W4C Voices: Bridging Immigrant Generations: How My Parents Embrace Citizenship and Civic Duty
Bridging Immigrant Generations: How My Parents Embrace Citizenship and Civic Duty
Stephanie Picarra, Women4Change Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
As the daughter of proud immigrant-families from two separate countries, I am proud of our journey, to the ballot box.
My parents and I voted early, together, this year. I know I am in good company when I share my mixed feelings - relief, hope, fear, uncertainty- after having done my civic duty where so much is on the line for me as a woman and as a cultural minority.
Both of my parents are of the Baby-Boomer generation and as an extension of their ethnic roots, they both grew up in cultures that regularly turned a blind eye to homophobia, racism, misogyny, and other discriminatory rhetoric - even when it was directed at them!
My mom is a 2nd generation Mexican-American and the strong female figure in my life who instilled independence, autonomy, and a sense of justice and civic duty growing up.
My dad immigrated to the United States from the Philippines when he was a young adult. It took years for my dad to gain full U.S. Citizenship. Even after earned citizenship, my dad solely focused on work, building a family, and his life here. While he always kept up with politics and current events, he never actively engaged in local or federal elections.
Conversations with my dad very much resemble the father daughter exchanges from the family comedy Kim’s Convenience.
Growing up, I regularly bickered with my dad over words that “we no longer say” and challenged his stance on many topics. While I felt like he didn’t take my concerns seriously, he felt I was too serious about everything. As I took a deeper dive more in my own education, my own biases, and having engaged in more civic education - I brought these conversations home and something beautiful happened:
Our “bickering” turned into real conversations and empathetic listening.
We recently talked about the impact of the reversal of Roe V Wade. Through our dinnertime conversations - they now see the bigger picture that goes beyond their personal choice- but rather through the perspective of the women and families who have had to or may have to make this impossible decision. This is demonstrative of a key figure in many of our conversations - my parents have learned to think beyond themselves and to consider others in their decisions. Having spent so much of their life having to look after themselves -receiving no handouts, empathy, or at times even acceptance - I recognize and acknowledge how big of a shift this can be. And all of the credit goes to my parents who have opened their minds and hearts to consider a different perspective - many times challenging mindsets that have been instilled in them for decades.
During this election season, they both have supported my work with Women4Change - attending and volunteering at events, writing postcards, and letting me fill our living room with supplies and papers galore. They have taken our conversations to their friends and family- doing their part to encourage people to vote. We are still learning, still having these conversations, and we don’t agree on everything. But when I look at this picture, I’m reminded that my parents - who have so worked hard their whole lives to be contributing members of their community and this country- did their civic duty as Americans in this election. They actively listened to me and others to learn more, they have challenged their worldview, and have kept in mind the daughters, sons, and the marginalized groups of people that their vote impacts and showed up at the ballot box to vote their values in both local and federal elections.
I am so proud to see my parents represent what Women4Change is about: engaging in conversations with Hoosiers, opening our minds to different perspectives, empathizing with the people our policies impact the most, and actively engaging to make change.