La Historia de Nuestras Vidas

I attended the play ”Las Historias de Nuestras Vidas.” The play was written and performed by Postville immigrants whose lives were drastically changed by the raid that occurred at the Agriprocessor meatpacking plant. The play was very moving. The men acted out their journey to the U.S., the dangers and hardships they endured in order to reach the land, which they believed would provide a better life. The struggles in their home countries drove them to the U.S. where they sought to earn money to send home to their struggling families. Along the way they were chased and hunted by dogs. They endured two to three day stretches stuck in a room with nothing to eat. They traveled in the back of a truck crowded with others also fleeing their countries and risking their lives. And after all of this, they wound up in Postville, IA not quite the big, glamorous American city they’d heard described and expected to see.

As if their previous trials were not enough, they then suffered horrible working conditions in the meatpacking plant where they were subjected to abuse, humiliation, and horrendous working conditions. Yet their desire to create a better life for their families drove them to continue working there. Then the raid occurred. And these men along with their fellow immigrants were subjected to further pain, humiliation, and agony. They were taken to various places, stripped of their clothes and dignity, herded and corralled like animals, questioned and promised to be returned to their home countries but instead were moved to other locations around the U.S all the time having no idea what would happen to them.
Their intention of creating their play was not to relay a story that invoked the sympathy of the audience but rather to increase awareness of what happened to them, which as they said is happening all over this country. Their story is not finished and is shared by all illegal immigrants struggling and working in the U.S. An example was made in Postville, IA through the raid, but this sad story is happening all around us and being kept quiet.

The reenactment of their story reminded me of how important it is for teachers and all people to be spread awareness of what is happening around us, and not be ignorant of our surroundings. I have lived in Decorah all of my life, a mere 20 minutes from Postville but had little idea of what was happening there. As teachers, it is important to make students aware of the injustices in this world. Teachers can help raise awareness and incorporate community service in their classrooms. For example, classes could hold fundraisers and food and clothing drives to donate to victims of raids such as what occurred in Postville or for other people in need. In such projects, letters would be sent home to parents to gain their support and involvement. Also fliers advertising the fundraisers and drives would be posted in the community alerting the greater area to what is going on. Students will learn that they can make a difference and hopefully will be motivated to be active, informed citizens all of their life.

The moving reenactment of what the actors have been through reminded me of the importance of being kind and understanding of others. One never knows what others are going through and so must not jump to conclusions or assumptions; this is what we must teach our students and help them to be conscientious, caring, and understanding people.