You probably know Diane Guerrero, the author of In the Country We Love, from Orange is the New Black or Jane the Virgin. Did you know that her parents were deported when she was 14 years old?
Diane was a citizen of the United States and stayed with family and friends for many years. She said that no one from the U.S. Government ever checked on her to make sure she was safe or had a place to live.
No one – not even children’s services- asked where Diane was living. Her parents were the only ones that made sure someone could take care of her when they were not able to do so themselves. Can you imagine being separated from your parents or your children for any reason?
Diane graduated from Boston Arts Academy and also attended Regis College. She wanted to learn about law and politics in order to help her parents and others with immigration. Her father was taken advantage of by at least one shady lawyer. He spent so much money to have a lawyer help with the immigration process. Then the lawyer disappeared with all of the money. The father ended up paying for that mistake by getting deported. Nothing about their situation was fair.
It wasn’t always easy for Diane, especially during college. She drank too much. Partied whenever she could. Then she spiraled into a depression. So she began to see a therapist who really helped her. After seeing the therapist and learning some coping skills is when things began to turn around for Diane. Her therapist asked Diane she keeps a job that she doesn’t interest her.
However, the arts were her passion. She loved singing and acting. When she stopped pursuing an education in political science and started pursuing an acting career, she really began to thrive.
She continues to help people by volunteering with the Immigrant Legal Resource Center and Mi Familia Vota.
Recommendation
If you want to know a bit about what is wrong with immigration laws, then you might enjoy this book.
Somehow, I can’t imagine that ICE Agents would enjoy this book quite as much as I did.
Book Riot Read Harder Challenge 2021 : #15 Read a memoir by a Latinx author.
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