An Immigrant's Perspective on America

Description: Menendez, on growing up in a country in which no one is waiting for you.

An Immigrant’s Perspective on America

Transcript: I grew up in New Jersey.  Born in New York City.  Lived in New Jersey my whole life from parents who emigrated from Cuba. It’s bought certainly an immigrant experience to me; one that is very relevant in the work I do today, but more importantly one that make me think about what it is to come to a country in which you don’t necessarily have anybody waiting for you; in which you don’t necessarily know the language; in which you may have to start all over again as my mom and dad did, and think about the courage that that takes to do.  And in doing so, you know, the voyage that people are willing to undergo, whether it be for freedom or for economic opportunity.  And so I think that that’s shaped a lot of my thinking, and certainly who I am as the first generation . . . the son of immigrants.

Recorded on: 9/12/07