Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez: What's missing from the American immigrant narrative | TED

Recounting her story of finding opportunity and stability in the US, Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez examines the flaws in narratives that simplify and idealize the immigrant experience -- and shares hard-earned wisdom on the best way to help those around us. "Our world is one that flourishes when different voices come together," she says.
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[@iamtenrose7479]

Points: The American culture of dividing immigrants into lower-level and superimmigrants should stop for healthy immigration (citizenship helped her, but won't help everyone with an American dream). She is an outlier that could succeed despite having a broken upbringing due to this problem (her dad who was lower-level felt discriminated and gave up the dream) and feels guilty for being a superimmigrant and perpetuating this divide. She is saying despite this guilt (flight oxygen-mask example) they should have grit/courage for eventually helping their suffering families.

[@infg0753]

Brave beautiful kid who has been through a lot. Wishing her and her brother the best.

[@goavegas4874]

American dream,a highly priced ticket that not many can afford,and those who don't get the ticket are paying the higher price.We can not all be successful and rich,but the world SHOULD be a fair place fo everybody. Personally,I moved back home and I am happier,be in the USA looked like more someone else dream,not mine.

[@Kumar-xh1gw]

What is missing around the world? 1. Kindness 2.Compassion 3.Tolerance

[@jodi8126]

Christianity and Capitalism

[@siroos7]

Jodi 😂 👌

[@MehulP30]

Help yourself first. Then your family. Then your community. In that order. Looking to achieve financial success is never just about you.

[@grace2excell]

❤

[@hiyaguha4957]

I love this suit.

[@ilovetrentinoslowlifeitaly]

You’re lovely. Thanks for making me in a good mood watching and listening to your video from the top of Trentino Italy mountain.

[@Armandov_8080]

This gave me a little hope in life 😢

[@jchittoor]

Super touching and brave story!

[@SuperAtheist]

What's missing from the American immigrant narrative? honesty

[@NACAM42]

It's true. I don't know of one person that's against *legal* immigration. When one side continues to conflate legal with illegal immigration, nothing gets done.

[@HiAdrian]

@@NACAM42 Me neither, this is absurd!

[@_lprenzo0808_]

@@NACAM42 White people are the only demographic that vote majority republican as soon as they become a minority in the usa there wil never have another republican.

[@tolpsvh]

Starting by hers. What is her passion and where does it come from?...

[@NACAM42]

@@_lprenzo0808_ So you didn't see the results of the special election in CA yesterday? I suspect it's a harbinger of what will happen in November.

[@thinkabout602]

True Americans are with you Sister 100% 🎇☮🎇 for ALL

[@sojournern]

A society should be judged based on how it treats the weakest and most vulnerable.

[@ms.altareb9935]

So underrated! I love your oxygen mask analogy, I can totally relate!

[@luckyboy6864]

Im from Vietnam, Im learning English, I was here :)

[@lidia3399]

I'm from Brazil and I'm learning english too

[@iliakaplan]

Great presentation... The narrative fits my immigratory background

[@user-sk7ei5wu5h]

She is absolutely amazing...

[@ArtArtisian]

The points: Breaking up families is bad for those American citizens being split from their relatives. The Immigrant ideal is a bit destructive/distracting. Not all can live the rags to riches story. Seems fine. Not sure where all the anger in the comments is coming from.

[@behamut92]

Artimis Fowl they see TED and Immigrants in the title and their MAGA programming kicks in automatically

[@iamtenrose7479]

I don't think this was the gist. The American culture of dividing immigrants into lower-level and superimmigrants should disappear for healthy immigration (citizenship helped her, but won't help everyone with an American dream). She is an outlier that could succeed despite having a broken upbringing due to this problem (her dad who was lower-level felt discriminated and gave up the dream) and feels guilty for being a superimmigrant and perpetuating this divide. She is saying one would feel guilty (flight oxygen-mask example) but should muster the grit/courage through this period for eventually helping their suffering families.

[@maiah9979]

Unfortunately, when a family member has to migrate expect inevitable separation for a short while. Deportation says something different. Please don't get the two confused. She did good on her own in spite what happened and that's all that matter.

[@Mratta911]

There is nothing that gives me more hope for my people than a beautiful brown women on TED. Respect ✊🏽. Keep it up ! Ps we are native Americans !

[@veronikazakharova4526]

Beautiful talk. 💖 Thank you. 🙏🏽

[@krishnaveeran5556]

Now a time comments give more information than video. After watching entire video than spend quality time to read comments. We will conclude the whole thing. In comments, we can see pros and cons about public opinion that will help to know what actually going around the world.

[@Vanessa-iq3vt]

This was beautiful

[@abab-fc3xg]

*Why is it that I never hear anyone call Mexico racist for having a fence on its southern border?*

[@the1exnay]

I wanted to get something from this but... I'm not sure I learned anything. Maybe that's related to her being a random experiencer of this instead of an expert who studies it. Or maybe cause I already thought of immigrants as fellow humans. Idk, maybe It was just me failing to see the insight she provided.

[@PamelaReyes]

Yeah i didnt see the relevance of her speech even when im an inmigrant myself ...but good for her

[@omargarcia7821]

Met Elizabeth through HSF. Amazing talk! :)

[@Nevimr]

In my experience as an immigrant in the US the whole immigration system can be summarized in: If you have something of value to offer to the country you can stay, if you don't, good bye. And as cruel as that might sound to some people that's a pretty sensible approach to immigration if you're ruling a country imo.

[@adventurer2075]

Thumbs up!

[@janiekilkelly]

Brave!

[@chetthebee1322]

What is missing is the word "legal" as in legal immigration.

[@enyabthegreat9993]

Yeah

[@karlharvymarx2650]

@Will224000 And the whole "legal" and "anchor baby" thing is a deliberate attempt to dehumanize people. When my grandparents immigrated, they literally showed up unannounced on a ship full of other poor European people. They basically signed a form, pledged allegiance, and became Americans that day, no years of paperwork and lawyers. I can't say for sure what they would have done today if faced with the modern tangle or red tape but I'm pretty sure they were desperate enough that they would have circumvented it. Anyway, I think the whole "my family came here legally so yours should too" misses the apples and oranges nature of the equation. Plus it conveniently overlooks the acts of mass murder and con artist type schemes committed by many of the first Europeans here when they took land that wasn't theirs--in my book that actually was illegal immigration.

[@tylerpoppy8095]

@@karlharvymarx2650 Its almost as if laws change over time! If you enter any country and flagrantly break their laws you're a criminal same with immigration. Just because laws were different back then doesn't mean they shouldn't be followed now.

[@benverzijlbergen2968]

@sonoki82 Maybe not 900k, but I'd assume they need some. Who else will be picking veggies for minimum wage? Not the educated, american kids. How many would be an acceptable number for you?

[@lakitajoseph2832]

The suit, the makeup 🔥😍😍😍

[@emvar1488]

Love ted talks

[@johnclark3720]

Say narrative one more time...ONE MORE TIME...SAY IT...SAY IT!

[@michaellaouk7303]

So cool

[@HaruXen]

*TheReportOfTheWeek* got a competition

[@awolace1577]

I love these TED talks because they’re both funny and educational!

[@raoulhayes196]

Sounds like a paid comment

[@enyabthegreat9993]

@@raoulhayes196 really does

[@calvinrogers6652]

I dont know about America's status as a *Land of opportunity* anymore.....

[@enyabthegreat9993]

You need to work to get here.

[@Dead_pixelz_]

Freedom Fighter true. You have two options: McDonald’s or Walmart. Yay opportunity!

[@calvinrogers6652]

@OBEYTHEWALRUS G59 You shouldn't be spewing them too then wise guy don't become dumb by replying

[@calvinrogers6652]

@OBEYTHEWALRUS G59 Your foolishness is showing...

[@calvinrogers6652]

@OBEYTHEWALRUS G59 Shouldnt you be minding your 'own cards' that are dealt to you ? Ringmaster now gtfo and get a life

[@gavinturner5565]

Something to think about, seriously!!! What people have to put themselves through to collect a living wage!!! Happening ALL over the world!!!

[@Maharan169]

Look up gumball immigration

[@Heptatonictamilzha]

Hi

[@ahmedmannan9456]

👍👍👍

[@mlow42]

Why did her parents go back to Mexico?

[@stromfire7016]

Just for fun

[@maiah9979]

They didn't just go back, they were forced to if I heard it right. Maybe there was an issue on their stay.

[@bigro4444]

(Cue the “me me me me me” song)

[@chrisplusplus6232]

nice dress

[@Miguel_Cam]

Thats my cousin.

[@basheerc.7245]

I like cucumbers

[@basheerc.7245]

@Will224000 😳

[@humanthatexist8257]

Same

[@raysroom3223]

what a bad azz!

[@SirKahless]

Anyone else concerned about the obvious politics of TED?

[@buttersurge8047]

It’s mostly feminist propaganda

[@calvinrogers6652]

@@buttersurge8047 Atleast someone noticed it.....

[@Leona.luna8]

SirKahless if you don’t like it unsubscribe

[@friddlefries1140]

Unsub

[@TheMeanArena]

I'm surprised TED hasn't fallen over from leaning so far left.

[@ShashiJayasundra7]

😀👍

[@akesnov9329]

*lady

[@adnanjanuzan1972]

Indonesia translation

[@4ndomestic]

La Miiiiigra

[@AbdulRasheed-ij4sg]

I love these TED

[@konde888]

American dreams that too many Americans take for granted.

[@grahul988]

Kya dylasis machine ko itna chota kar deya jaya kidny ka jaga machine filter kara blood ko

[@warrengeti5493]

🇺🇸💯🇺🇸💯

[@HeavyMetal-jy4vj]

I feel like these people look at this country running on fumes, jealous of our exterior from their backwater lands. We are honestly super overrated and y'all are jealous over a paint job. The real interior of this country is just as rotten as yours, we are a dying empire and if you come here, you are trying to go to a supernova just before its about to implode to being a Red Dwarf. I just thought I would be nice and let you know in case her story is inspiring or something.

[@cla99009]

@NDallas40 It's a good thing the land of the USA is still among the richest in natural resources in the world. The survivors will have a decent pool of resources from which to rebuild. It will be interesting to see what forms of political and economic entities will emerges from the ashes.

[@_lprenzo0808_]

@@cla99009 it will look like central/south -america or africa.

[@maiah9979]

@NDallas40 world class education is important but insignificant compare to the world class respect to the nation and the values it stands for. Remember not patriotism that made empires dissolved, it is treason, and hate for the country and people who protects them.

[@hermanhsu5994]

I was with american dream to study in the Us of 1979, after 11 years I get my any good chance to come back to Taiwan. I find out that Americans are so shallow about the world, even the most discriminated black people will love to discriminate the outsiders, the America is not a melting pot, it's a dynamite ready to ignite. The preisdent Trump is the best example.

[@donnadora5734]

🇩🇿🇩🇿🇩🇿🇩🇿🇩🇿❤️

[@btuan100]

Giống ng vn.

[@leonardogutierrez9448]

Telenovelas

[@vincetagliano9910]

That's exactly what all the TED immigration-themed stories are.

[@hodaifahodaifa8546]

👌👌🇩🇿🇩🇿🇩🇿🇩🇿🇩🇿

[@bigro4444]

As a Venezuelan immigrant I’m beyond grateful to call myself an American citizen. I worked hard, paid my dues, and don’t act like a victim constantly. This whole thing was just a complaint where there is none.

[@enyabthegreat9993]

Thank you for earning to get here, you thankfully realize the amount of a privilege it is to be here. You should work for it. Once again, thanks

[@chucklira8885]

You obviously missed the point.

[@chucklira8885]

Describing the psychological pathway to a healthy relationship between her identity and her reality takes courage. People who would criticize anyone attempting to navigate that are both arrogant and ignorant.

[@bxr5xrk]

Н

[@umeshchali1869]

%

[@pretzelstick320]

ICE get on the ground!!!

[@DJ-yj7op]

Deportation

[@crazeeenigrifagritard463]

migrantiphobia on display here. Just look and reply. if you dig you'll find it .

[@joedt1]

Funny....I think we should treat Mexicans like Mexico treats Hondurans.

[@rickywatson111]

What a joke.

[@garinzina2082]

50% of Immigrants Probably Don't have Enough Money To Dress Nice Unlike This Talking Head

[@buttersurge8047]

I don’t think this woman knows the difference between an immigrant, and an ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT.

[@steven_duller3841]

Will Wow illegal invader!

[@jarlaleksandrbranting5167]

Exactly.

[@JulioGutierrezFlores]

Jaja

[@jg997]

More "poor immigrant me" crap. It's the land of opportunity not guaranteed success.

[@DudesRights]

Get ajob

[@Aspartame69]

Whats missing is gratitude. Immigrants move to the first world for their own self interest then expect the first world to be grateful for them coming here. Much respect for gaming the system but dont expect to game the people.

[@quebecmunoz9206]

Aspartame69 who said they were asking for the first world to be grateful for them coming?

[@Aspartame69]

@@quebecmunoz9206 Search youtube for 'you clap for me now'. Bearing in mind that the immigrant representation in the NHS is smaller than the immigrant representation in the population as a whole and witness the absurdity of the virtue signal.

[@santanalopez4395]

What kind of classic fashion? Talk in everyday wear

[@scatton61]

Me Me Me Me mem mem memememmm em meeeeeeeeee mmeme me what a wast of time

[@houwant]

Omg.... Biggest waste of the 1 minute and 37 seconds of my life

[@alexanderal7714]

Me ,only 47 sec. ((:

[@babayaga9102]

You should've known from her valley accent and pretentious suit in the first 10 seconds.

[@houwant]

@@babayaga9102 hahahaha the crazy weird pant suit was probably the thing that actually drew me in! I mean it's kind of like you're hoping that somebody who is Einstein smart wears something that horrid... So you just have to listen to what they say, so that you don't miss out on the theory of relativity... BUT... IT ENDS UP JUST BEING A WASTE OF 1 MINUTE AND 37 SECONDS OF YOUR LIFE... AND A POOR UNATTRACTIVE GIRL WHO'S FRIENDS ARE AFRAID TO TELL HER....ummm... Don't wear that!

[@princessofcentralasia1244]

I only could do 1 minute and 21 seconds. Lol

[@09ikhsan93]

Nyesal aku nontonin, ternyata malah curhat masalah keluarga🤦‍♂️

[@joshdotson5327]

Go back

[@onteaya]

Too short pants and extra long sleeves?🤔

[@lakitajoseph2832]

Onteaya Evelina her outfit is 🔥🔥🔥 don’t do that Lol

[@enyabthegreat9993]

Build that wall

[@Dead_pixelz_]

He still hasn’t done it. Sad!

[@MysterEarl]

The quality of TED Talks are getting really bad.

[@GomJabbar11]

You're confusing Americans and the American News Media/Corporate interests. We didn't invite your parents, they showed up unannounced and we sent them packing.

[@dawoodsedeqi922]

The way you speak is boring to me , it’s seems such a street talk , not academic .

[@lakitajoseph2832]

Dawood Sedeqi she sounds relatable which probably makes the information more digestible for some people.