In April of 1970, Priscila Ramirez and her husband left their hometown of Manila, Philippines, and traveled to New York City to pursue higher education, greater job opportunities, and a better future for their children.
Ramirez saw her dreams come true, earning a master’s degree from Columbia University and ultimately working for Columbia University Irving Medical Center for 34 years. All three of her children achieved bachelor's and higher degrees from NYU, Barnard College, and the Manhattan School of Music.
In 2024, Ramirez joined her daughter, Elen Callahan, at StoryCorps to share what it was like coming to an unfamiliar country with her husband and only $120 between them to see if they, too, could experience “The American Dream.”
TRANSCRIPT:
Callahan: What was it like when you first walked into a grocery store?
Ramirez: Oh, it's a different story now. At the time, it was 1970. We have a lot of Italian butchers down in 14th street in 1st Avenue, and it was totally different. (Laughs) It's always funny when I remember this. Because we are Asians, and we like to make fish head soup, and we said, when we go to the fish market, we said, “I want to buy the fish head.” They make fun. He said, “No, you're not buying fish heads. We throw them away.” I said, “Don't throw them away. We make fish soup out of it.” So, they give, every time they see me, they give it to me. And when we go to the butcher shop, the chicken wings, they do not eat the chicken wings at the time like they use now, but at the time, no, the chicken wings are thrown out, too.
Callahan: So how much did it cost you? How much was the chicken wings and how much was the fish head? How much did they charge you?
Ramirez: None.
Callahan: It was free. They gave it to you for free?
Ramirez: Yeah, for free, but you have to buy some other stuff.
Callahan: Sure.
Ramirez: But those things are free. Yeah. When I got my own apartment, it only cost me $80 a month in 1970.
Callahan: (Laughs) Imagine that. $80 you can't even get, like, I, don't even know what you can get for $80 dollars a month in New York City.
Ramirez: And my grocery for a week, it will cost me only about $20 bucks, the refrigerator is full.
Callahan: Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh.
Ramirez: Okay? It is true.
Callahan: I just spent $80 on groceries, so...
Ramirez: But we don't earn much then. The salary is also low because, remember, I was not working as a registered nurse at the time yet until I got my license. Then after a week, I went to Albany riding on a bus to go apply for my license.
Callahan: Wait, just you, or you and dad?
Ramirez: Just me, just me, yeah.
Callahan: What was dad doing?
Ramirez: Dad was out there looking for work.
Callahan: Mm.
Ramirez: Okay?
Callahan: Mom, how did you do this? I mean, it's, you know, like knowing you, but, like, knowing what I know about you, like, it takes, in my mind, it takes so much courage to get on a plane where you're going to go to a destination that you know nothing about. You're going to get on a bus to Albany, and you know nothing about where you're going to go. So, what, like, how, how did you find that courage inside of you to do that? I'm like, I'm completely in awe.
Ramirez: Well, when there is a need, you always know. You find a way to do it.
Callahan: When did you feel that you, you’d made it in America? When did you feel like the journey was worth it.
Ramirez: After you guys finished school and after I finished my master's, I feel like half of my dream has been realized. And, that was very satisfying for me. The good thing with the United States is you work hard and you get compensated for it. You have dreams, you work hard on it, and you will get it.
Callahan: And you still believe that that’s the case today?
Ramirez: I still believe that, and that's still the same thing I instill in my grandchildren's mind that if you work hard, you know, you are the only one that can help yourself. Nobody else.
