When the words do not come out

Reflections on the one-year anniversary of Real People. Real Lives – a photo and storytelling exhibit on immigrant women

In 2017, an unique collaboration of New Women New Yorkers with photographer and filmmaker Dru Blumensheid gave life to an exhibit featuring photographs of 16 immigrant women, an 18-feet-long mural, and a nearly 2-hour film with additional photographs and the audio interviews of the women. The show revealed a nuanced picture of the immigrant women who make NYC their home, the barriers and isolation they experience, and of the hopes, dreams, and talents they bring with them.

Real People. Real Lives. Women Immigrants of New York was shown in 2017 and 2018 as a traveling exhibit at the Starr Bar in Brooklyn, at the Queens Museum in Queens, and at the Rockefeller Foundation and at the Centre for Social Innovation in Manhattan. Almost one year later, Ximena Velez, one of the participants in the exhibit project,  reflects on the experience. Her account illuminates immigration beyond the statistics – each immigrant story is a combination of determination, hope, and challenges.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, stories like Ximena’s are more important than ever – through them we can understand and celebrate the diversity and commonality of human experience:

written by Ximena Veléz

“It has been almost a year since the Real People Real Lives exhibition, when we were portrayed as professional and immigrant women, talented and full of dreams. The opening event and exhibit were dedicated to speaking up for us, with us, beyond statistics.

It is often challenging to find the exact words to express all the ideas in your mind at a particular moment. So I’m taking advantage of this anniversary to share how I found out about New Women New Yorkers and why I consider it essential for every single person starting a new life far away from home.

I am a professional who decided to jump into the big city by looking for new professional challenges, better opportunities for my career, love and life in general, and to get closer to my family.

Once the decision to leave home is made, you wake up splashing in an unknown world, between cultures, traditions, laws, glances, languages, jobs, longing in a sea full of unknown things. In a blink, times goes by, but you keep splashing, reason why one needs guidance.

As an immigrant, you are going to have different stories and experiences, no two are the same. Sometimes you feel sorry for yourself, then you feel grateful: a roller-coaster of emotions that starts when you least expect it. The good news is that each time you make an effort to figure out what is the right path for you, you get a little closer to finding it.

This happened to me. During my first summer in New York, I was walking into the public library at Fifth Avenue after my English class when I found a flyer with an attractive logo. It was a bird in origami, its colors ranging from blue to deep orange, next to a title: New Women New Yorkers. My first thought was: I don’t want to meet another organization feeling sorry for us immigrant adults with fewer opportunities, like a wild species out of their habitat. I refuse that! But, I decided to give it a chance. As soon as I peeked my nose into the first NWNY meeting, I understood it was the home I was looking for.

The organization’s mission surprised me and its activities and projects deserved an applause. Women professionals from around the world in the same place – wow! Learning tools to swim correctly in this new beginning, preparing a solid foundation to start a new chapter.

The day I attended that opening event at the museum, I saw all these beautiful women projecting confidence, transparency, future, sending powerful words, sharing unforgettable stories, united through a common language. This made me feel like we are not out of our habitat, but are building history. We are in the right place, in the United States, a country built by immigrants. Cheerful, I joined the 16 women of the project, Real People Real Lives, an exhibition through the eyes of photographer and filmmaker Dru Blumensheid.

This opportunity gave me the confidence to talk with my marked accent in public, a chance to reflect on my experience as an immigrant, and voice my professional goals.

It’s been a year since I started working at a medical office as a community relations specialist. I am in charge of working with a community in western Queens, I am employed in my field and I am also studying project management at Baruch College.

I wanted to thank NWNY because sometimes the only thing that you need is a boost. Even though my words didn’t come out until now, I will always be touched by this experience with NWNY. Thanks for the push. Thanks for letting us be ourselves during one of the most hostile moments in this country.