Most inspirational book I have read in YEARS! It's less about "hispanic demographics" (as categorized above) than about one girl's learning through living the human side of US immigration policies. As Julissa grows towards womanhood, the pains and challenges imposed by Mexican poverty and US restrictions are revealed as they are lived. She was taken from the lovely colonial hill-town of Taxco, MX. to San Antonio at age 11 by her hard-working mother. Julissa spoke no English, was made to feel very much an outsider.
At age 14, she learned that her (tourist) visa had expired. If she returned to Mexico for her dreamed of "quinceañera" (15 year old girls' coming of age party) she would never be able to return to her mother in the US. Her awareness unfolds slowly. Her narrative felt less like reading, and more like a diary, a journal, or a conversation with one of the few friends Julissa felt she could dare to confide in.
Drawing strength from her mother's example, she excelled in high school,and in the elite Business School at the Univ. of Texas. She believed that she could achieve financial success, and thus solve her immigration problems. While making rapid progress, her grandmother died. Later, her father died. In neither case was she able to attend the funeral.
She earned an internship at Goldman Sachs, then a permanent job. In three years, she was a Vice President at the most prestigious investment bank in the world. All the while she felt subject to her "undocumented American dream" suddenly ending at any moment, in the event of any deep background check or traffic stop.
She sorted out her immigration status, decided to leave Goldman, and to become an activist and voice Latinas (and Latinos) promoting educational advancement and immigration reform. She is a major figure -- strengthened by overcoming so many obstacles -- I believe now destined to play a hugely important role in the American dreams of millions of immigrants young and old.
We Anglos have MUCH to learn from Latin culture, among other things to take the time to live, to smell the flowers, to care more about others --- even WHILE working hard and achieving. My first realization of this came at age 19, when my family rented for a month a house in Julissa's hometown of Taxco.
To this day, my favorite recollections is of Paco's Bar, with its balcony overlooking Taxco's town square, church -- and the life of the town.I loved hearing pencil-thin Ruben playing a small guitar with portly Benjamin playing a massive guitarron -- a tenor and a bass singing "Taxco de mis Amores, Jardincito de Flores". I felt a wonderful vibe there, made several good local friends.
Anyone who leaves such a congenial town, struggles through fear and uncertainty for years in a new land, succeeds big-time on Wall St. -- soon moves onto more important work -- warrants our attention. In my mind, the future of the US depends, in no small degree, upon how well the US receives and provides opportunity to those who have immigrated and will immigrate to our country.
Ivanka Trump, PLEASE read this book, and have a long talk with your dad about it - !!!!
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A must read, very inspirational and enlightening.
I absolutely LOVED this book. It was very easy to read, and very enjoyable. I laughed, cried, and felt transported following Julissa's journey through all the hardship, sadness, success, joy, and eventual peace. It made me see the situation of undocumented immigrants in a different light, and I feel grateful for people like Julissa who are sharing their story. My original plan was to read one chapter every night, but the third night I couldn't stop reading and literally had to force myself to put it down at 1am! Only to start reading it again when I woke up the next day, until I finished it! :D Yes, its THAT good! :D
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- Olubunmi AdewumiReviewed in the United Kingdom on March 4, 2021
JOURNEY
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