By LYDA LANIER | Special to the County Line
After leaving his home in Mexico, Estaban Lozano’s path went from working in the fields in California to doing landscape work for Culvers, Three Bears and Olive Garden in Wisconsin to becoming a United States citizen.
I was invited to the impressive ceremony in Minneapolis in May, when Estaban became a citizen of the United States. Along with 40 others from 23 different countries, he took an oath of allegiance and said the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America. For Estaban, 47, the process with the paperwork took about five months. His life in the United States began when he was 16 years old.
He came to San Diego in 1986 to join his father Bernardo, working on a California vegetable farm. Bernado was a field worker, a migrant worker, and, starting in 1955, he would come to the United States and work for nine months before returning home for three months of the year. His motivation: provide college educations for his children.
“Five have their degrees (graduates of colleges in Mexico),” said Estaban, who has nine siblings. “I’m the only one who came to the United States and stayed.”
For Bernado, work conditions those early years were not ideal. The hoe handle was only 12 inches long, requiring close work to the ground; the hours were from sunrise to sunset seven days a week. Drinking water was available, but toilet facilities were in the woods. Workers slept on the ground or under makeshift canvas. Food came from a food truck that sold sandwiches and canned goods. An outdoor faucet furnished water for washing clothes and bathing.
By the time Estaban showed up — against his father’s advice — conditions had improved. Short hoe handles were illegal, and dormitories with indoor facilities were furnished for the men.
“Because I was young, my first job was delivering produce (zucchinis, tomatoes, cucumbers and green beans) to the warehouse,” Estaban said. The next year he was timekeeper.
He was 18 when he moved to Los Angeles, finding employment working for a saleswoman in real estate, fixing up houses for sale.
“In the afternoon, I went to school — ESL adult education classes to learn English,” he said.
During that second year in school, he met and fell in love with Adrianna Garcia, also a newcomer to the United States. For both of them, these classes in English made such an impression that 29 years later they remember the name of their teacher: Kevin Butler.
After living and working in California (Estaban always found employment), the Lozanos came to Norwalk with their two children to visit Adrianna’s relatives.
“I worked two weeks at Valley Pride; then I quit,” Estaban said. “I did not like that job, and Wisconsin was too hot and humid. We went back to California.”
However, in 1998, they moved back to Norwalk and stayed. Here they raisedthree children (born in United States). Kevin has a degree in criminal justice; Cassandra is married to Caleb Hansen. They own Vintage Valley Rentals. Their specialty? Weddings, reunions and business parties. Kerwin, 16, is a Brookwood High School student.
After working at the Sparta Foundry second shift, he became an employee in 2004 at Cardinal Glass night shift, and now also is a coordinator. For a day job, Estaban developed a landscaping business: E and A Lawn Care Service, working for business and private owners. This is how I met this remarkable man and his remarkable family. In 2001, my brother David needed help with his tree farm, and I needed someone to mow my lawn. We asked Theresa Lehner, then owner of Norwalk’s IGA, if she knew of anyone, and she knew Estaban.
It was easy to become acquainted with the Lozano family; we became good friends.
We were a group of five — Adrianna (in the process of becoming a U.S. citizen), Cassandra, David, Wanda and me — as the room in the federal office building filled with applicants and their friends and relatives. Individuals from Chile, Kenya, Egypt, Germany, Kyrgyzstan, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Liberia, Russia, Syria and Mexico gave up loyalty to their countries and made a choice, a commitment, a promise to be loyal to the United States. They were pledging allegiance.
Before today could happen, Estaban had to be tested in reading, speaking and writing English plus take a written test on his knowledge of the United States. He showed me the study guide for civics and American history, which had not only questions and answers, but also short lessons,teaching important concepts in American history and government.
“I think it’s amazing how this country was made based on Bible principles,” Estaban said. “I love this country like any American. I do not want to be a citizen only, but I want to be a part of this country, to respect the Constitution and know why I am an American.”
It’s not just being in America that makes him feel at home.
“I have always found very good people in this country,” he said. “I am very grateful to know the persons I know. They never see my race or where I came from. We are all humans; weare all on the same page.”