Immigrants: Speak out, share your story, combat the negative rhetoric

Imagine facing such desperation, that you feel forced to risk the safety of your life and the lives of your children. A life so miserable and dangerous that it causes you constant despair; a life you’d risk everything for. Now, imagine arriving in safe place only to be met with disdain, distrust, ignorance and outright hatred.

Who would make such a choice, to go from bad to arguably worse? Who would put themselves and their family through such an ordeal? The answer is simple, people who believe in the promise of America. People willing to be stereotyped, discriminated against, and treated poorly, just to step foot onto a land where everyone is given the same chance to succeed, no matter who they are, where they come from, and what they believe in.

{mosads}Is America still the global beacon of opportunity, a place where foreigners are welcomed with open arms?

Many people point fingers, throw slurs and talk about building walls when we should instead be sharing the stories of resilience and hope. Those who fear immigrants could benefit from hearing the stories of these individuals, risking everything to become a part of America.

Fears around immigrants, in large part, are the result of a messy, widespread set of misconceptions. A sizable gap exists between what we hear and what is true, and unfortunately in these cases, too many people choose the path of least intellectual resistance. They choose to believe sensationalized stories rather than making an effort to seek out substantive stories about the contributions of immigrants.

We cannot have a real conversation about immigrants without looking at them all — including the vast majority who come here wishing to use their talents to invest in and make America great. Why aren’t we having this conversation?

One reason is that the spotlight tends to ignore the contributors — innovators, business owners, Fortune 500 company founders, scientists, engineers, artists, athletes, and entertainers who influence and contribute positively to our country.

The negative stories about immigrants are illuminated, while the stories about immigrants who reflect our best values as a country, appear to be pushed into the dark. Concentrating on a portion of the immigrant population while ignoring the contributions of many, adds a disturbing layer of hypocrisy to this debate. If our goal is to have an honest and open discussion, then let’s bring all of the stories of creativity and innovation to the table. Without that, there is no real debate; but just a set of convenient myths used to propagate fear and hatred toward a group of people. If we don’t learn to see the human stories behind the talking points, we will keep moving in circles, recycling the same misguided conversations and information, and nothing will be solved.

My fear is that if we let this ignorance define who we are as a nation instead of looking at a real solution, this problem will remain. It is clear we need to actively work to create an immigration system that works for us all. The focus of this system must be to protect our national security while increasing our shared prosperity. If we do not create such a system, we risk using the flaws of our current system as an excuse to continue spouting opinions fueled by bigotry, rather than facts.

To all the immigrants with legal status or citizenship, those already here, especially celebrities and luminaries this is your call to action. Falsehoods are being spread about you and your fellow immigrants. A plague of ignorance has struck the masses. How will you give back to the country that has given you so much? How will you stand up for your fellow immigrants who don’t have the voice that you do?

Speak out and share your story; combat the negative rhetoric with the overwhelming weight of the positive, uplifting, and quintessentially American stories of immigrant success. Do not stay silent. Stand up for the values of this country that has given you so much.

Use your voice to underscore the immense benefits immigrants have brought to the nation – this nation that is currently cruelly pushing them away. Just because fame and stature may protect you from discrimination, this is a call to duty. How will you respond?

Cristina Perez is a successful lawyer, three-time Emmy Award winning television personality, radio host, author and columnist. She is the founding Partner of California Law Firm, APLC. You can find her on Twitter: @judgecristina

The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the views of The Hill.