Immigrant voices make democracy stronger | Sayu Bhojwani

譯者: Nan Liu 審譯者: Ruixiao Liu

Good evening.

晚上好。

My journey to this stage

我站上這個講台的旅程

began when I came to America

從我17歲

at the age of 17.

來到美國時開始。

You see, I'm one of the 84 million Americans

要知道，我是8400萬

who are immigrants

美國移民中的一員

或者說是移民後代的一員。

or children of immigrants.

Each of us has a dream when we come here,

我們中的每一個人在來到 這裡時，都有一個夢想，

a dream that usually has to be rewritten

一個通常需要被改寫

and always has to be repurposed.

並且總是被賦予 新的意圖的夢想。

I was one of the lucky ones.

我是一名幸運兒。

My revised dream led me to the work I do today:

我重新訂立的夢想 引導我從事如今的工作：

training immigrants to run for public office

培訓移民， 讓他們能夠競選公職，

and leading a movement for inclusive democracy.

並且領導社會運動， 追求包容性民主。

但是我不想讓你們認為 這是一件很容易的事情，

But I don't want you to think it was a cakewalk,

that America opened its arms wide and welcomed me.

認為美國向我敞開懷抱 然後歡迎我。

It's still not doing that.

美國現在仍然沒有那麼做。

在這個過程中， 我學到了一些經驗教訓，

And I've learned a few lessons along the way

that I wanted to share with you,

想在這裡與你們分享，

because I think that together

因為我認為通過共同努力

we can make American democracy

我們可以讓美國的民主

better and stronger.

更好、更強大。

I was born in India,

我出生在印度，

世界上人口最多的民主國家，

the world's largest democracy,

當我4歲的時候，

and when I was four,

my family moved to Belize,

我的家庭搬到了伯利茲，

那裡可能是世界上 人口最少的民主國家。

the world's smallest democracy perhaps.

And at the age of 17,

我17歲的時候，

搬到了美國，

I moved to the United States,

世界上最偉大的民主國家。

the world's greatest democracy.

I came because I wanted to study English literature.

我來到美國因為 我想學習英文文學。

要知道，我小的時候， 總是沈浸在書本中，

You see, as a child, I buried my nose in books,

and I thought, why not make a living doing that as an adult?

我想，何不長大以後以此為生呢？

But after I graduated from college

但是當我大學畢業

拿到碩士學位以後，

and got a graduate degree,

I found myself moving from one less ideal job to another.

我發現自己從一個 不盡人意的工作跳到另一個。

Maybe it was the optimism that I had about America

也許是我對美國 過於樂觀的態度

讓我在一段時間以後才明白

that made me take a while to understand

that things were not going to change.

這種情況是不會改變的。

The door that I thought was open

我曾經認為對我敞開的大門

實際上只留了一條縫隙 --

was actually just slightly ajar --

美國的這扇大門

this door of America

是敞開的， 如果你有恰當的姓名

that would open wide if you had the right name,

合適的膚色，

the right skin color,

the right networks,

關鍵的人脈，

but could just slam in your face

但是這扇門會在你面前 砰地一聲關上，

if you had the wrong religion,

如果你有著不合適的 宗教信仰，

the wrong immigration status,

移民身份，

the wrong skin color.

和膚色。

And I just couldn't accept that.

我就是沒辦法接受 那樣的事實。

So I started a career as a social entrepreneur,

所以我開始自己創業， 作為社會企業家，

starting an organization for young people like myself --

為像我一樣具有 印度血統的年輕人

I was young at the time that I started it --

創建一個組織 --

who traced their heritage to the Indian subcontinent.

我創建那個組織的時候 還很年輕。

In that work, I became and advocate for South Asians and other immigrants.

在那份工作中，我成為了 南亞和其他移民的維權代表。

I lobbied members of Congress on policy issues.

我在政策方面遊說國會議員。

I volunteered on election day to do exit polling.

我在選舉日那天做志願者， 負責選後民意調查。

但是我不能投票， 我不能競選公職。

But I couldn't vote, and I couldn't run for office.

所以在2000年， 當政府宣佈

So in 2000, when it was announced

that the citizenship application fee was going to more than double

入籍申請費將會翻倍，

from 95 dollars to 225 dollars,

從95美元到225美元，

I decided it was time to apply before I could no longer afford it.

我決定申請入籍， 以免以後負擔不起這筆費用。

I filled out a long application,

我填了一張很長的申請表，

answering questions about my current and my past affiliations.

回答了我現在和過去在政治、 宗教等方面隸屬關係的問題。

And once the application was submitted,

一旦遞交了申請，

there were fingerprints to be taken,

我需要準備採指紋，

a test to study for,

準備考試，

還要陷入無止境的等待。

endless hours of waiting in line.

You might call it extreme vetting.

你可以把這個過程 叫作極端審查。

然後在2000年12月，

And then in December of 2000,

我和其他幾百名移民一起

I joined hundreds of other immigrants

去了布魯克林的一個禮堂，

in a hall in Brooklyn

where we pledged our loyalty

我們在那裡承諾會盡忠於

to a country that we had long considered home.

一個我們一直視為家的國家。

My journey from international student to American citizen took 16 years,

我從一名國際生變為 美國公民，一共花了16年，

a short timeline when you compare it to other immigrant stories.

如果你將這段時間和其他的 移民故事相比，它很短。

And soon after I had taken that formal step

在我正式成為美國人

to becoming an American,

不久之後，

2001年9月11日的恐怖襲擊

the attacks of September 11, 2001,

改變了之後幾十年 的移民狀況。

changed the immigration landscape for decades to come.

My city, New York City,

我的城市，紐約，

was reeling and healing,

很震驚，需要時間 撫平傷痛，

and in the midst of it,

並且在這期間，

we were in an election cycle.

我們還處於大選。

Two things happened

當我們在紐約

as we coped with loss and recovery in New York City.

應對損失和復原的時候， 兩件事情發生了。

Voters elected Michael Bloomberg mayor of New York City.

選民選擇麥克爾．彭博 作為紐約市市長。

We also adopted by ballot referendum

我們也通過公投

the Office of Immigrant Affairs for the City of New York.

在紐約市設立了 移民事務局。

Five months after that election,

選舉後5個月，

the newly elected mayor

新上任的市長

appointed me the first Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs

任命我成為這個新成立的 移民事務局的

for this newly established office.

第一位局長。

I want you to come back to that time.

我想讓你們回到那個時候。

I was a young immigrant woman from Belize.

我還是來自伯利茲的 年輕女移民。

I had basically floundered in various jobs in America

當我在皇后區 一個教堂的地下室

before I started a community-based organization

成立一個以社區為基礎的 組織以前，

in a church basement in Queens.

我在美國的各種工作中掙扎。

The attacks of September 11 sent shock waves through my community.

9月11日的恐怖襲擊讓 我所屬的團體震驚。

People who were members of my family, young people I had worked with,

我的家人以及 和我共事過的年輕人

were experiencing harassment

在學校、工作場所和機場

被不斷騷擾。

at schools, at workplaces and in airports.

And now I was going to represent their concerns

現在我將會在政府中

代表他們發聲。

in government.

No job felt more perfect for me.

沒有其他工作比這份工作 更適合我了。

And here are two things I learned when I became Commissioner.

我成為移民事務局局長以後， 學到了兩件事。

First, well-meaning New Yorkers

第一，在紐約市政府中 擔任公職的

善意的紐約人

who were in city government holding government positions

had no idea how scared immigrants were

不知道移民們多麼害怕

of law enforcement.

法律的執行。

Most of us don't really know the difference, do we,

我們中的大多數人 都不知道

地方治安官、地方警察 和聯邦調查局之間的區別。

between a sheriff and local police and the FBI.

And most of us, when we see someone in uniform

我們大多數人 見到穿著制服的人

going through our neighborhoods

在我們的社區穿行的時候，

feel curiosity, if not concern.

感到好奇，如果不是擔憂。

如果你是無證明文件的家長，

So if you're an undocumented parent,

每天當你和你的孩子道別

every day when you say goodbye to your child,

送他們去學校， 然後去上班的時候，

send them off to school and go to work,

you don't know what the chances are

你不知道 當一天結束的時候

that you're going to see them at the end of the day.

你還能見到他們 的機會有多大。

Because a raid at your workplace,

因為對你工作場所的 一次突擊檢查，

a chance encounter with local police

你與當地警察的一次偶遇，

都可能永遠改變 你的人生軌跡。

could change the course of your life forever.

The second thing I learned is that when people like me,

我學到的第二件事就是， 當像我這樣的人，

who understood that fear,

這種理解那種恐懼，

學會了新語言 了解了新體系的人，

who had learned a new language, who had navigated new systems,

when people like us were sitting at the table,

聚在一起的時候，

we advocated for our communities' needs in a way that no one else could or would.

我們會以一種其他人無法做到的 方式來我們表達我們團體的訴求。

I understood what that feeling of fear was like.

我理解那種恐懼的 感覺是怎樣的。

我的家人曾經經歷過。

People in my family were experiencing it.

Young people I had worked with were being harassed,

和我一起共事過的年輕人

not just by classmates,

不僅被同學

but also by their teachers.

還被他們的老師騷擾過。

My husband, then boyfriend,

我的丈夫， 那時是我的男朋友，

thought twice before he put a backpack on or grew a beard

在背上背包或者留鬍子之前 都要反覆思量

because he traveled so much.

因為他出行太頻繁了。

What I learned in 2001 was that my vote mattered

我在2001年學到的是 我的選票很重要

but that my voice and vantage point also mattered.

但是我的想法和 視角也很重要。

And it's these three things --

我認為正是這三樣東西 --

immigrants' votes, voices and vantage points --

移民的選票、意見 和視角 --

that I think can help make our democracy stronger.

可以讓我們的民主更強大。

事實上，我們有能力

We actually have the power

改變選舉的結果，

to change the outcome of elections,

在政策辯論中 加入新的議題，

to introduce new issues into the policy debate

and to change the face of the pale, male, stale leadership

改變我們國家現在這種

白人男性主導的 陳腐的領導風格。

that we have in our country today.

So how do we do that?

那麼，我們該如何做呢？

Well, let's talk first about votes.

我們先來談談選票吧。

It will come as no surprise to you

美國大多是選民

that the majority of voters in America are white.

是白人的事實 一定不會讓你覺得驚訝。

但是三分之一的選民

But it might surprise you to know

that one in three voters are black, Latino or Asian.

是黑人，拉丁美裔或者亞裔 的事實可能會讓你吃驚。

But here's the thing:

事情的關鍵在這兒：

it doesn't just matter who can vote, it matters who does vote.

誰有權投票不重要， 重要的是誰真的投票了。

So in 2012, half of the Latino and Asian-American voters

一半的拉丁美裔 和亞裔選民在2012年

did not vote.

沒有投票。

And these votes matter not just in presidential elections.

這些選民不僅在 總統選舉中很重要，

They matter in local and state elections.

他們在地方和各州選舉中 也很重要。

In 2015, Lan Diep,

2015年，葉世麟，

the eldest son of political refugees from Vietnam,

一名越南政治難民的長子，

ran for a seat in the San Jose City Council.

參選聖荷西市議員。

He lost that election by 13 votes.

他以13票之差落選。

This year, he dusted off those campaign shoes

今年他重披戰袍

and went back to run for that seat,

再次競選那個議席，

and this time he won, by 12 votes.

這一次他以12票的優勢當選。

我們的每一張選票都很重要。

Every one of our votes matters.

And when people like Lan are sitting at the policy table,

當像葉世麟一樣的人 參與政策制定的時候，

they can make a difference.

他們會帶來改變。

We need those voices.

我們需要那些人發聲。

我們需要那些人的意見

We need those voices

in part because American leadership

一方面因為美國 領導層的結構

does not look like America's residents.

沒有反映美國居民的組成。

美國有超過50萬的 地方和州級職務。

There are over 500,000 local and state offices in America.

Fewer than 2 percent of those offices are held by Asian-Americans or Latinos,

那些職務中，少於2%的職位 是由亞裔或者拉丁美裔擔任的，

亞裔和拉丁美裔是我們國家 最大的兩個移民群體。

the two largest immigrant groups in our country.

In the city of Yakima, Washington,

在華盛頓亞吉瓦，

where 49 percent of the population is Latino,

49%的人都是拉丁美裔，

there has never been a Latino on the city council until this year.

但在今年之前市議會中 沒有一個拉丁美裔人。

Three newly elected Latinas joined the Yakima City Council in 2016.

三個新當選的拉丁美裔人 在2016年加入了亞吉瓦市議會。

One of them is Carmen Méndez.

他們其中的一個是卡門·門德斯。

She is a first-generation college student.

她是第一代移民，一名大學生。

她在墨西哥科力馬和

She grew up partly in Colima, Mexico,

and partly in Yakima, Washington.

華盛頓亞吉瓦長大。

She's a single mother, a community advocate.

她是單親媽媽， 一位社區維權者。

Her voice on the Yakima City Council

她在亞吉瓦市議會上

為亞丁美裔團體

is advocating on behalf of the Latino community

and of all Yakima residents.

和所有亞吉瓦居民爭取權益。

And she's a role model for her daughter

她是她女兒和其他 拉丁美裔人士

and other Latinas.

的偶像。

但是美國民主第三大 尚未利用的資源

But the third most untapped resource in American democracy

is the vantage point that immigrants bring.

是移民帶來的新視角。

我們經過奮鬥留在了這裡。

We have fought to be here.

We have come for economic and educational opportunity.

我們為了經濟和教育的 機會而來到這裡。

We have come for political and religious freedom.

我們為了政治和宗教 自由而來到這裡。

We have come in the pursuit of love.

我們來追求愛。

我們也把那種奉獻精神

That dedication,

以及對美國的責任感

that commitment to America

we also bring to public service.

帶到公共事業中。

People like Athena Salman,

人們喜歡雅典娜·薩爾曼，

who just last week won the primary

她上個星期剛剛贏得

for a seat in the Arizona State House.

亞利桑那州眾議院 議員的初選。

Athena's father grew up in the West Bank

雅典娜的爸爸長在 巴勒斯坦·以色列西岸，

and moved to Chicago,

然後搬到了芝加哥，

where he met her mother.

在那裡遇到了雅典娜的媽媽。

Her mother is part Italian,

她的媽媽有義大利、

part Mexican and part German.

墨西哥和德國血統。

Together they moved to Arizona and built a life.

他們一起搬到了亞利桑那州， 開始新的生活。

當雅典娜進入議會大廈以後，

Athena, when she gets to the statehouse,

is going to fight for things like education funding

她會努力爭取教育資助 等資助項目，

that will help give families like hers a leg up

這些資助將會幫助到 與她的家庭處境相同的家庭，

從而讓他們實現

so they can achieve the financial stability

我們都想擁有的財務穩定。

that we all are looking for.

Immigrants' votes, voices and vantage points

我們需要把移民的選票， 意見和視角

are what we all need to work to include in American democracy.

融入美國民主。

It's not just my work. It's also yours.

這不僅是我的工作。 也是你們的工作。

And it's not going to be easy.

這項任務並不容易。

We never know

我們從不知道

what putting a new factor into an equation will do.

把一個新的因子放入 等式中會有怎樣的結果。

And it's a little scary.

這有點可怕。

You're scared that I'm going to take away your place at the table,

你怕我會搶走屬於你的位置，

and I'm scared that I'm never going to get a place at the table.

我怕我永遠得不到我的位置。

And we're all scared

我們都很害怕，

that we're going to lose this country that we know and love.

怕我們會失去這個 我們了解又熱愛的國家。

I'm scared you're going to take it away from me,

我怕你會把這樣一個 國家從我身邊帶走，

and you're scared I'm going to take it away from you.

你怕我會把這樣一個 國家從你身邊帶走。

瞧，今天的選舉很殘酷，

Look, it's been a rough election year,

a reminder that people with my immigration history

它預示著像我一樣 有移民背景的人

可能因為一個領導者的 意願而被驅逐。

could be removed at the whim of a leader.

But I have fought to be in this country

但是我經過奮鬥 留在了這個國家，

and I continue to do so every day.

以後的每一天我 都會這樣做。

So my optimism never wavers,

我的樂觀從未減退，

because I know that there are millions of immigrants just like me,

因為我知道美國有 幾百萬像我一樣的移民，

in front of me, behind me and all around me.

在我面前，在我身後， 在我身邊。

美國也是我們的國家。

It's our country, too.

Thank you.

謝謝。

（掌聲）

(Applause)