Erik, who crossed the border from Mexico with his family when he was five, walks us through his life as an illegal immigrant chasing the American dream. Through his story we are able to look at the contentious debate surrounding immigration through a different lens. Morales leaves us with several questions that could change the way we think and talk about immigrants.

My work has allowed me to become more of a global citizen and to expand my knowledge of world cultures. I am currently the Program Manager and I oversee all of our communication with students and professors—over 7,000 students per year. As part of the Center and as one of the coordinators of the Soc 119 course, I have also traveled to Haiti to volunteer my time in community development and I was interviewed by MTV last year as one of their “Game Changers,” which they define as young professionals doing work for the greater good of the community. I am currently applying to graduate school with the intention of starting next fall and to be able to continue to pursue my passion for humanity, education, and higher learning.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx