Grande, Reyna

"A unique collection of 44 . . . essays, poems, and artwork by migrants, refugees and Dreamers--including award-winning writers, artists, and activists--that illuminate what it is like living undocumented . . . [in 2022]. In the . . . debate about immigration, we often lose sight of the humanity at the heart of this complex issue. The immigrants and refugees living precariously in the United States are mothers and fathers, children, neighbors, and friends. Individuals propelled by hope and fear, they gamble their lives on the promise of America, yet their voices are rarely heard. This anthology of essays, poetry, and art seeks to shift the immigration debate--now shaped by . . . stereotypes and xenophobia--towards one rooted in humanity and justice. Through their storytelling and art, the contributors to this . . . book remind us that they are human still. Transcending their current immigration status, they offer nuanced portraits of their existence before and after migration, the factors behind their choices, the pain of leaving their homeland and beginning anew in a strange country, and their collective hunger for a future not defined by borders. Created entirely by undocumented or formerly undocumented migrants, [this book] is a journey of memory and yearning from people newly arrived to America, those who have been here for decades, and those who have ultimately chosen to leave or were deported"--Provided by publisher.

At the age of 8, Reyna Grande made the dangerous and illegal trek across the border from Mexico to the United States, and discovered that the American Dream is much more complicated that it seemed.

Traces the author's experiences as an illegal child immigrant, describing her father's violent alcoholism, her efforts to obtain a higher education, and the inspiration of Latina authors.

At age nine, Reyna crossed the Mexico-America border to seek out her lost family. She was bitterly disappointed to find, however, an indifferent mother and an alcoholic, abusive father. She takes refuge in words and becomes a voracious reader and writer. As she enters college she dreams of becoming a writer, but quickly learns that she doesn't know how to turn her dream into reality. Here, she reflects on her journey from undocumented immigrant to successful writer, and growing up feeling alienated from a culture she tries to hang on to.

Juana, abandoned when her mother is jailed, heads for the United States in search of her father who left years earlier to find work and meets a young prostitute who plays a major role in the course of the rest of her life.

Four women leading vastly different lives find their fates interconnected through their passion for the Mexican heritage after they join the same dance company.

"At the age of 8, Reyna Grande made the dangerous and illegal trek across the border from Mexico to the United States, and discovered that the American Dream is much more complicated that it seemed"--Provided by publisher.

Reyna Grande chronicles her life as an undocumented immigrant, from her border crossing at age nine, discussing her difficult relationship with her father, and other complications with her family during childhood.

At the age of 8, Reyna Grande made the dangerous and illegal trek across the border from Mexico to the United States, and discovered that the American Dream is much more complicated that it seemed.

When Reyna Grande's father leaves his wife and three children behind in a village in Mexico to work in the United States, he promises to return with enough money to build them a dream house where they can all live together. Instead, his wife joins him and Reyna and her siblings are depositied in the already overburdened household of their stern, unsmiling grandmother. The three siblings band together to combat the pain of abandonment. When their mother returns at last, Reyna will make her own journey to live with her father.