My Journey Here (Birthright Citizenship)

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Written by: Joanna Ariel Jubitana

Updated: September 7, 2025

Many of us have always wondered how we landed in the United States, and like some, my journey here is remarkable. It started in 1988 when my mother filed for asylum to flee from the political disputes that took place at the time in The Republic Suriname (Sranan). Today, The Republic Suriname (Sranan) is rightfully given its respected name of Sranan for it’s Sarnami Heritage, which was derived from Dutch and Hindi, and given its respected language, Sranan Tongo. Right before my mother fled, my grandfather was murdered, and it was assumed that he was killed by political tyrants that governed the country. My grandfather was a political leader who strived to make changes within our government. Ultimately, his death was the push my mother needed in order to leave her country and family. Nevertheless, the country had just proclaimed its independence from the Netherlands in 1973, and the revolutionary war that came with the independence still had a huge effect on the country's people.

Once the United States granted my mother a visa, she came to the states to create a better life for herself and her family. Unfortunately, she could not bring my brothers and father as of yet, but she still had to make it work. My mother's determination never wavered, and she found solace in the opportunities that America offered. She worked tirelessly, learning the language and adapting to the culture, all in the pursuit of a better future. It was not an easy journey, but through her persistence, she managed to build a stable and fulfilling life for herself and her children. Her story is a testament to the strength and resilience of immigrants who come to this country in search of a better life. And as I reflect on her journey and the sacrifices she made, I am reminded of the importance of freedom, opportunity, and the American dream.

My mother started her journey in Chicago and hardly spoke any English. Sadly, no one spoke Dutch or Sranan Tongo, so she had to learn English quickly in order to survive. My mother stayed with some people that offered her a roof over her head if she cooked, cleaned, and offered help when needed. She did all this while working a job that paid less than minimum wage and required her to be present longer than 12 hours a day. Eventually, she took a train and headed to Miami Florida, because Chicago was not working out the way she had plan. Firstly, it was colder than she ever imagined and secondly, there weren’t many people from diverse ethnic backgrounds in the area of Chicago where she resided at the time. Thankfully, Miami offered her more than Chicago.

In The Republic of Suriname, my mother was a teacher, a police graduate, and a registered nurse; so, she hoped to pursue a successful career in the states, which led her back in the field of nursing. However, she had to go back to school and become licensed the way America requires one to. My mother began working in a nursing home and continued her education. As of today, my mother has been a registered nurse for approximately 25 years.

In 1990, my mother finally was able to send for my father to come live in the states. When my father arrived, he worked under the table cleaning dishes. Soon after, the two were finally able to afford a place of their own. The efficiency in which they resided was in the slums of Miami Beach, where the crime was just as bad as in The Republic of Suriname’s at the time, known as Drexel Avenue. Now, Drexel Avenue is a popular attraction site perpendicular to Lincoln Avenue with a variety of shopping centers and one of America's most prominent schools, New World School of the Arts. Fun fact, I was accepted into New World School of the Arts after graduating from Norland Middle School's, Magnet Arts Program. Moreover, I was also accepted in America's most prominent schools Design & Architecture Senior High better known as D.A.S.H and Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School Star Academy, where the late Trayvon Martin attended.

At the end of 1991, my parents gave birth to me. Having another person in the picture was exceptionally hard at the time because my parent were not at all stable. Once I turned 6 months, my parents sent me back to their homeland, The Republic of Suriname, to live with my brothers and grandmother until they could stabilize their situation. I returned to the United States of America at around three years of age, but I had to leave my brothers behind. My brothers had not come to live with us until I was four years old, nearly five. When my brothers finally arrived to live, my uncle Raymond, my father's younger brother, committed suicide. My uncle Raymond resided in our household before my brothers lived with us. My uncle Raymond was a security guard for "Carlton" from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and other celebrities prior to his death. Sadly, he left us behind when I was only five years old, we were his immediate family.

After all that has happened, life definitely started to change for the better. My mother was almost done with school and my father was given a job in a pharmaceutical factory. At the age of seven, we eventually lived in a beautiful home in Miami Gardens, and my mother succeeded at becoming a Registered Nurse. Throughout the struggle, my parents realized that although life in the United States of America was necessary, The Republic of Suriname (Sranan), still felt more like home, but we appreciate our blessings.

The Republic of Suriname (Sranan) is a beautiful country. With such a small diverse population, the country is surrounded by plenty of forest and exotic wildlife. The Republic of Suriname (Sranan) is home to Guiana Highlands and the Corantijn River. The Corantijn is a river in northern South America and the longest river of the country. It is the key to survival for the people. It is extremely common to see people bathing in the river, and like most bodies of water that is where most of the population lives. It is also very common to see the indigenous people of The Republic of Suriname in their most natural element. For instance, the Arawak Indians still live in tribes within the huge biodiverse forest of The Republic of Suriname (Sranan). These people are untouched by today’s technology and societal standards.

Moreover, Arawak Indians are my family. My father’s father was an Arawak Indian and his mother was Islamic and Indo-Aryan. Although Arawak’s are the indigenous people of The Republic of Suriname (Sranan), about 90 percent of Suriname ancestors come from other countries and regions, although they have the smallest population in the world. Actually, the star on the flag represents the five different areas of the world and the people that came from those areas. In turn, my mother is “Afro- Suriname,” or biracial, half white and half black, Javanese Indian (Hindi) and black tribal from Western Africa, or Saramaka Peoples, and much of her family that was brought to Suriname were slaves on her mother’s side of the family. Western Africa is one of the areas that is represented by the star on the flag, those migrants and natives are typically known as Saramaka People. (“Physical geography,” n.d.).

After researching more about my Journey to America, I have learned so much about not only both countries but my family’s history and ancestry. Much like the people we learn about in Ancient times, our story is really and carries tradition and a legacy. Our journey here is one of the many place markers that will exist throughout time.

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References

Biggest Cities Suriname. Retrieved September 25, 2016, from http://www.geonames.org/SR/largest-cities-in-suriname.html

Paramaribo, Suriname - embassy of the United States. (2016, May 16). Retrieved September 25, 2016, from https://suriname.usembassy.gov/

Physical geography. Retrieved September 25, 2016, from http://surinamestevens.weebly.com/physical-geography.html