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moon_peach's review
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, Police brutality, and Suicidal thoughts
bedtimesandbooks's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, Cursing, Addiction, Racism, Chronic illness, Deportation, Xenophobia, Alcoholism, Classism, Murder, Infidelity, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Cancer, and Suicidal thoughts
mzynda's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Deportation
annamay1021's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Chronic illness, Racism, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, Medical trauma, Alcoholism, Cancer, Deportation, Confinement, Police brutality, and Grief
random19379's review against another edition
4.0
Moderate: Xenophobia, Racism, Racial slurs, Mental illness, and Abandonment
leweylibrary's review against another edition
4.0
Regardless, I did learn a lot still, and it was extra interesting reading this book with several people who are or their parents are/were undocumented, that made this book hit so much harder.
Graphic: Mental illness and Xenophobia
Moderate: Deportation
kailey_reads's review against another edition
4.25
Moderate: Xenophobia, Racism, Mental illness, and Deportation
emmehooks's review against another edition
4.5
This book is a mix of deeply personal fears and experiences, narrative reporting, and community building as a radical act of self-preservation and existence.
Graphic: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Classism, Deportation, Medical content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Cancer, Chronic illness, Mental illness, and Police brutality
Moderate: Addiction, Grief, War, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Gun violence, Hate crime, and Infidelity
savvylit's review against another edition
5.0
One aspect that is discussed thoroughly in this book is the exploitation of undocumented workers by their so-called employers. In her chapter on Ground Zero, for instance, Villavicencio discusses the fact that many of the first responders on September 11th were undocumented. She gets to know a group of folks who were instrumental in the debris cleanup at Ground Zero. All of them now experience financially and physically devastating chronic diseases as a result of the harsh chemicals & carcinogens they were exposed to on the (underpaid) job.
Another key topic that Villavicencio explores is the myriad ways that being undocumented affects mental health. For example, she becomes deeply involved in the lives of families whose fathers are on the brink of deportation but have taken sanctuary in local churches. Though the children are still able to see their father, they struggle with the fact that they're forced to live apart. Some of the children she gets to know even begin to dissociate as they struggle to process their new, fraught realities.
This book isn't entirely about untold suffering and exploitation, however. It is also about solidarity, hope, radical joy, and the myriad ways that the undocumented support each other. And Villavicencio bears witness to it all - with passion, rage, and deep understanding.
I truly believe that The Undocumented Americans should be required reading for all who identify as American.
Graphic: Hate crime, Deportation, Grief, Medical content, Police brutality, Racism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Mental illness
chaoticnostalgia's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Deportation, Sexism, Classism, Misogyny, Xenophobia, Racism, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Self harm, and Confinement
Moderate: Chronic illness, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Gun violence, Violence, Mental illness, Alcohol, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Fatphobia, Rape, Addiction, Alcoholism, Infidelity, and Emotional abuse