Michelle Sedeno Sedeno 1

Professor Batty

English 101

27 February 2017
Discharged at last

Out if all of the murals, this one spoke out to me the most. In this mural

there is a young girl facing to the left, holding a cage that is not painted but it is the

window of the building. She is holding a cage with her left hand and opened the front of

the cage with her right hand, which has a tattoo. The colors are bright, the background is

yellow as if it was daytime, the flowers were orange and her hair is a bright dark blue.

She is letting parrots and butterflies have freedom instead of being trapped in the cage. In

this artwork the artist spoke freedom compared to their country, migrants without papers

and a better future.

The birds and butterflies flying free reminds me of the reason my parents came to

this country. As many other migrants my parents came because the United States has

more pros than in their own country. We are known for our land of freedom and

opportunities, which is why people decide to come to this country. In the article

Immigrants and Social Welfare says Many came to America looking for religious

freedom and for opportunities to better themselves economically and socially (Herrick)

this talks for most of people. Hispanics want their freedom to speak up and have the

opportunity to be heard. Although people come into our country without having papers

they wont have the exact freedom citizens have, but they still have more opportunities in

the United States rather than in their country. People who come here can still apply for
Michelle Sedeno Sedeno 2

Professor Batty

English 101

27 February 2017
help such as DREAM Act; we still receive help without having papers. This is only one

of many reasons we have more abilities

This mural also pictures migrants and the wandering without papers. Most people

whom come here have the intention to receive papers but without knowing when they

will receive them. The animals also represent having freedom but wandering to be

documented. My parents recently received their papers and now they are as free as the

birds. All these years they have felt being in that cage, being scared of being taken back

to their country but all that is now over. In the book Parents without Papers talks about

the effects of not having papers. The book says, They show in particular that the

membership exclusion experienced by unauthorized Mexican immigrantsthat is,

their fear of deportation, lack of civil rights, and poor access to good jobs (Bean, Brown,

Bachmeier). This explains the fear of many people and the problem that has been going

on. They should not be treated unequal just because of a piece of paper.

One of the points of being set free is an opportunity to make a great future. Most

people come to our country because they want a better future for their children. The

privileges the kids will have and a better future for their family. Being raised, as a child

whose parents did not have papers taught me a lot. I know that if I were to be raised in

Mexico I might have stayed home to do the expressive role in the futre. I believe that if

my parents did not come to this country I would not have the opportunity to continue

school and have a career that I would want because where they are from it is a different

culture with certain expectations. The birds and butterflies are grateful because theyre
Michelle Sedeno Sedeno 3

Professor Batty

English 101

27 February 2017
purpose is to fly and be free, not stuck in a cage. I am grateful for not having to stay

home and be raised to just cook and clean for the men.

Freedom, migrants without papers, and a better future are the representation of

this mural. The birds were being set free and opportunities are going to be taken. No one

should have the feeling of being trapped for example feeling unwanted because of a piece

of paper. These birds have wings to fly and humans have a voice to be heard. Our country

is known for opportunities so we should give others many opportunities.

Michelle Sedeno Sedeno 4

Professor Batty

English 101

27 February 2017

Citation

Bean, Frank D., Susan K. Brown, and James D. Bachmeier. Parents without Papers: The

Progress and Pitfalls of Mexican-American Integration. New York: Russell Sage

Foundation, 2015. Print.

Herrick, John M. "Immigration and Social Welfare Policy (United States)." Encyclopedia

of Social Welfare History in North America, edited by John M. Herrick and Paul H.

Stuart, SAGE Reference, 2005, pp. 192-195. Gale Virtual Reference Library,

library.lavc.edu:2077/ps/i.do?p=GVRL&sw=w&u=lavc_main&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE

%7CCX3453100090&asid=7414f0cb76021871178f74a9470e9e3c. Accessed 1 Mar.

2017.
Michelle Sedeno Sedeno 5

Professor Batty

English 101

27 February 2017