The Moth - In Search of Freedom: Juan Rodriguez

Episode Date: July 7, 2023

We take a look at the meaning of Independence Day through story. This episode is hosted by Larry Rosen. Storyteller: Juan Rodriguez recounts his American journey.

Welcome to the Moth Podcast. I'm Larry Rosen, master instructor of the Moth, and your host for this Independence Day episode. The term the American Dream is often attributed to author and historian James Trusslow Adams. Adams spoke of a Asian in which every person confessed a tame to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and second be recognized by others for what they are. In this episode, we hear from someone who worked to achieve both of those aims. Juan Rodriguez has told this story at a month main stage. In 2015, with a theme of the night, was don't look back, storage from teenage years. Here's Juan, live at the North.

Applause Seating outside this house in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, I was feeling tired, I was sweaty, but most of anything I was really hungry. I mean, I've been on a bus for 18 hours, but I was there, I was excited. If he blocks down is the USA, the land of plenty, the land of dreams

that I hear so much about. So, my dad came out of the house, still talking to this lady. I didn't know what they were talking about. I was only 15 years old. My dad comes to me and says, we have a deal. She's gonna bring you across the border for $50.

I said, great, let's do it. Let's, that's what we hear for. So, he said, give me more instructions. He said just get on the truck and don't say anything So I did get on the latest truck sit down We'd rather to the bridge 30 minutes later I'd Regenite in my family and I had my first hamburger McDonald's In the all the side of the border, La Rada, Texas. So summer was over.

I went to high school. I remember that day, like if it was just today, you know, my first day working in, I mean, walking in high school, walking on the hallways. It was, I was leaving the dream feeling all cool. It was like being on all those movies that I love so much. Like Teen Wolf and Pretty Imping. I wanted to be her boyfriend, but I don't know.

All these movies made me dream. Made me dream the American dream and being there, I thought, okay, this is it. I'm here, I made it. After this, everything is going to be easy, right? So I wanted to play basketball, because I love basketball. Back in Mexico, I used to play basketball all the time. Just playing it made me forget about being hungry. About being depressed.

So I got a little good at it. In high school, I wanted to try out. I went to the coach and told them, I think I'm pretty good. I don't know what you think. He said, yeah, you can try it out. I just need a physical from you. I said, okay, I don't see a problem. I went to my dad. He asked him, dad, I want to play basketball. We said, no, you can't because you're illegal.

You don't have Medicaid. I said, by dad, the physical is only like $25. But he still said no. So I forgot about basketball because that wasn't going to happen. Next in line it was art. I'm always being good at art. Just drawing stuff. But I couldn't fit in.

It was getting really hard to fit in. You know, they have a little art club I tried to get in, but I couldn't because my English wasn't good. So I said that's fine. to our club would try to get in, but I couldn't, because my English wasn't good. So I said, that's fine. At that moment, I started to feel like this word. This, not having this green card was one of the fine who I am, who I was at that moment. So I got a little scare, but I said, okay,

it's gonna take a little work. It's gonna take a, well, we'll be fine. So one time I got into a fight with this guy, because he called me a wet bag and my phone on my accent. And I was really upset that day. So later that day, it was a Tuesday. I remember pretty well. I stay after school with Mrs. Cordero, which she's beautiful.

So it was really easy to stay up to school. So there I am sitting on Mrs. Cordero's class and she asked me what's wrong Juan. You look tense, you look tired, you look sad, what's going on. I just played the situation to her. What just happened earlier and she said, oh don't worry about those kind of people. To those kind of people that wars kind of wet back is the educated wet back. You just gotta focus on your education,

because that's the key. That's what's gonna take you places. So I said, okay, let's get to work. We started practicing my ABCs, my balls. And it was hard work after that. Years and years, I mean, four years, not years and years. But four years, sleepless nights, with my Spanish English dictionary,

translating the most simple assignments. But I made it. I made it to graduation night. But let me tell you about graduation night. It was magical. It was like having these lights upon me when they say Juan Rodriguez. I felt like I want an Emmy, you know, just walking all coup, feeling like this is it, you know, I'm leaving the dream. I'm big accomplishment. This is it. I was just that name, that night was magical. I couldn't get enough of it.

Then I came to an end. And then I got slap in the face. Slap in the face by reality. Reality that I couldn't go to college. And later that year, I was accepted to Chicago Art Institute because I was a good student and I was good at art. But that night, that was some magic woman that I really sat for me. So college didn't happen.

I said, no problem, just move on. My next option was Denver Colorado. I went to Denver. A friend of mine had a job for me. A job that would pay me $7 an hour, which is not much, but when you come from nothing, that was a lot to me. That was amazing. So I worked at this package, in fact, through it with a lot of people, a lot of Asian people, Mexican people, that didn't speak in English.

I raised to the tab real quick, we can supervise in the menu. But there was something missing, something wasn't right. I spent four years on my life working so hard. I think I can do a little better than this. So one afternoon sitting on my apartment, Bathany, I was reading this newspaper thinking, you know, if I want something better, I go out there and look for it. It's not coming, it's not going to come in knock in my door. So I was reading to the newspaper and while I was reading to it, I saw this ad. He said, you know, we need on machine operators, you know, to operate this high tech machinery to make our,

to make airbag inflators that sounded good to me. I like Robert, I like technology, so it was awesome. And right at the bottom, he said, high school diploma prefer. So that, that spoke to me, you know, like, I could hear Mrs. Cordero's voice on the back saying, this is what we've been working for. This is you.

This is your opportunity. And I remember all the cars that they gave me and graduation nights and what a great student I was and some of them even gave me money. And so I said, okay, this feels good. I gotta get a bit of a try. I gotta give it a try. Call the guy. He answered the phone. First thing he said, do you have a high school diploma? I said, well, good. I got to get a bit of a try. I got to give it a try. Call a guy.

He answered the phone. First thing he said, do you have a high school diploma? I said, well, yes, I do. Okay, you have a job. Come and see me tomorrow. That's a good. I had mentioned it to my dad.

And he said, no, you can. You shouldn't do this. I said, why not? He said, because you're illegal. He's going to check your green card, you fake green card, and he's going to say that it's fake. And you might even get the port. At that moment, at that moment, you just struck pain on my heart again. I feel like, is this who I am. I mean it's not having this green card, this words, red bag, legal, that's what defines me, that's what defines who I am. I don't know, I just sit down helpless, my cows. I took a moment and I sort of picture on my coffee table, imaginary coffee table.

I picture my high school diploma and my fake green card. And I sort of tried to balance it, which one's got more power, which one defines me more. And then when I looked at my high school diploma, once again Mrs. Cordero was talking on my ear. Say Juan, this is you. That diploma is you because you work so hard for it because you want to be this person. But also have here all the side, you know, my dad telling me, no, you can. I'm not, I have nothing against my dad.

I love my dad. Maybe he was just being protective because the danger is real. He was real. I could have gotten the porter. So, but at the same time I feel like by protecting me too much, he was holding me down. Just let me do this. Next day, I didn't go to the interview. I didn't call the guy. I was just depressed working on my packaging factory and trying to speak Vietnamese with some guys. But something wasn't right. I had this thing on my heart that I couldn't let go of.

Next day, a call, I, you say, what are you lying to me? I said, what do you mean? I said, yeah, you lied to me about your high school. I said, no, I have my high school diploma. Well, then come and see me. At that moment, I made a decision. I went and did my own decision, tried to define who I am,

and I let this green car define who I am. So I didn't say anything to nobody. I just run down the street, I mean, down the stairs, grabbed the keys to my car, and went off. I walked into the office, feeling nervous, because I knew I had a fake green car on me and my high school diploma, who that was like a shield.

And the guy is like, nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. Do you have a high school diploma? I said, yes, I do. I show it to him real proud because I was proud of who I am. And he said, do you have a green car, a view citizen or something? I said, I do have a green car, sort of nervous. I do have a green car, or a view citizen, or something? I said, I do have a green car, it's sort of nervous.

I do have a green car. He said, okay, you just grabbed it. Didn't even look at it. Give it to his secretary and say, here, make a copy of this. But come, come on, tell me more about you. What kind of books do you like to read? How was high school for you?

And that moment I feel so good. I feel like I have accomplished something once more, but it still has this little pain on my heart, knowing that something wasn't right. Here I am. I'm leaving illegally in this country for 22 years. If you run into me on the street, you will never guess I'm legal. Why? Because I'm a normal person. I'm a parent. I have three kids, two girls, one boy, I have a job, I pay taxes. Just like everybody else pays taxes, right? So, you know, it's been hard being defined by that, but not having my green card, but those words illegal, immigrant feeling like you don't deserve what you have,

but I'm tired of living in fear. I'm tired of being afraid. I guess it's standing here today, tonight, this is proof to myself that I'm not afraid anymore. That was one of the biggest. One was born in Sakatekos, Mexico. In 1992, he came across the river to Laredo, Texas. After graduating high school, one moved to Colorado and there in 2018 started a plumbing business. In April 2021, Juan became a legal resident of the United States. He lives happily in Denver with his three kids Natalia, Anastasia, and Alan. We first came across Juan on radio diaries. Radio diaries is an incredible organization that works with people by giving them recording equipment

and helping them record and share their own stories. You should check out Radio Dyris wherever you get your podcasts. To close the episode, we'll leave you with these words from the architect and designer, Mylin. Mylin said, to me, the American dream is being able to follow your own personal calling. To be able to do what you want to do is an incredible freedom. From everyone here at The Moth, we wish you a happy fourth. Larry Rosen is a master instructor at The Moth. After 25 years teaching, directing, and practicing theater and comedy performance, Larry discovered the simplicity, power, and beauty of true stories.

Shortly thereafter, he found the Moth. As they say, timing is everything. Juan Rodriguez's story was directed by Catherine McCarthy. This episode of the Moth podcast was produced by Sarah Austin-Geness, Sarah Jane Johnson, and me, Mark Salinger. The rest of The Moth's leadership team includes Sarah Haberman, Jennifer Hickson, Meg Bowles, Kate Tellers, Marina Klucce, Suzanne Rest, Brandon Grant, Leanne Gully, and Aldi Kaza. All Moth stories are true, as remembered by the storytellers.

For more about our podcast, information on pitching your own story, and everything else, go to our website, themoth.org. The Moth Podcast is presented by PIRX, the Public Radio Exchange, helping make public radio more public at pirex.org.