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Title: We Are Here to Stay: Voices of Undocumented Young Adults
Author: Susan Kuklin
Genre: Immigration, Social Justice, Politics, Biography
Audience: Young Adult
My Review:
I try hard not to get political in my reviews, though if you look back through the books I read, you’ll get at least a sense of my political leanings. It’s impossible to review this book without discussing politics though, so bear with me.
I wish all the politicians who love to speak so loudly and hatefully and often about “lawless, criminal immigrants” would take the time to read a collection like this. I don’t claim to have any answers to immigration into the United States, but I do believe that having empathy for our fellow human beings will go a long way toward helping us find a humane, tenable solution that both treats people with respect and protects our borders. I just can’t believe that it’s a zero-sum issue.
The young adults interviewed in this book didn’t make a choice to enter the US illegally; their parents brought them into the country, often at huge risk. Some stories of the crossing are hair raising. I liked that the author included stories from young adults from different parts of the world and not just those from Central America. The story of one young man, I believe from Ghana, had me so very worried for his safety.
A common denominator among all these young people is their desire to make a difference in their adopted country and help others in similar situations. They’ve researched their options, worked harder than their peers to get where they are, and all felt that their goals might actually be within their reach after President Obama enacted the Dream Act. One of the interviewees even went to witness the Senate vote in 2011, I believe. She spoke of how emotional it was for her to sit in the gallery and listen to politicians speak in such demeaning terms of her and others like her and then how disheartening it was when the bill failed to pass that chamber.
As the book was going to press, President Trump was elected for his first term in 2016. The interviewees had previously agreed to share their pictures and their names in the book. After a lot of editorial discussion, the author decided to only use initials instead of names and insert blank boxes where their pictures were going to be. This community that had gotten brave enough to share their stories with the world was stepping back into the shadows as their future again became uncertain.
I highly recommend this to everyone, while knowing in my heart that the people who most need to read it will not and will most likely find a way to ban it.
Synopsis from GoodReads:
The Stonewall Honor-winning author of Beyond Magenta shares the intimate, eye-opening stories of nine undocumented young adults living in America.
“Maybe next time they hear someone railing about how terrible immigrants are, they’ll think about me. I’m a real person.”
Meet nine courageous young adults who have lived in the United States with a secret for much of their lives: they are not U.S. citizens. They came from Colombia, Mexico, Ghana, Independent Samoa, and Korea. They came seeking education, fleeing violence, and escaping poverty. All have heartbreaking and hopeful stories about leaving their homelands and starting a new life in America. And all are weary of living in the shadows. We Are Here to Stay is a very different book than it was intended to be when originally slated for a 2017 release, illustrated with Susan Kuklin’s gorgeous full-color portraits. Since the last presidential election and the repeal of DACA, it is no longer safe for these young adults to be identified in photographs or by name. Their photographs have been replaced with empty frames, and their names are represented by first initials. We are honored to publish these enlightening, honest, and brave accounts that encourage open, thoughtful conversation about the complexities of immigration — and the uncertain future of immigrants in America.
Similar Books:
If you liked We Are Here to Stay: Voices of Undocumented Young Adults, you might also like my reviews of
- Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask: Young Readers Edition by Anton Treuer
- Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
- The Arrival by Shaun Tan
Purchase:
Buy We Are Here to Stay: Voices of Undocumented Young Adults from Malaprop’s Bookstore in beautiful Asheville, NC or
