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VEGA, Paola (b. 1991)

Oral Histories

OH 2011

For the DFW Metroplex Immigration Oral History Project. High school teacher. Her experiences immigrating from Mexico to Carrollton, Texas in the 1990s at the age of three; her parents’ immigration experience; being a Mexican immigrant student in American public schools; learning English; ESL and Bilingual programs; stigma associated with being an immigrant and Spanish-speaking student; her parents’ work experiences in the U.S.; realities of being an illegal immigrant; the citizenship process; challenges of being a Mexican immigrant during college; treatment and perceptions of Mexican Americans and Mexican immigrants; feeling ostracized and isolated from peers and colleagues; how experiences influence her approach to teaching; discrimination in education system; cultural ties to Mexico; identity crisis experienced by immigrants; Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)/Dreamer program; experiencing poverty, oppression, insecurity due to immigrant status.