I Would Like You To Know

by Diana Reyes

I would like you to know
that we did not all come from Mexico.
That it hurts our feelings when you call us “wetbacks.”
We do not all steal from you.
We do not all stare at the television for hours and
boss you around to turn off the lights.
We are not all lazy.
We are not all immigrants.
We are not all in gangs that jump people for their money,
nor do we do drugs.
We do not all drop out of school when it gets difficult.
We are not dirty because of our skin color.
We are not all poor.
Most of us know English so don’t talk about us
like we don’t understand.
Our parents mostly come here for a better life and
mostly it turns out to be the other way around.
Some of our families are not always perfect. I know mine aren’t.
But we all have families &
Friends That Love Us.
These are the facts.