I can't marry my way into citizenship like straight people can. I can get married in the state of New York where I live, but because of the Defense of Marriage Act, the federal government, which hands out visas, won't recognize my marriage. Jose Antonio Vargas actcitizenshipdefense share on social
When I was younger, I didn't understand how a mother could put her son on a plane and just say, you know, 'Here you go, I'll see you later.' And she never followed, she never came. Jose Antonio Vargas motherplaneput Change image and share on social
In many ways, I think I've always overcompensated. I was always almost too careful, because I knew if anybody ever found any way to doubt my work, then they'd start picking my life apart, too. Jose Antonio Vargas carefuldoubtfind Change image and share on social
We cannot change the politics issue until we change the culture around it; until we talk about what parents do for their kids as an act of love. That's a cultural conversation. Jose Antonio Vargas actchangeconversation Change image and share on social
As I graduated from public schools and started working in newsrooms, I told myself that I am only the 'illegal' that my own country has not bothered to get to know. Jose Antonio Vargas bothercountrygraduate Change image and share on social
In 2007, Zuckerberg announced that Facebook would become a 'platform,' meaning that outside developers could start creating applications that would run inside the site. It worked. Jose Antonio Vargas announceapplicationcreate Change image and share on social
I think the hardest stories we tell are always the ones about ourselves. And as a journalist, I was taught that I'm never supposed to put myself in the story. So I spent what, 11, 12 years of my life writing about other people so I don't have to face my own life. Jose Antonio Vargas facehardjournalist share on social
When I'm writing, I can always play around with tense. I can always make past present. I can always kind of manipulate, and I can always be delusional in a way that's completely self-serving. With film, it's like, the camera can't really lie. It can manipulate to a certain extent. Jose Antonio Vargas cameracompletelydelusional share on social
I guess, as a reporter, I always thought that my biggest strength was that I could get anybody to talk to me. I wasn't the best writer, but I could get people to talk to me. Jose Antonio Vargas bigguesspeople Change image and share on social
I think everyone deserves dignity. Jose Antonio Vargas deservedignity Change image and share on social