Having a job is essential to financially support a family in any country. Although some may have the privilege to financially support themselves in order to afford luxuries, others seek any sort of employment to simply make ends meet.
Between 1970 and 2015, the percentage of workers born in foreign countries had tripled from five percent to 17 percent, according to the Migration Policy Institute.
The study found that immigrants represented approximately 17 percent of the 160 million workers in the labor force in 2015.
Canelo Reyes is one of those workers. He is a vendor of flowers in the Turlock area in the intersections of North Walnut Rd. and West Taylor Rd.
“What I do is sell flowers because this is the only way for me to make revenue during the winter,” Reyes said. “It varies, the sales are not always good, but they are not always bad.”
At the same time, there are parents who strive to make ends meet for their family, and at times, it is their children who notice the sacrifice.
Clarissa Medina (freshman, Undeclared) is daughter to immigrant parents. She often sees the sacrifice her mom has made.
“It’s always been unpleasant seeing my mom come home tired, with bruises and scars on her legs, or hearing her complain of her back pain or any other pain in her body,” Medina said.
However, Medina said that seeing how hard her mom works has created nothing but inspiration in her.
“It’s impacted me to keep up my education. Seeing her go through all of this has motivated me to make the effort to obtain better grades and study more, so I can get a job that’s better,” Medina said.
Querenhapuc Casillas (junior, Communication Studies) also said that being a daughter of immigrants has impacted her in a positive way.
“With everything that has been happening regarding immigration, it has me feeling more proud of the origins of my parents. I have never felt shameful,” Casillas said.
Reyes said that ever since he started working as a flower vendor, he has seen the importance of having to work hard.
“It’s been five years since I started selling flowers on the street,” Reyes said.
Due to today’s economy, Reyes said that it is no longer enough for him to work a single job. 
“I work in the fields during the week, and in the weekends I work selling flowers,” Reyes added.