Exit West
By Mohsin Hamid
Saeed and Nadia meet at the onset of civil war. Saeed notices Nadia in class one evening and invites her for coffee. She wears a floor-length black robe, so Saeed is shocked when this independent woman accepts and drives away on her scooter. As their friendship blossoms, they become obsessed with the hidden doors that are rumored to exist throughout the city. When it is too dangerous to stay – food, electric and phone service are long gone – the couple searches for the door. In Narnia fashion, these doors symbolize entrance into another world. These fictional doors resemble immigration issues we face today. People leaving families, jobs and homes carrying a small bag and a glimmer of hope. These immigrants who dare to cross invisible lines called borders are often viewed as a burden wherever they land. With each stop, the people are annoyed they cannot instantly assimilate, speak the language and dress accordingly. Scared and lonely, they find comfort in groups with people similar to themselves. Together they beg for a chance to start over while the nativists revolt. This beautifully-written story follows the couple as they search for a place to call home.
The Next Ship Home
By Heather Webb
Escaping war, drought, famine and religious persecution, people have always dreamed of a new life in a new country. In 1902, these men, women and children made their way through Ellis Island. Francesca and Maria escaped their abusive father in Sicily, boarding a ship filled with the poor, sick and desperate. A woman named Alma works at Ellis Island as a matron. She lives with her strict German family on the lower east side of New York in a community where, at 21, she is an old maid. Fluent in English, German and Italian, Alma dreams of becoming a translator – a job not yet available to women. When Alma and Francesca meet during inspection, an unlikely friendship blooms. Alma helps Fran get a job and brings her home against her parents’ wishes. Her older brother Fritz is instantly smitten. As we are immersed in the history of discrimination, battles over unionizing and mistreatment of immigrants, it becomes clear these mirror the issues in our headlines today. It is daunting to see how quickly these families, only one generation American themselves, feared anyone different who wanted the very same things their ancestors sought in America.
My Side of the River
By Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez
Although she was born in Tuscon, Arizona, Elizabeth struggled to feel at home in America. Her parents’ visas allowed them to work temporarily in the U.S., but when she and her brother Fernando were born, it complicated matters significantly. Her parents dreamed of giving them an American education. Scrambling financially, they worked long hours under the radar performing odd jobs no one else wanted, constantly in fear of deportation. At a young age, Elizabeth was a curious and intelligent student. She took to heart her mother’s constant whispers: “To succeed in America, you have to be the best.” At 15, a miscalculated move left her parents in Mexico with their visa renewal denied. Her young brother remained in their care, but Elizabeth, a top student, arranged to stay with a teacher’s family to finish high school. Overcoming extreme poverty and sleeping on a couch for years, Elizabeth persevered. She became valedictorian and was accepted to a multitude of top colleges. Elizabeth’s success story is a beautiful testament to the strength of family. It’s also a reflection of our broken immigration policies that separate loved ones, using these migrant workers and then throwing them away.
#WorthWatching: “The Swimmers” is a biographical sports drama following the lives of two Syrian sisters known for their remarkable story of survival and bravery after fleeing Syria’s ongoing civil war. One of the sisters goes on to compete in the Olympics. A must-see on Netflix.
