Foreword

My name is Allie Heilig, I'm sixteen years old.  I speak decent English, but it could definitely use some work. I am from Germany, and I have lived there my entire life.  Up until today, that is. My last two weeks have been spent aboard a ship sailing from Germany to New York City. I am now an immigrant.

Currently, I am with my parents at Ellis Island. Ellis Island is an immigration station in New York. After we go through our medical and legal checks, we will be allowed to pass through. I am excited but also nervous. We have risked so much to be here!

I know I will miss Germany very much. However, I will not miss the economic hardship that was so present there. I am excited to be here in America. I know there are many opportunities here for my parents and I. I hope I can go to school, and receive an education here!

After a long and confusing journey from Ellis Island to the city, we made it to our new home. Two of our friends from Germany, immigrated here one year ago. We will be sharing a tenement house with them. There are many of these "homes", called tenement housing, they are stacked right beside each other. It is already very crowded, the living conditions are not very clean. 

However, it is not all bad so far here in America! On our way here from Ellis Island, we took a ferry to Manhattan. On the ferry we got to see New York City's skyline, including the Statue of Liberty! New York City is very crowded, and there is always so many things going on at once. There is lots of diversity here, people from every background are here in the city. 

For the next few days, we are going to settle in. I know that soon I will have to get a job to help support my family. I am not worried, I know that there are plenty available. Our friends we now live among own a small business selling clothing items and garments, down the street from the tenement housing.

My parents and their friends cannot afford to run the small business and pay me to work for them. In order for the five of us to survive, we need another source of income. So, I have to get my own job to contribute. My parents and our friends think that I should work in a textile and garment factory. This way, I will pick-up skills that will be helpful to the small business in the future. 

Today was my very first day of factory work. When I walked in, I was surprised. It was very quiet, and everyone was quickly working, no one even looked up when I walked in. I mostly spent the day standing over a table, cutting fabric and gathering materials for other workers. By the end of my ten hour shift, I felt exhausted and disappointed. 

I had learned today just how low my wages would be. I knew they would start out small, but I didn't know how little I would be making. I was working ten hours a day nearly every day of the week. Yet, I was only making around $10 dollars a week. My mother had warned me that women's work often paid less than mens. I didn't know how bad it would be!

Over the course of these past weeks, I have began to notice how differently everyone is treated here. If you are an immigrant, you are almost immediately looked down upon. Without knowing where you are from or why you even came to the United States. Some shops won't hire immigrants or even sell to them. Many who cannot speak English well are made fun of, the more I hear of this, the more I wish for an education, but we need the money, so I must work. 

I have noticed that many people in the city are treated unfairly, unless you are a native to the United States and have money. As well, women are not treated with respect here at all. For example, we are paid much less than men, even if we are doing the same work. While I wish I could do something about this unfairness, I cannot lose my job, and no one will listen to a sixteen year old immigrant. 

However, I am starting to adjust to American life. I have tried to be as adaptable as I can. Of course, it is very different from Germany. New York City is so busy, and there is an opportunity down every corner. Walking to the factory in the morning is one of the best parts of my workday, I get to see what the city has to offer today.

It has been a few months now. While my job at the factory is not something I look forward to, it has recently been better. A new girl came to work at the factory, she's an immigrant too. Her name is Anne, and she is from Ireland. Anne and I have bonded over being close in age and both being immigrants.  It's so nice to finally have some company. 

Aside from now having someone to talk to during factory breaks and lunches, Anne has now also introduced me to the Settlement House. The Settlement House works to help immigrants and those in need. They offer English-classes, daycare, and community. I can tell that having Anne around will be a big help. 

When I have time after my factory job, I'm going to attend as many English classes as I can. The small business my family helps run is doing alright. We have regular customers, but not enough. For how small and crowded tenement housing is, they sure are expensive. 

The Settlement House has been so much help. My English has improved more than I ever would have thought. However, the Settlement House has benefited me in more than one way. I have met so many other young immigrants, similar to myself. The Settlement House has become a community.

Having the opportunity to meet more people like myself, has been amazing. Many of these kids share the same problems and struggles as I do. I try to make it for English lessons at the Settlement House as often as I can. Anne and I have become great friends throughout the garment factory and the Settlement House. 

Anne and I often talk about the inequality between immigrants and natives, and men and women. We both feel that we should be equal. We don't understand how "the land of opportunities" could be so limited to only certain people,  typically wealthy natives.

It has been  a year since I first immigrated to the United States. I still work daily in the garment factory, and I have even managed to help out with the small business at times, now that my sewing skills have improved.  Anne is one of my closest friends now, and my English is significantly better. I am now eighteen. If I was man I would  be of legal voting age, however, I am a woman. 

One day in the factory, Anne and I are working and we overhear conversation about the Woman's Suffrage Movement. I have heard of this movement before, but I don't know much about it. New York City has been filled with protest recently over many different issues. This has even been happening at the factory. Some of our longest workers will simply not show up, and then during our breaks, we will see them in masses, outside of the factories holding up  signs. I know that these are called strikes.

I listen to the conversation behind me about the Womans Suffrage Movement. Two women are talking about attending a Women's march coming up soon. They are marching for equality between men and women, and the right to vote. During lunch, Anne and I discuss this news. Although we would only admit it to each other, Anne and I thought women should be able to vote, and have the same rights as men. 

It has been a long day at the factory. There is lots on my mind after the conversation Anne and I overheard today. I have a lot to think about, 

I decide to ask my parents what they think about all of these social changes. They are important to me, and I want to get their opinion. However, they do not feel the way I had hoped they would. 

My parents seem to disapprove of the Womens Suffrage Movement. Even my own mother! My parents think protests and rallys are nothing but trouble. They advise me to stay out of  these movements, keep my head down, and continue my work. I feel disheartened by this news. Don't they care about how unfair women are treated?