Interview with Samuel Cruz

Interview with Samuel Cruz

3/28/17

HI251C: History of Latinx in the U.S.

Samuel talked about how he grew up in the Dominican Republic while his mother and siblings lived in the United States, with the hopes of being prosperous. Once he was old enough and his mother was able to secure him citizenship, he moved to New York city to reunite with his family, attend school and succeed, given his new and better opportunities.

Spanish, English

Samuel Cruz was born and grew up in the Dominican Republic with his grandparents and cousins. He moved to the U.S. in 2012 when he was 16 in order to rejoin his mother and siblings who had immigrated earlier in search of opportunity and hoping to establish themselves in the states. In order to succeed, anonymous’s mother placed him in English courses after school and encouraged him to read, listen, watch and speak in Spanish less so that he could assimilate to his new community. Initially, he worried that he would face discrimination because of his accent or other ethic markers that revealed his foreign status. He also had to adjust to the different social and cultural norms in America, initiating a period of self reflection where he began to explore and reshape his identity. As he became more fluent in English, culturally integrated and educationally accomplished, by gaining entrance into a private liberal arts college, he recognized how fortunate he is and felt gratitude for the sacrifices his mother made to support him and his siblings so that they could have a better life.

El Gharsi, Alia

Samuel Cruz