Diary of a reluctant dreamer
Subtitle: undocumented vignettes from a pre-American life
By: Alberto Ledesma
Series: Latinographix: The Ohio State Latinx comics series; Latinographix: The Ohio State Latinx comics series
Publisher: Mad Creek Books, an imprint of The Ohio State University Press
Published: 2017
Language: eng
Number of pages: 117
ISBN-13: 9780814254400
Copyright date: 2017
Subjects: Illegal aliens; Emigration and immigration; Mexican Americans; Social aspects; Biography; Comic books, strips
Description: "In this hybrid memoir, Alberto Ledesma wonders, at what point does a long-time undocumented immigrant become an American in the making? From undocumented little boy to "hyper documented" university professor, Ledesma recounts how even now, he sometimes finds himself reverting to the child he was, recalling his father's words: "Mijo, it doesn't matter how good you think your English is, la migra will still get you." Exploring Ledesma's experiences from immigrant to student to academic, Diary of a Reluctant Dreamer presents a humorous, gritty, and multilayered portrait of undocumented immigrant life in urban America. Ledesma's vignettes about life in the midst of ongoing social trauma give voice to a generation that has long been silent about its struggles. Delving into the key moments of cultural transition throughout his childhood and adulthood--police at the back door waiting to deport his family, the ex-girlfriend who threatens to call INS and report him, and the interactions with law enforcement even after he is no longer undocumented--Ledesma, through his art and his words, provides a glimpse into the psychological and philosophical concerns of undocumented immigrant youth who struggle to pinpoint their identity and community"--Back cover
Table of contents: title: Doodling as activism; title: Lunchtime sketches; title: The first years; title: Embracing my undocumented immigrant identity; title: Assisting the reluctant dreamer; title: On being an (ex)undocumented immigrant father; title: The undocumented alphabet; title: On the need for self-amnesty; title: Deconstructing the dreamer; title: Enter Trump.