By now, everyone in New York, the United States, the world and the universe know that Donald J. Trump will be the 45th President of America come January 20th.
Trump becoming the President-elect has received many mixed reactions, from those that love and support him and those who oppose and berate him. Whether you like him or not, one thing is certain… he will be the next President of the United States.
“Trump no va se nada en este pais” (Trump will amount to nothing in this country) said Jaime Soto, 38. “I don’t understand how he won the election, I just don’t.”
Soto is a hard working construction worker that camps out at the local home depot at five in the morning trying to find work so that he can provide for his family.
“I don’t have one of those nice jobs where I work in an office and make a lot of money, but, I am proud of what I do.”
Soto migrated to the United States from Mexico in 2002, hoping he could land a good job and send money back to his family in Mexico. “This isn’t what I thought it would be, but I can’t complain.”
Trump becoming the next president of the United States has Soto worried. “I am not an American Citizen. I don’t have the benefits they do. I don’t want to leave this country. I don’t want to be kicked out. What about my kids? They need a father!”
Soto like many other Mexican immigrants are facing an uncertain future with Trump taking office. The uncertainty at times according to Soto can be overbearing.“I know what I will do tomorrow, but what about the next day and the day after that… I just don’t know anymore.”
With Trump taking office in less than two months, his name remains polarizing throughout all parts of the United States.
In Sunset Park, many of the reactions are no different. Sunset Park has a very vast immigrant community. Almost 75% of the population in Sunset Park have come from a different ethnic background.
Whether they are Hispanic, Latino, Asian, etc. each provide diversity to a community that embraces it heavily.
Trumps election victory hasn’t resonated well with many in this community as it should. Trump is a man who at one point called all Mexicans “rapists and criminals.”
Those within the community say Trumps animosity towards Mexicans leaves them feeling unpleasant. “When he first announced he was running, I knew it would be trouble, I just never thought he’d make it this far,” said Leon.
“I never imagined this country being run by an imbecile,” said Ricardo Islas.
Islas works at a local deli in Park Slope, where he deals with produce and the art of sandwich making.
“I don’t love my job… I love the people that come in everyday”
Islas along with his wife and daughter immigrated to the United States in 2014 in hopes of seeking better pay and financial security.
“In Mexico, we would work and work hard. I only had money to pay the bills and nothing else… Mexico is my home, but I couldn’t live there anymore. America was always a place I wanted to go and one day I told my wife that I couldn’t take it anymore and that we need to go.”
Islas enjoys life in America, but surely misses his family in Mexico. “In Mexico, family is very important. No matter what happen they are always there. It’s hard not having them around.
That being said, Islas is worried about the future he and his family have in this country. “If I knew Trump would be president, I don’t know if I would have come. Maybe… but I would not have been happy.”
Islas along with his family are hoping for the best at this point. “We can’t do anything now. We have no money to go back to Mexico. So we’re just going to sit here and wait.”
Many individuals in the community share the same views as Islas. Over the span of a few weeks, Trump has changed many people’s futures from uncertain to unknown. He has changed the way Americans, eat, sleep and breathe all in the span of a year and a half.
Trumps campaign began way back in June of 2015, where Trump amidst all of his new supporters promised to “Make America Great Again.” With that the Trump train set off, with hopes of landing the presidency in November of 2016.
With each passing day came tons of media scrutiny, questionable decisions and hypocrisy and yet, Trump remained a man unfazed.
Most of the media had built Trump’s campaign up as a joke, nothing Americans should take seriously, but yet here he was winning almost every republican primary around America. Trump, the unconventional nominee, made a statement.
By May 3rd 2016, Trump had locked up the presidential nomination, a whole two and a half months before the Republican convention, which was supposed to determine the nominee.
From there, Trump campaigned across America until the November 8th election. Going in, Trump was supposed to lose handily to Hilary Clinton, instead she was the one who lost handily to Mr. Trump.
The result was a complete and utter shock to many around the nation. Protests and riots started almost immediately. These individuals would not accept living in a “white America.”
Sunset Park resident Rosa Leon, 44 has this to say “I’m scared for myself and my children… It feels like the world is ending.”
Leon has lived in parts of Sunset Park for almost 15 years and is very frustrated with the outcome of the election.
“I came to America twenty years ago to make a better life, looking back I should have just stayed home. How this man was given this power by the American people? I don’t understand and I will never forgive them.”
Leon came to America in 1995, with her two brothers. They had family that had immigrated here in the early 90’s and new this was a great opportunity to do something special.
“You know in Mexico, you hear all about how the United States is this and the United States is that, well I wanted to be part of that United States and that is what I did.”
Leon’s first job was at a nail salon. “I knew I couldn’t choose what I wanted to do, so I took the first thing that opened up.”
From there she went on to get married and had two kids, Ramona and Jacqueline. Now twelve and ten respectively, the girls attend P.S. 124. “I’m so proud of my girls. They are smart and beautiful, I love them so much.”
Leon now wonders what the future holds, “I know they’re American citizens but I’m not, thinking I might be separated from them… I don’t think I can do that.”
Leon’s life may be uplifted right before her very own eyes, all because of Donald Trump. “If I could, I would spit in his face and tell him how much Mexicans hate him. He is horrible and deserves nothing, nothing at all.”
Leon’s feelings of frustration can certainly be sympathized with as she is not alone. Eric Tapia, owner of Pablito’s on 5th Avenue in Sunset Park expressed his displeasure for Trump as well.
“I remember coming to this country with a few dollars to my name, that was hard. But I had hope, hope that something better will come from all of this for me and mi familia. Now Trump takes that hope away.”
Tapia came to America in 1998 from Mexico, with hopes of starting his own business. “I never thought I’d enter the restaurant business and I also never thought I would make it to the Estados Unidos, but here I am”
Tapia like many other citizens, struggled in Mexico. “My family was dirt poor. If you didn’t like the food, you still had to eat it. if you had a hole in your sock, mi abuela would stich it up,” said Tapia. “If we were lucky we would get two meals a day. Being a poor skinny boy was not fun.”
Tapia worked in construction for his first few years in America, while living with two of his brothers and their families. They lived in Sunset Park, where in 2013 one of the local coffee joints closed down. Tapia knew this was the perfect time to start a business.
“The space was big enough and with the rest of my brothers, we could afford to take on the place, we just needed an Idea. My brother Frederico thought we should bring the Mexican Culture here and we couldn’t agree more.
Opened for two years, Tapias restaurant has thrived, especially within the Mexican community. “I love coming here. The food is great and everyone is just like you. It feels like home,” said Islas.
Tapia takes much pride from his work. He is happy he has made it this far and only hopes to expand. “For me, I am not satisfied with this place. I want to expand, I want to hire more people, I want to do everything I can to be even more successful.”
However, with Trump as the President to be, Tapia believes much of his progress can be stalled. “This idiot believes that all Mexicans are bad people, well let me tell you something Donald Trump, tu es basura, no es nada para mi y mi familia.”
“How can you be the President of the greatest country of the world and be against culture. We make America what it is and when he realizes that, then I can respect him as a man,” said Tapia.
Islas, Leon, Soto and Tapia are prime examples of people that live in Sunset Park and are against Donald Trump. Now can you imagine what the whole country has to say about Trump… the rants would be endless.
As for Sunset Park, it will continue to grow, not only as a city, but socially and physically as well. It is one of the most diverse cities in Brooklyn.
In regards to the election, it may have come and gone, but it’s still one of the most talked about topics in America and it’s been a month since it took place. .. Even Romney didn’t demand a recount!
Nonetheless, Donald Trump will assume office in less than two months and Love him or hate him America, meet Donald J. Trump the 45th President of the United States.
