I was born in Korea but lived there for only three years before my family moved to Brazil and Australia. We settled in California when I was 11 years old.

As I child, I had an accident resulting in brain surgery that paralyzed the right side of my body. The limited movement on that side of my body led me to develop scoliosis.

We came here because my parents wanted the best for me: to grow up healthy and free of stigma around my disability. I knew we were applying for permanent residency, but my father’s visa application became complicated. We waited as a struggling family for years before I realized I was undocumented.

At college, I realized I was not alone. The Korean Resource Center helped me get in-state tuition and introduced me to many Korean-Americans who remain undocumented, though we want to become full citizens.

I’m studying to be a counselor to help people cope with life problems and overcome physical challenges like I did. Next year I graduate, and I want to be able to work productively here in this country I call home without fear of deportation or loss of health care.

My friends and I trekked to Las Vegas for the immigration reform rally on April 10. We were joined by about 10,000 people of multiple ethnicities. Children, youth, adults, and elders alike — our voices were one, calling for immigration reform. We won’t stop until we achieve it.

For me, immigration reform is a matter of life and death.

Recently, I’ve been having difficulty breathing; it’s affecting my lungs and every part of my daily life. I need back surgery and physical therapy but cannot begin to imagine the costs, without a job and health insurance. How much will my health deteriorate?

I am tired of waiting for immigration reform. But I am not too tired to help write a new chapter of immigration history.

Next year, when we celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, I hope we can also celebrate a new and more humane immigration policy.

Angela Kim is a UCLA student majoring in psychology. She can be reached at pmproj [at] progressive [dot] org.