's why I'm very proud to be reading this today.

Alejandro (11:59): Awesome. Thank you.

Kirsten (12:00): Jose, first Alejandro read his story directly to you and then you read the story back to Alejandro. Could you share with Alejandro the impact of listening and then reading his words?

Jose (12:13): I think this is written to we the people right? I think that we the people are three powerful words. Obviously when they were written they only probably were applying to a segment of the population, and democracy is a beautiful thing, but we know it's not a perfect thing. Democracy requires years or centuries of hard work by a lot of people. That with their actions, they try to improve it, to create a more perfect union. It then seems that the work today is them versus us, and people forget about we the people. And in America will be Republicans versus Democrats when actually there should not be a fight, but if it's one fight should be we the people towards social justice.

Jose (13:12): And very much in your words is the core of social justice through your eyes, through your story, through what you saw as a young child, proud to have a mother and a father that were hard. And it's amazing this moment you realized that you were part of the system but somehow you saw your father, your mother as almost like a ghost of the system. They are here but they are not going to be recognized as equals to others. I agree what you're describing here without you mentioning, it is a new form of slavery. And I think all of us, we are at fault. Now we may pay you, but this, we're not going to pay you what you are worth. It's like, I'm going to feel good that I'm paying you even what I'm paying you is just a fraction of what you maybe deserve.

Jose (14:07): What you described here is the big lie, and this is not only about America, this is the big lie in the world that the world doesn't function without oppressing others. At least it seems to be that way. Seems that for some of us to do well, others have to do very bad, and I think sometimes the conversation about capitalism or socialism is even the wrong one. It should be about social pragmatism. I believe that everybody should work hard and should do well. And some people will always make more money than others, but at the end, I don't think the world is gaining anything by some of the people doing well at the expense of people like your mother or your father not doing as well as they should. And what is even worse in the case of America and what you experience, the system somehow lets them be part of it. But it's almost like they have to be asking for, you know, thank yous. Thank you for allowing me to be part of it. Even when the system has been very unfair to you.

Jose (15:27): And this is a big lie that we have more than 11 million undocumented, we have DREAMers. But to me, they are part of the American dream as much as anybody else. Why? Because they are showing up every day to work. Because sometimes they don't even complain, and maybe that's part of the problem.

Jose (15:47): That they don't complain enough. I always say that maybe what we need all to do is let's 11 million stop working tomorrow and maybe the day after. And yes it's suffering because people have to put food on the table, but probably that's the way forward to show that if the 11 million stop, America stops. Sometimes you have to send very strong messages to fight the good fight. So hearing your words, I see many people, some of them I met through my life visiting farms or chicken factories, many of them we know they are not documented to work, but still they are working, and still they are paying taxes and still they are part of the DNA of the community, and still is part of we the people and what makes America an amazing place.

Jose (16:38): An amazing place that is imperfect but an amazing place that always you have the possibility to work to a better tomorrow. And this is where we are today. At the end, everything improves it seems, through a fight, through people speaking up, people not being afraid of being a ghost, and all of a sudden being real like you are doing and so many others. Not being afraid that maybe they catch you and they kick you out because you are not defending your rights to belong. You are defending the rights of everybody else. That is not speaking out like you.

Jose (17:13): And that's what makes people like you so brave. Not everybody is equally brave. I'm not a brave man myself. And to see people like you speaking out, even knowing that there can be repercussions to what may happen to you, this is how things began to change. And one day they will have to change. The day that we realize that there is not Republicans or Democrats but that's our politicians that should make sure that an unjust system of having people working unrecognized just [inaudible 00:17:48] forever. And wanting documented status to the people that are working right now and making America function every day has nothing to do with thinking should we build a wall or should we let anybody that wants to come into America? This is a very big conversation not in America but around the world.

Jose (18:11): And at the end, I only have three daughters that I want the best for them, but they realize that if I put my daughters behind a wall because they think I'm protecting them, that wall is actually their jail. I want them to live in a happy world that is free for them to see what is out there. I do believe in walls but not walls of exclusion but walls of inclusion. Walls that are about community, community centers and hospitals and universities and schools. Those are the walls of inclusion we all need because at the end, the best America that I'm going to leave to my daughters is when not only my family does well, when my daughters does well or the people we know do well, but when those people we don't know, they have the possibility to do as well as us.

Jose (19:08): That's the best way forward, and that's the best legacy I can leave to my daughters. So you speaking out gives a person like me and the people listening to you the opportunity to provide a better tomorrow for our daughters and children. But not by protecting them from the people seems that we are afraid of, but on the contrary, the people that they are there for us and we should be there for them.

Kirsten (19:34): Alejandro, would you tell Jose Andres what it was like for you to hear him read your story?

Alejandro (19:41): Yeah, I think it was kind of surreal mostly because I admire the work that you do, to hear you trying to emulate my voice and give my story the passion that I feel inside. I just want you and everybody else, just like you said, everybody in Congress to be able to read my story or stories like mine and realize when you see into my eyes, no matter what side of the political aisle you belong to, I would hope that it would be enough to make you realize that the actions that are being taken are not right, and something needs to be done to change the framework on which America is standing. Why do we have to pick different targets to step on in order to reach "success"? And so thank you for reading it. Thank you for recognizing the importance of my story. Thank you for your time.

Jose (20:43): Thank you for doing this.

Kirsten (20:45): Before we end these reflections, I would love to take a moment and breathe together and see if there are any last words to be said before we play a Ozomatli song in honor of Alejandro's story.

Jose (20:59): A lot of people are blind to the situation of undocumented in America.

Alejandro (21:04): That's true.

Jose (21:05): If more people will be aware of the stories of people like you, immigration reform will be already passed, and the opportunity for many people like you will be already happening. If you are a person of religion, it's the right religious thing to do. That's some other God you-

Jose (21:33): ... pray to. If you are a person of ethics and goodwill, the right thing to do will also be supporting the people like you become part of the American dream. So me personally, reading your story only makes me connect with you and with your father and with your mother and your sister. This is what is the most beautiful of this, and obviously more people need to be listening to people like you. For them to understand that you are like me and that actually I could be you. And it's not so complicated. It's actually fairly simple.

Alejandro (22:20): Yeah. And that's-

Jose (22:21): So thank you for putting this into paper.

Alejandro (22:25): Absolutely.

Jose (22:25): And making people like me for a second understand what you are going through or your family went through and so many others out there. That's an important connection because without this connection it's very hard to make anything happen.

Alejandro (22:43): Thank you.


Alejandro (22:45): I think that's where my mind goes to. Sometimes I just get angry because it's like the idea, you don't actually understand what's going on. You don't actually understand what my family went through or what all of these families are going through. You just take it as policy. They broke the law and therefore they demonize us. They treat us as less than human. It's hard not to be angry. When I was reading it to you, I felt like it was a toned down version of the anger that sometimes I truly feel, and I feel like I'm right in my anger, it's a righteous anger. I tell my story because I want others to listen to us very, very badly, and I want our rights to be given to us because we deserve them simply because we're human.

Jose (23:32): Well, one day this happens sooner, hopefully, rather than later, that you took this step to go public and so many others like you. Whatever happens, you know that you were part of doing good out of very hard moment in the actual history of America. Because again, the undocumented were facing the new version of the slavery we came from. And we could argue that maybe what we are doing now is better than what we did 300, 400 years ago, but that's a very lame excuse. And that's why we need to make right where there is wrong, and we should not confuse the conversation about securing the country and securing the border, which every country should. We can not confuse it with the people that are already here. Many of them for-

Alejandro (24:27): Many decades.

Jose (24:27): ... so many decades.

Jose (24:32): And that's the sad part. We're doing this not too far away from the Capitol and The White House, and everybody tries to claim ownership on this issue, but then nobody seems to do enough. We had President Bush trying to pass immigration reform, and actually it was a democratic Congress, didn't pass it. Even at times lately obviously since Republicans are the ones against immigrants more than anybody, but it goes in both sides of the question. We had President Obama who I respect, he didn't pass immigration reform either. And he had the opportunity, so at the end is both sides. That should not be who is in power, but when are we going to make it happen?

Alejandro (25:15): Absolutely.

Jose (25:17): Hopefully if people like you that are part of the system, part of the DNA of the meaning of we the people, that meaning of America, the very simple understanding that people don't want our pity, people only want our respect, and the only way to give respect to people like you is just making sure that you have the same opportunity I got. And I think the vast majority of Americans agree with this. Now we need to make sure that the vast majority of our politicians agree with that too, and they pass it finally once and for all.

Jose (25:49): So thanks to this voice that you're bringing to the table. Hopefully we'll be just one story closer to make the dream happen.

Alejandro (25:59): Thank you.

Jose (26:00): And more DREAMers will not have to dream anymore because they will be awake already into what they belong to, which is the United States of America. (singing)

[Cuando Canto - by Ozomatli]

Kirsten (30:38): That was Ozomatli singing Cuando Canto in honor of Alejandro Fuentes-Mena's story and featured on their album Street Signs. You can watch a video of Alejandro reading his own story on our webpage shoeboxstories.org or hear him read it to Jose Andres on our companion podcast Motus Monologues: UndocuAmerica Series. We hope you will share Alejandro's story with your friends and family so everyone knows the people whose lives are at stake in US immigration policy.

Kirsten (31:17): Next month on the Shoebox Stories' UndocuAmerica Series, hear the award winning actor, author and singer John Lithgow reading the story of Irving Reza.

John Lithgow (31:28): We're in a moment of crisis, a crisis of empathy in this country. And it seems to me that the whole thrust of this project is to address that crisis.

Kirsten (31:40): Thank you to Jose Andres, Alejandro Fuentes-Mena, Ozomatli, and all of you listening who are willing to stand in the shoes of someone with a different experience than your own and see the world for a moment through their eyes. Please take good care of yourselves, those you hold dear, and your neighbors, both those near and far. (singing)

We are grateful for the Motus Monologues' creative team, including Sam Glover, theme song, Anthony Salvo, violin underscore, Alejandro Fuentes-Mena, host and vocals, the podcast content editor, Motus' artistic director, Kirsten Wilson, technical editors, Sam Glover and Douglas Reed, the Motus Theater production team, Rita Valente-Quinn, Michelle Maughan, and Kiara Chavez, and Motus' UndocuMonologist, Victor Galvan, Tania Chairez, Reydesel Salvidrez-Rodríguez, Laura Peniche, Kiara Chavez, Juan Juarez, Irving Reza, Cristian Solano-Córdova, Armando Peniche, and Alejandro Fuentes-Mena.