The slogan for the event was “Seeing Red,” but for the Estrada/Sierra family across the country it became the “Red Scare”!
My grandparents left their homeland in search of a better life for their families. Their stories are wonderful triumphs of seeking political refuge and searching for the American Dream. Ask any other member of my family from any generation, they will all say the same thing: what they found in America was democracy, hope, and freedom from Castro’s communist regime! To their dismay, I was seen wearing Red.
As a teacher in the New York City School System, I am a card carrying member of the UFT–the United Federation of Teachers. The union. That’s right, I’m part of the union. At first it didn’t seem like much to my anti-Communist family, but then I crossed the line–I joined nearly a thousand of my comrades–clad in Red–in a demonstration for a new contract. It sounds innocent, and I thought it was.
No big deal, just a detour on my way to the train one afternoon for the rally, no one (in my family) will ever have to know about it…until I got there. I discovered quite the opposite. There were TV cameras and reporters everywhere. I tried to blend in with the the chanting, signing toting, sea of red sweaters and hats. Don’t draw too much attention, I thought to myself, but my attempts failed. It was my backpack, my innocent little red North Face backpack that separated me from the crowd. The person I was standing with warned me, “That lady with the notepad is checking you out!” Her warnings did not come soon enough, I was trapped with a reporter. I spoke with her briefly about the union, my hopes for the contract, and my red bookbag. I prayed that my quotes wouldn’t make it into any newspaper or TV news show…
…And then it did. A few weeks later, all the familiar faces from the rally started to smile at me in the hallways, “Good work Estrada, I saw your quotes in the “Union” paper!” And yes, there I was with my name in lights. Sorry abuelita, sorry America… I’ll try not to wear too much red anymore, or talk to reporters if I do. (Click Here for the article)