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chels_ro's review against another edition
emotional
informative
fast-paced
4.0
An informative and heartfelt book on Jose Antonio Vargas’ experience growing up undocumented in the U.S. as he challenges myths about who undocumented immigrants are and how they are treated.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Colonisation
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
ekp10's review against another edition
4.0
I really like this book! Jose was vulnerable in opening up his struggle growing up, and the things he had to do to reach his dream. While at the same time, he educates us on the US immigration system that has a longer history than we thought. The law and systems that were built to increase the already over-populated prison system by putting undocumented immigrants in jail.
There are a lot of facts and laws that I didn't know. And that's a position of privilege that people should acknowledge. People don't know because they don't HAVE to know, because their lives don't depend on it.
The journalist he is, he also includes the push back he's been receiving after he came out as Undocumented in 2011. There are always a lot of opinions on anything, but I think it matters more what he does with the power he has. His story is different than most, but everyone's story is always different than the next person. He has achieved something that he's "not supposed" to, yet he doesn't have the basic safety that every person should have and taken for granted. He used his situation to bring more awareness and to help other people. In the process, he has also lifted the generosity of the people around him. He's doing his best to help other people because of what his family and friends have shown him.
One of my favorite quote from his book that's a fundamental way of seeing what it means to exist within a country that you called your home, regardless of your status:
"Citizenship is showing up. Citizenship is using your voice while making sure you hear other people around you. Citizenship is how you live your life. Citizenship is resilience."
There are a lot of facts and laws that I didn't know. And that's a position of privilege that people should acknowledge. People don't know because they don't HAVE to know, because their lives don't depend on it.
The journalist he is, he also includes the push back he's been receiving after he came out as Undocumented in 2011. There are always a lot of opinions on anything, but I think it matters more what he does with the power he has. His story is different than most, but everyone's story is always different than the next person. He has achieved something that he's "not supposed" to, yet he doesn't have the basic safety that every person should have and taken for granted. He used his situation to bring more awareness and to help other people. In the process, he has also lifted the generosity of the people around him. He's doing his best to help other people because of what his family and friends have shown him.
One of my favorite quote from his book that's a fundamental way of seeing what it means to exist within a country that you called your home, regardless of your status:
"Citizenship is showing up. Citizenship is using your voice while making sure you hear other people around you. Citizenship is how you live your life. Citizenship is resilience."
readtotheend's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I feel like this memoir gave such an honest and inside look at what it is like for undocumented individuals who do not qualify for DACA but are in the same situation. Children who came to this country as a child, too old to be a DACA recipient and unable to apply for citizenship. As Vargas mentions in the book, Asians are a huge number of people in this situation and as someone who did immigrate here in the 1970s as a 1 year old through sponsorship of a family member, I can only imagine how overwhelming it would be to feel like you can be kicked out at any time from the only place you've known as home because of something completely outside of your control. I learned a lot from this book and I think a lot of Americans will as well.
sarahnielsen's review against another edition
4.0
“You cannot change the politics of immigration until you change the culture in which immigrants are seen.”
Learning and experiencing racism in the United States is fascinating. Why do we fixate on putting people in boxes?
Immigration is an important topic to me and I found this book to be very educational but not boring.
Learning and experiencing racism in the United States is fascinating. Why do we fixate on putting people in boxes?
Immigration is an important topic to me and I found this book to be very educational but not boring.