Roots of Freedom

By: Sarah Atsu

Jorge Vega, a first-generation Mexican American, shares his story of how his family came to the United States, and what the American dream means to him.

CUMMING, Ga.– For many Americans, the freedom to choose their own path is the result of the hard work and sacrifices of those that came before them.

Jorge Vega, a 24-year-old American from Cumming, Georgia, was born in the United States. For nine years he, his mother, father, and three siblings called the U.S. home. That changed for a period of time when it came to light that his mother was not a legal resident.

“From the ages of 10-11, my family and I lived in Mexico because my dad was fixing my mother’s residency,” Vega said. “We had to go live in Mexico for a while and ask for forgiveness from the [American] government for my mother entering the country illegally.”

After a year of living as a family in Mexico, Vega and his little sister moved back to the United States with their father. They hoped that splitting the family between the two countries would make it possible for Vega’s mother to become a legal citizen of the United States as well.

“We wanted the government to see that she had children in America that needed their mother to take care of them,” Vega said.

After their mother received legal residency in 2013, Vega and his family were reunited and soon, living in Georgia once more.

Climbing to the top in a new land

Simply being reunited was not the end of Vega’s story however. Despite his parents moving to the states for better opportunities for themselves and their children, Vega saw his parents struggle as they tried to make ends meet and find their place in the country they now called home.

“Growing up was hard, only because of my parents’ stress,” Vega said. “Them first coming here, not knowing English, and even being discriminated against at times, limited their opportunities to an extent… It was humbling experience, and we had to learn to adapt in order to be successful”

A large majority of Hispanic immigrants have limited English proficiency. This can cause assimilating into American society to prove difficult for those who do not know the language. Vega saw the disparities between the way his parents and other immigrants were treated, compared to people like himself who were raised in America. 

“Compared to a lot of other people, I don’t face as much discrimination because of the way I talk,” Vega admitted. “You know, if you go up to some people, they don’t have the patience to understand what you’re saying. But because of the way I speak, as long as I am polite and nice, people often respect me the way I respect them.” 

Despite the hardships that came with being foreigners in a new land, Vega’s parents made the effort to learn the English language, and he witnessed the opportunities and dreams that led his parents to the U.S. in the first place become attainable realities.

“My parents made the effort to learn English, and because they know more now, the opportunities have opened,” Vega said proudly. “My dad even has his own business now!”

The freedom to love what you do

Vega has also experienced certain benefits, specifically in the work field, due to knowing both English and Spanish.

“The language barrier is a very big thing here, and because of it, I became a crew leader when I really shouldn’t have been,” Vega said. “Because I knew Spanish and English, I could communicate efficiently with both the workers and the clients.”

Vega is in the tree trimming and pruning industry. In 2023 the U.S. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that 36.7% of workers in the tree trimming industry were Hispanic or Latino. Vega’s ability to communicate in both languages boosted him to management positions from a young age, and now he has his own business as well. 

The American Dream

From his parents’ sacrifices, Vega was given the opportunity to define ‘the American dream’ for himself.

“To me personally, the American dream is financial freedom,” Vega said. “You pursue what you love and you’re successful with it, so you become free.”

Vega, a self-described ‘adrenaline junkie’ loves being in the air. To him, the ability to have an occupation that stimulates the adventure-seeking parts of himself makes his parents’ sacrifices worth it.

“My job is very physically draining, but it’s what I like to do,” Vega said. “And when I go to work, I don’t feel like I’m at work. Because you’re able to feel like you’re successful, doing what you love, that’s the American dream.”