To cope with the difficulties during the Progressive Era, I would have joined a Union, having people around me, supporting me with my strong ideas and wishes to make the issues and problems of the Progressive Era relevant and work towards a better future would be a dream for me and many people during that time. People who weren't born in America were seen as less than human almost, forced to do the dirty jobs no white man would want to do. Even being from a European country, you were seen as less than. Nativism was prominent in America, people didn't like to have "non-Americans" in their land. People now, still have to face racism. This problem with being "American" will most likely never go away. People being discriminated against due to skin color, who they love, or their economic background, people will find a reason for you to be "different."

Preview audio:

storyj.mp/abird3iuimju

Day 1,

Leaving my mother behind was hard. Father decided to try his luck in America, leaving behind Ireland, and taking me instead of my younger brothers.

Oh, I'm so sad to leave them behind, we did everything together.

Waking up at the crack of dawn to board the ship with Father. The ship sailed off, mother and brothers were slowly going out of view the father we got out. Hopefully, I'll see them again.

Day 30,

We're almost halfway, and already so many people have died and got sick. Typhus, cholera, and dysentery are spreading; I think Father has gotten it too. If he dies, I'm boomed, I won't have enough money for a trip back, we spent it all on the trip to America.

The stench, the horrid stench, I wanna puke. The piles of fecus and urine everywhere, its appalling.

Day 117,

Father got a job at a steel company. I've heard it's very dangerous and highly labor intensive, getting paid .50 cents an hour.

I've got a job as well, at a textile factory, getting paid .44 cents an hour. My job is to sew buttons onto dress shirts, it's very boring, especially because we aren't allowed to talk. But I've been talking to some, particularly one, Alice, during my lunch break, they are just as poor as me, working long hours to receive almost nothing.

Day 201,

Alice has been trying to get me to join a "union." Whatever that means, she said it's people who all have one goal, and this union's goal is for women's rights and better conditions in factories and jobs.

Better conditions would be nice for Father, he's already broken his arm multiple times, but he still shows up for work. It pains my heart to see him work so hard, to get almost nothing back.

Day 207,

I did it.

Alice convinced me to join the union. Their ideas, might I say, are brilliant and genius. Fighting for what we all deserve, equal rights to men.