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Be cautioned - today's truth telling is hard to hear. At least, it was hard for me to hear.
But first, let me tell you a little about my childhood.
I was raised by a Guatemalan mother and a Salvadorean stepfather, both of whom loved this country deeply. I grew up seeing America through their eyes.
This country gave them so much. Were we poor? Absolutely. We went through some rough times. But still we were blessed. Somehow, we always found a way through, and my parents gave partial credit to the United States (U.S.) for that. They believed that even in the worst of times, life here was better than where they came from.
During the Olympics or any sports event with a U.S. team, we rallied behind America, even when it meant cheering against Guatemala or El Salvador. My parents were loyal to the U.S. because it had given them hope. They believed that with hard work and good values this country offered them so many opportunities to have a good life.
And I believed them. I truly believed that this was the best country in the world!
Things began to change in college where I majored in History with a focus on Latin America. The knowledge I gained was not only shocking, but painful. Learning the role the U.S. played in harming Latin American countries, in particular Guatemala and El Salvador, was difficult for me to process. It felt unreal. That wasn’t the America I had grown up believing in. READ MORE
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