Disclaimer: Originally published on the St. Cloud State University campus paper, the University Chronicle on the Dec. 7 2009 issue. Written by Jun-Kai Teoh, Managing Online Editor.

This article may not be reproduced in any form, including online or print media, without first and foremost contacting the University Chronicle.

The Research Group of Immigrant Workers in Minnesota (RGIWM) organized a presentation on immigration at 2 p.m. Friday at the Atwood Theater.

“We don’t come here to take things from you,” presenter Nelly Ortiz said.

Professor Stephen Philion, director of the Research Group of Immigrant Workers, said they anticipated about 100-125 attendants but were pleasantly surprised at the turnout, which was more than 200 people.

During the question-andanswer session, there were still approximately 100 people remaining in their seats.

“We don’t come here to take things from you,” Nelly Ortiz said.

Ortiz, an immigrant worker from Chicago that came to the U.S. about 15 years ago, gave a presentation titled “Why We Leave.”

Her presentation was translated by Tony Nelson. Ortiz, originally from Ecuador, spoke about her past life experiences and explained the hardships that\ she went through in order to come to the United States.

Oritz said at the age of 18, she decided to move to the U.S. due to the lack of opportunities in her own country.

She worked for Coca-Cola for a year, but said she decided to leave the job as she was psychologically and sexually harassed.

She went door-to-door promoting Coca-Cola to people.

Ortiz said she accumulated a debt of $9,000 when she attempted to enter the U.S.

She said she had to pay smugglers, called “coyotes,” to sneak through the borders.

Her journey took her from Ecuador, to Guatemala to Mexico and from there she snuck across the border to the U.S.

“We love this country. We do the right things, we pay our taxes,” Ortiz said.

“We just need to be legal,” Ortiz said she wants people to see immigrants from a different perspective.

She wants people to have a better understanding of immigrants.

She said immigrants working in the U.S. face many forms of discrimination, and even though she holds the position of a supervisor of packing construction tools, her pay does not reflect that.

“Because I’m illegal, I’m given the heaviest and hardest work.”

Because of her illegal status, Oritz said she faces even more forms of discrimination.

After 13 years of working at her job, she said she gets one week of break time a year and she makes $10 per hour.

Ortiz said because of her status, people make many unfair assumptions about her.

“They look at me like I’m ignorant,” Ortiz said. Ortiz said she decided to embark on this presentation trip at the risk of losing her job, as she had lie to her superior to take leave from her job, and even then her employer threatened that she might lose her job if she does so.

“What I ask from you, is to respect us,” Ortiz said. “Respect us as we would respect you.”

Nelson said one of the biggest myths about immigrants is that they don’t pay taxes.

He said that in fact, immigrants pay taxes just as everyone else, but they don’t get the benefits.

Nelson said it is an insult to say that immigrant workers send all their money back and that they steal jobs.

“Our entire economy rests on the backs of immigrant workers, exploited workers,” Nelson said.

Ortiz and Nelson are part of the Mexico Solidarity Network, which runs the Centro Autonomo in Chicago for immigrants to share experiences with the community there.

Popularity: 13% [?]