The Story of Reina Cardona
This setting takes place in Central America, specifically El Salvador near the city of Chalatenango. During the late 80’s the neighboring countries were in a revolutionary war and El salvador was in a civil war of its own. And so with a little determination and a fighting spirit my Grandmother will help me tell her tale.
This setting takes place in Central America, specifically El Salvador near the city of Chalatenango. During the late 80’s the neighboring countries were in a revolutionary war and El salvador was in a civil war of its own. And so with a little determination and a fighting spirit my Grandmother will help me tell her tale.
Reina Cardona was born June 3, 1965 and found herself at a sanctuary getting baptized by the city priest. Her parents were very religious and very strict, yet they were caring and loved her and her other 4 siblings. Though she didn’t clarify what her siblings do now or where they are, she still believes they are in Chalatenango. She was the middle child and being the middle child didn’t bother her as much while growing up. She spent most of her childhood helping her Father on the ranch during the day and making pupusas with her 2 other sisters and mother at night.
“I remember helping my papa with all the daily ranch chores with my siblings, because everyone in the family had to pull their weight, unless of course you were a baby… Ah i remember making those pupusas, my older sister taught me how to do make them.” She said in a very chippy and nostalgic voice.
Everything was fine, or so they thought. One night, a group of locals came by the house saying that they suspect illegal activity at the house, even though they were completely innocent. They suspected that the father was a man of the ESAF (El Salvadoran Armed Forces), which took part in mass killings and was taking part in the civil war. The father had no military background and was mistaken for their neighbor. While this was happening Reina, her siblings, and their mother stayed back and cried, they knew they couldn’t interfere or else they'd all die. The father was taken away and beaten and went to jail for a false accusation. Without the father making money for the family, how would they survive?
“We barely had enough to last a month! Yet we somehow managed to keep everything and everyone together, I was so scared when they came to our home and took my father away.” She said in a low and sad tone.
Move forward a couple years and Reina is now 22 years old and she is still living with her mother and siblings, still without their father but the adapted and persevered. She graduated high school and knew more about the world around them, especially America (because of the opportunity and the “american dream”). So she wanted to move and so she signed up for a visa which at the time was very unlikely that she’ll get. For the time being she met many people and had a couple of love interests here and there. In Fact she had a child, my auntie and she will have 2 more in the future. Surprisingly, her mother was supportive and helped take care of her babies while she was out working. One of those babies would be my mother. Presently she has had 4 children. ...
An untold, a story in which has never been read or told to the public. There are so many untold stories out there; either they’re not being shared or the people with great stories pass away. Who is to blame? Is it the media? There are many possibilities in which stories are being untold. Though, I find that the reason why stories are being unold is other stories. For instance, if an older woman of color were to tell her story on the news would people actually listen? Or would they just change the channel? But if it was someone else of more popular demand, would they still change the channel? The media only shows/tells their audience
Is the media sugar coating stories to appeal to the audience? When a story is told to the media, it can be altered and make it seem something that it’s not. At the end of their day, why should they care? If its not them, then they (the audience) couldn’t care less about someone else's story. Who’s to blame them? Overlooking a story happens often but you don't realize it, and that's the media's job. To isolate an idea and hide away the bigger picture. A great example of this, are immigrants crossing the border to come to america. No one knows their stories, so why is it that we make them out to be criminals?
Seeing as this country is going forward, history as well is going forward. And with that being said most history of your family of other families go to waste and are not remembered. Being that most migration stories are silenced and not heard can be misleading and not heard by the public. I didn't know that my grandma went through so much. And she is my grandma, a family member in which I should know and be connected with and yet i barely knew her whole story.
What I expect you, the reader, to take away from this is being more open to others and their stories. Whether it is a migration story or a story thats on the news. You wouldn't want to be ignored do you? Nor does the person telling their story. Be open minded. Thank you
Is the media sugar coating stories to appeal to the audience? When a story is told to the media, it can be altered and make it seem something that it’s not. At the end of their day, why should they care? If its not them, then they (the audience) couldn’t care less about someone else's story. Who’s to blame them? Overlooking a story happens often but you don't realize it, and that's the media's job. To isolate an idea and hide away the bigger picture. A great example of this, are immigrants crossing the border to come to america. No one knows their stories, so why is it that we make them out to be criminals?
What I expect you, the reader, to take away from this is being more open to others and their stories. Whether it is a migration story or a story thats on the news. You wouldn't want to be ignored do you? Nor does the person telling their story. Be open minded. Thank you
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