Long before enduring the difficult and challenging process of deportation, Esther Morales was already on her way to becoming a leader, turning her bitter experiences into a life story that allowed her to lead an organization for all those pursuing the same goal.
The Mexican-born immigrant, who spent almost two decades in the United States, today promotes the “Project Comida Calientita” initiative, delivering food and support to hundreds of people from the city of Tijuana.
Esther Morales’s Immigration Life
According to an interview with Telemundo 52, Morales revealed that she is originally from Oaxaca, from where she immigrated to the United States in 1989 in the hope of improving her family’s life. Upon arriving, she settled in Los Angeles, where she worked for almost twenty years and made her home. However, her stay was marked by a long history of detentions and deportations that ultimately defined her fate.
She was deported nine times, but returned illegally several times in pursuit of the American dream. Her last deportation, in 2009, forced her to remain in Mexico due to tightened immigration policies. That separation was particularly painful, as it meant leaving her daughter behind, who was able to return to the United States.
After accepting that Tijuana would be her new home, Esther transformed her pain into determination. She recognized that the only way to move forward was to work and utilize her skills. “What happened to me hurt me a lot, but I wasn’t going to stay there crying, crying, crying,” she told CNN.
From Migrant to Community Leader in Tijuana
Esther’s life in Tijuana began with a small restaurant where she served typical dishes from her state, such as tamales and champurrado. That experience connected her with her passion for cooking and inspired her to bring her skills to migrant shelters.
Thus was born the Comida Calientita Project, a community organization that provides freshly prepared meals to immigrants. Morales coordinates donations of rice, beans, clothing, and food supplies, which she then distributes weekly to one or two shelters. Her initiative has fed thousands of people and, over time, has established itself as a symbol of hope for those waiting at the border.
The impact of her work has transcended borders: international media have covered her story, and her organization displays a mural filled with press clippings and recognitions. During the Donald Trump administration, when the United States drastically limited asylum applications, many migrants found inspiration in her and in the slogan she coined: “On this side, there are also dreams.”
Source: msn
