{"id":14120,"date":"2024-10-30T14:31:41","date_gmt":"2024-10-30T14:31:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/?p=14120"},"modified":"2024-10-30T17:36:36","modified_gmt":"2024-10-30T17:36:36","slug":"scenes-from-early-voting-believing-in-the-american-dream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2024\/10\/30\/scenes-from-early-voting-believing-in-the-american-dream\/","title":{"rendered":"Scenes from early voting: Believing in the American dream"},"content":{"rendered":"

Enrique Loyola strode out of the polling place at the Karsh Alumni Center oozing enthusiasm \u2014 eyes wide and smiling.<\/span><\/p>\n

Loyola, 28, is a first-generation American. His parents came as undocumented immigrants to Los Angeles more than 30 years ago from Mexico, where much of his extended family still lives. He attended Wake Forest University on a full-tuition scholarship, and after graduating in 2018, went back to L.A. to work in tech sales.<\/span><\/p>\n

His biggest issue is immigration. His parents spent the first decade of this millennium on the path to U.S. residency, which they finally achieved in 2010. That was after Loyola was accepted to a prestigious all-boys prep school in Los Angeles \u2014 Loyola High School (the name is a coincidence).<\/span><\/p>\n

His family\u2019s story was covered in <\/span>local news<\/span><\/a> at the time, but the stories incorrectly reported a crucial detail: Loyola himself was never at risk of deportation since he was born in the U.S. Only his parents would have been sent back to Mexico if they hadn\u2019t obtained residency, but as they were Loyola\u2019s only relatives in America, he would have gone back with them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The judge on the case \u2014 a first-generation Cuban-American \u2014 granted Loyola\u2019s parents residency because of their son\u2019s achievement and potential. According to Loyola, the judge told his parents that he did not want to take away their son\u2019s educational opportunity by deporting them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Loyola\u2019s parents gained citizenship in 2019, 19 years after beginning the naturalization process.<\/span><\/p>\n

During the pandemic, Loyola and a friend started a company renting out food trucks for days to weeks, adopting a short-term rental approach \u201csimilar to Airbnb\u2019s business model.\u201d Through pitch competitions, public grants, and accelerator programs, including <\/span>Grid110<\/span><\/a>, they raised $250k. They had a fleet of four food trucks after three years of running the business.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s very remarkable to have those experiences\u2026 when I started that business, I was only 24,\u201d Loyola said. He sold off his share of the company in 2023 before coming to business school, where he is now.<\/span><\/p>\n

To be successful in life, Loyola said, you have to build connections and have a gritty mentality. \u201cPeople sometimes just don\u2019t have the drive.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet, as an MBA student, Loyola worries about the job market. He took out loans to go to business school and is very aware he will need to pay those back down the line. The better the economy is, the greater his confidence that he\u2019ll be able to pay off his debt. He wants to \u201cwork hard, contribute, but at the same time, get paid fairly.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Loyola was driven to vote because he wants to ensure his future can mirror his past \u2014 hard work equals success. \u201cI look at my cousins in Mexico, they don\u2019t have the same opportunities as me.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

All this has influenced Loyola\u2019s outlook on the election, America, and life. He did not want to disclose who he voted for, just that immigration and economic policy were the main factors.<\/span><\/p>\n

He said he still believes in the American dream.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very lucky to be an American.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Above: Enrique Loyola pauses after emerging from an early voting site on Tuesday. Photo by Kulsoom Rizavi \u2014 The 9th Street Journal\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Enrique Loyola strode out of the polling place at the Karsh Alumni Center oozing enthusiasm \u2014 eyes wide and smiling. 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