Julieta's Story (A Freedom Rider's personal account)

Julieta Bolivar is a mother of three children, who lost her own parents at the age of five. She told her story Monday night, September 29, 2003, to around 350 people assembled at the Colgate Rochester Divinity School auditorium to support the Immigrant Worker Freedom Ride. She is one of those 135 freedom riders.

Julieta Bolivar is a mother of three children, who lost her own parents
at the age of five. She told her story Monday night, September 29, 2003,
to around 350 people assembled at the Colgate Rochester Divinity School
auditorium to support the Immigrant Worker Freedom Ride. She is one
of those 135 freedom riders.

"I came to this country," she said, via interpreter, "not because I
wanted to, but because I was a very young age." She has three children,
ages 13, 10 and 8. "I am fighting to stay here with my children."

"My life changed in August 2002," she said. She was enroute to a Day
Labor conference in New York City at the time, when the vehicle they were
travelling in had a flat tire. A state trooper arrived, and those present
thought he would offer assistance; instead, he asked for green cards.

"Three did not have them -- I was one of them," she says.

"In front of my children, they arrested me like a criminal."

Julieta tells of her ordeal with the police, being taken to the
station, and the INS officer waiting for her there when she arrived.
"The only thing that came to mind was, would I ever see my children
again?" she said plaintively.

"I was desperate, and I was crying," Julieta related to the audience,
"and I asked to see my children." She was told that she could not see
her children. She asked what it was that she would have to do to be
able to see her children, as most any mother would in that situation.
"She [the INS agent waiting at the police station] told me I would have
to sign the Voluntary Departure form."

Julieta told us more of the saga of her struggles with Immigration,
and introduced us to her three children, finally reunited with her,
Miriam, age 13; Ivan, age 10; and Jesus, age 8.

She explained that this trip was extremely important and that she
wants to "obtain insurance for my children and a better job." She said
in closing, "and I am going to Washington with my children, and no one
is going to separate us."

Later, after other speakers and performers (dancers), she read to us
a letter
that her daughter had written.