
Angy flying for the first time while undocumented
number 4 for take off.
When I was younger my mother always prohibited me from going into places like this. The DMV, courts and especially the airports were places I was kept away from for our safety. Going to school, and the hospital, for the first time in the USA was also very terrifying for my mother, who was told from multiple friends, never to go there. Recently, I set foot in the DMV and saw the crazy lines friends keep talking about.
number 3 for take off.
I missed my first flight so I’m scheduled to leave on the next one which was an hour after. I had time to buy a Chai hot chocolate and croissant, which I threw away because I thought I wasn’t allowed to have liquids on board. Haha. Fail. I’m flying by myself; this special moment belongs to me alone. And now all of you.
number 2 for take off.
number 1 for take off.
The guy next to me just said a prayer for his safety, I wonder if he prayed while going through security the way I did, there’s danger there as well. I asked the guy at the window if we could switch seats but he ignored me and eventually said no. Some are privileged enough to fly all the time and don’t find the window of interest. I want to see it all. I’m shamelessly taking pictures. I must look like a tourist. We’re told to sit down and buckle up since we’re taking off soon. Final Destination comes to my mind, that thought is then filled with Yanelli’s picture, a young woman who was placed on a plane and separated from her family despite multiple suicide attempts. I’m privileged and lucky enough to be flying on my own will, not being forced like so many before me.
I don’t feel anything while the plane takes off. I’ve been to six flags enough times to get my body used to that empty stomach feeling when you’re up in the air. We’re off the ground. Flying high enough to cut through the clouds and go over them.
Wow.

Angy flying for the first time while being undocumented
This flight won’t be like the first one, as I land I’ll be undocumented again. But something has changed. 20 minutes till we reach our destination. I want to cry because I just overcame one of the many obstacles I placed on myself because I lack a social security number. Flying while undocumented. I couldn’t continue to chant “undocumented and unafraid” but not practice the unafraid part. We practice being fearless in different ways, so at my own pace, I’m doing it too.
We’re all getting ready to leave. The plane just started to descend and it feels like a roller coaster. The beautiful state of North Carolina awaits me. I’ll get to experience this again on my flight back to New York. Hopefully it won’t be the last time I set foot on a plane.
I left something up in between the air and clouds. No, not my luggage. Fear.


A few days later, the energy is felt in the New York State Youth Leadership Council’s conference room as we hear Attorney Lauren Burke talk with us about deferred action. We come from all over the world and even though some won’t qualify for this policy change, they support it anyway. There are about 300 people watching through live stream, two of our offices are filled with people, some are sitting on the floor, some are standing in the back and I’m sitting on a sound amplifier because there are no more empty chairs. Hands are flying up and down with questions on how this would affect them, “will my parents be outed if I apply?”, “is the application process free?”, “how can I prove I’ve been here for 5 years?”, “will this help me obtain citizenship?”.
have taught me that people are still being deported left and right, no matter where they’re from or where they live in the United States. On August 18, 2011, Obama announced

