SPEAKER
Posted by Darryl Harvey
on Jan 19, 2015
Our speaker on Monday was Isidro Munos. (First, let me apologize to Isidro. As you know, I normally would include a picture of our speaker with this article. Unfortunately, Isidro's picture did not turn out. A new low in photography, even for me.) Isidro is a friend of Mark Rank's, having worked for him for about 10 years. Mark called him one of the best employees he has ever had. Isidro now is a proud small business owner in his own right. He also came to this country illegally.
Isidro came to the US in 1989, when he was about 3 years old. He and his family crossed the Rio Grande by inner tube raft, and paid $500 each for the privilege. His father was already here illegally and Isidro and the rest of the family joined him here in Colorado. Isidro's upbringing was typical of most Colorado kids. He went to school in North Denver, cheered on the Broncos, and dreamed of going to college. Things changed in high school when his illegal status fully hit him. He could not get a social security number, so getting a driver's license was out. Going to college was never going to happen. He dropped out of high school and took the route of many kids like him-he paid someone to get him a false social security number and began to work.
The fear of deportation was ever present for Isidro. With his false ID, he worked and paid FICA and taxes. In 2012, the Obama administration created a program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which would allow people like Isidro to earn the right to stay in the US. It is not open to people with a criminal record, but Isidro had none. He began the process. He had no high school diploma, so he went to Emily Griffith and tested out for a GED in a single day. He was allowed to get a real social security number and a real driver's license.
Isidro is now married with a son. He is the sole owner of a small business, and is obviously very proud. His final message: "Only in America could his story happen."
Thank you, Isidro.