I love to read books that challenge my opinion with a good argument. And my opinion has been changed in the past by a couple of them. But not this book…not hardly!
After painstakingly reading this entire book, I could have been swayed back towards supporting a cause that I used to agree with for many years. But I can’t begin to think about changing my mindset on illegal immigration. I’m too busy reading about how I’m being scapegoated as a white American for every single thing that happens to this girl in her life. This book isn’t just laying out the case against US government policies and describing her journey to find pride in herself and the power for her cause to succeed …Instead this book is dripping with racism, so much so that I can’t even feel any compassion for the woman I’m reading about. The fact that a major US publisher thinks it’s fine to print such hatred against white people is grotesque. White people are labeled in every scene as white. Even when it has nothing to do with anything. The book is all about what color and ethnicity everyone is. In every chapter, she routinely uses the word “white” as an extremely negative reference. There is no need to word things this way. It is horribly divisive. Every person who disagrees with her cause is “racist and a white supremacist.” Of course she leaves out the huge numbers of Hispanic, Asian and black Americans who don’t want people coming here illegally or staying here illegally. About half of Hispanics don’t. She doesn’t ever mention them, just mentions “racism and white supremacy” ENDLESSLY.
It is obvious that she truly hates white people as a whole. I’m not assuming this. She tells me how horrible it is to be white on almost every page by saying every last thing in history we have done to “people of color” and personally to her. She feels “uncomfortable and unsafe around white people”. There is not a single positive thing she says about any white individuals unless they are working for her cause and also “marginalized” such as being Jewish or gay. (Except for one “white guy” who smiled at her at the White House late in the book) She also only says extremely negative things about this country. If she says anything good, she follows it up with that is what she used to believe until she learned the truth.
Never..One..Good..Thing! -about a country she is demanding to be a part of!!
Even on the day she takes the oath as a new citizen, she says the story we are told about American values and the country itself isn’t true. But she’s going to change this. Earlier in the book, her husband wants to move to Australia because he will do anything not to go back to his country of origin and says he will work to change Australia too. He isn’t even there yet! The entitlement of these people is unreal. I never read any words about changing the countries they came from though…

I personally can’t imagine illegally living in another country, and then lambasting the members of the populace as a bunch of racists when they want me to leave because I didn’t do things the legal way. And then have the audacity to demand they change their laws to make me happy and put the president of the country (in her case, Obama) “on notice” to do what I want in a TV interview.

The biggest reason I personally don’t want illegals here is the environment. More people means more land development where I live. It’s that simple. The first generation live in cities and maybe don’t own homes, but their children and grandchildren will. I just want less people around me and less “developed” land.

Abuse of illegal workers by their employers was one good point made by the author. Then she goes into the rape and killing of indigenous people centuries ago and how that is affecting her life today. Just stop! The entire book is like this. The anti-white dogma in every chapter is indoctrinating young people into something that is just as bad as pro-white dogma was 75 yrs ago. But the publisher, St Martin’s, makes money off of this cottage industry of racism. There is nothing remotely balanced about this book. Good non fiction gives thoughtful analysis and not just one sided dogma. This is just a hate manifesto and a memoir rolled into one.
I received my copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

“I’ve internalized the idea that immigrants are “bad” and undocumented immigrants are “criminals” for coming here seeking a better life. I believe the lie too.”

I normally don’t rate memoirs but this one truly was a 5/5 star read. Cristina’s story is emotional and horrific at times, but it’s also inspiring and hopeful.

Cristina tells us her entire story from growing up in Ecuador to fleeing to the US when she’s a teenager as her parents seek a better life for her and her brother. The transition for her family is hard, but her parents are determined to give Cristina and her brother an education that will allow them to succeed in this country, even though they are undocumented. Cristina becomes involved with a political science group in college that changes everything for her and allows her to not only find herself, but also help others like her who are hiding their undocumented status.

“I’m also angry at myself for longing for this country to embrace me. Even though I know this country has never wanted the Indigenous people of this land, Black people, and people of color, I still feel rejected and unwanted.”

I hadn’t heard of the Dreamer Act until reading this book, but what Cristina and the rest of her group have tried to do for the last 20 years is nothing short of impressive. They have persevered and never given up trying to have a seat at the table to let their voices be heard. I couldn’t help but hope they had made some kind of progress even if it seemed like they had to take baby steps to get there.

“Home is a practice. You can find home remembering where you come from. Your history and your roots. Remember you come from ancestors who built nations, invented languages and the calendar, and survived genocide, violence, and poverty. Their ingenuity, courage, and resilience led to you. Despite what the haters may say about you—“illegal,” “animal,”“taker,”“ugly,”“criminal,” and just “not enough”—remember you are a beautiful manifestation of your ancestors’ dreams. You are beautiful just as you are.”

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, this was incredibly informative and deeply important. I want to start by saying this: I’m not here to argue about politics. I firmly believe that everyone deserves basic human rights, and nothing will change my mind on that. Don’t even try.

Jimenez shares her personal story and her work advocating for immigrant rights. With everything happening in the world right now, this book couldn't have come at a better time. I beg you to read it and truly listen to what these human beings endure. They’re not here to "steal jobs" or "be criminals." They’re trying, often for many years, to navigate legal channels in search of a better life for themselves and their families. Cristina's story touches on just a portion of what it was like living through Trump's presidency. I can’t imagine the fear she must feel, not only for herself, but for her family and friends.

She recounts her journey with raw honesty, describing how every obstacle felt like an uphill battle. The constant fear of deportation when all she wanted was to go to school, and live a normal life, is heartbreaking. This country was built by immigrants, and I will die on that hill. Immigrants are vital, valuable, and necessary. The racial profiling happening today is both disgusting and terrifying. Please, take the time to listen to her story. Try to put yourself in someone else’s shoes.

Cristina has dedicated her life to speaking out and helping immigrants. She’s an organizer and the co-founder of United We Dream. I’m linking it here --> United We Dream --< so you can learn more. The work they’re doing is more important now than ever. Cristina didn’t plan for her book to be released during such dark times, but I think it's here at the perfect time. I highly recommend picking it up.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley, for the e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Dreaming of Home is a much needed story of growing up undocumented in the US and the power of believing in change. This memoir takes the reader through Cristina’s experiences from high school to college to all her work to change laws and fight to stop deportations of youth.

If you enjoyed reading The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio and/or want to know more about the fight for rights with DACA, PLEASE pick up Dreaming of Home by Cristina Jiménez.

Cristina writes her memoir in a very breezy format that feels like we are having a conversation. I learned so much from Cristina's story. I honestly can say it helped to show how ignorant I am of the history of DACA. I thought it had been around a lot longer than 13 years. Undocumented are so important in the framework of our nation and her work highlights the ways time and time again our country and abused them, especially those with darker skin complexions. The fight for undocumented is still very much alive in our country and we need to stand together against the hatred our current administration and so there is less of it in the future. Like Cristina's family, many came to this country hoping for a better life and instead all they get are doors slammed in their faces and so many other horrible things. Books like this are so important and need to be read.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for review consideration.

This non-fiction book was one phenomenal read.
I was hooked from the beginning!!
An inspiring study.
A wonderfully written coming-of-age story for both a young woman finding her true self and a social movement of immigrant youth trailblazers who inspired the world and changed the lives of millions.

What an incredible book! I love how this is a meshing of Jimenéz's experience working in social justice and part memoir. Not only that, but the authors intelligence is so palpable and reflected in her writing! This is a must read for anybody, and is a powerful addition to the immigrant cannons that have been published. Thank you so much to the author and publisher for this fantastic read. I will be sharing it with my followers on Instagram!

Everyone NEEDS to read this! It's a timely necessary memoir about the authors'climb in this country as an undocumented immigrant. Cristina powerfully conveys the dehumanizing way immigrants are often treated in America and the psychological/emotional toll it takes.
No matter the political side you find yourself on with this issue, it's important to remember that we are all one race-Human.
Read this and then let's discuss!
I don't give out many 5 ⭐s, but THIS is so worth it!
Thank you to MacMillan and NetGalley for sending me an advanced reader copy of this.
Happy Publication Day!

Cristina Jiménez and her family fled to the United States in search of a better life after losing her sister to cancer. In this memoir, she shares her story as an undocumented immigrant. She narrates her struggle for education and her leadership in immigration rights. She becomes increasingly vocal about the plight of undocumented students, the so-called DREAMERS, and expresses her disappointment in both political parties for their lack of support. Her story is particularly relevant given the current administration's stance on undocumented individuals.

Although her story is inspiring and necessary, the narrative feels flat. The account reads more like a list of dates and events. While Jiménez conveys her feelings, they come across as robotic. Honestly, the book seems a bit disorganized, detracting from the reader's experience. I read a pre-release edition, and I hope the published version underwent some editing. This is such an important story, and it should be told in a way that compels the reader to engage with the book in one sitting.

Cristina Jiménez is the co-founder of United We Dream, an organization fighting for the dignity and fair treatment of immigrants in the U.S. that helped usher in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy in 2012. “Dreaming of Home” is a memoir following Jiménez’s journey as an undocumented Ecuadorian immigrant who became one of the country’s most well-known advocates for undocumented youth. Weaving together her family’s personal challenges with the larger struggles of the immigrant communities in the U.S., Jiménez highlights the real-world impacts of both systemic racism and community organizing. “Dreaming of Home” is a hopeful roadmap that underscores the power of coming together to fight for a common goal. Jiménez won the Robert Coles "Call of Service" Award from Harvard University in 2019.

Dreaming of Home is an eye-opening account of the lives of immigrants in the US and the immigration system.
“Our immigration system, by design, has created millions of undocumented immigrants. Today there are 11.2 million undocumented people in the country, most of whom have lived here at least ten years.”
I found this memoir compelling and full of so much new information (and previously I considered myself aware on this subject!)
But this is a must read for anyone living in the United States. This is a kind of coming of age story as the author recounts her very personal experience finding her way as an undocumented youth in New York with her undocumented family. She gets through school and fights for the right to go to college and continues in community organizing and immigration justice. She’s an inspiring leader and organizer. From grassroots organizing locally to meeting with the president, demanding he take action where he can. I found her story deeply moving. I’m still in awe at her perseverance and continued hope during the present administration.
This was a well researched book, with so many facts (important, but at times was a little dry). And super informative look at the fight for immigration rights in the US.
Again I’d say this is a must read. Thank you so much to Christina for sharing hers and others’ stories through this lense. And thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

Dreaming of Home does an excellent job of providing the reader with a historical overview of our country’s history regarding immigration. It also includes details of the legislation and social justice work concerned with the subject, as well as the hardships of those who are undocumented.

This non-fiction book also reads more academic, so it may not appeal to readers. There was some interiority and emotion, but not much to make this a compelling read. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I LOVED LOVED this Memoir. I devoured it in a few days.

One of the things I loved was how the author delivered a beautifully written story, as well as all the information we get to absorb in the process of her telling us her story. About immigrants, immigration, the American dream, the difficulties many immigrants experience in this country, but also all the ways that they fight for their rights, and the very thing to exist in this country, although heartbreaking and sad, but an essential and important book, especially in the times we are living in.

It is also a source of inspiration and of hope, and to encourage others to help in this fight that can feel like a never-ending cycle.

Overall, I loved this book.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley, for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

As soon as I saw this available for review, I had to download it. I was a teacher of English Learners for 17 years and their stories are unique and worthwhile. I often lamented I learned more from them than they probably learned from me. I’ve been blessed to cross paths with many wonderful “undocumented” citizens and I was eager to read this book.

People want to complain about others wanting to come here from different countries but don’t bother to understand why. Ms. Jimenez shines a lot of light on how much of these reasons actually falls into the laps of the leaders of the US. Both sides of the political aisle have a hand in this and this book really highlights the faults on both sides.

Well written and very timely.

Wow! This was really good. Well done research into immigrants and their experiences.
Very informative.

I received a free DRC of this book through Netgalley. I have to say that this was an emotional read. I was extremely angry about finding out how much the US has messed in other countries' and left them worse off and then complain about immigrants trying to come here. I think this should be required reading for everyone. Cristina speaks about coming to the US as a young child, the difficulties of her family trying to survive working multiple menial jobs and getting an education while being a proponent for immigrant legislation. A warm and impassioned memoir.

This is an important work - especially for the times we are living, I was hoping for a bit more in some places although I cannot articulate exactly how. It was informative as to the immigrant experience and the reasons for emigrating, but I do not feel as though I could use the text in its entirety in the classroom.

Well written and I am glad I was given the opportunity to read the ARC.

4.5 stars.
Christina describes her story of her life back in Honduras prior to her life in the United States. She goes thru and explains the policies and interference from other governments, mainly the US, that led to the decline of life in her country. She then describes her life after her migration. She weaves her personal tale with the history of immigration policy in the US.
This is a scholarly work. I really appreciated how she made the history come to life by giving examples of how they affected actual people. She wrote about real people, from strangers to person friends and family. She tells of how politicians from both sides have made life more difficult for immigrants to come to this country legally and how certain migrants are more welcome than others. This was a very important read and I’m sad that it has not received more attention. I have been recommending it to all of my friends that are either readers or interested in politics.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for providing this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Given the tumultuous period in which many of us Americans find ourselves (again), I was eager to read Jiménez’s memoir, if only to gain a bit of insight into the undocumented immigrant experience. As a daughter of an immigrant who thankfully naturalized decades prior to the uncertainty of the current immigration policies, I cannot understand what the undocumented immigrants in our country have endured. Thus, Jiménez’s story, along with others, is one I am seeking to read in order to better educate myself on the topic and not just rely on my surface-level knowledge via the news. To this end, Dreaming of Home does a superb job of providing the reader with not only an overview of our country’s history with respect to immigration, but also the minutiae of the legislation, social justice work, opinions of many of our elected leaders, and the hardships experienced by those who are/were undocumented.

That said, the memoir read more like a textbook than a retelling of Christina Jiménez’s life up to this point. While she discussed her joy, her fears, her frustration, and at times, her grief, her writing style did not evoke much of an emotional response from me. Perhaps it was because I was too focused on keeping track of which organization and which movement she was referencing at any given moment. There were probably close to 100 mentioned (or so it felt), many in quick succession. In addition, Jimenez only included a few pieces of dialogue and true interactions in the memoir. Rather, almost everything was described, which made the reading experience a bit laborious and drawn out for me. Thus, my enthusiasm waned periodically, with my goal becoming simply to get through the book.

Thank you for the ARC, NetGalley! Writing style fluctuates from informal to scholarly, and story ranges from about the author to about many, many others in the movement. Appreciate how the author calls out the shitty behavior of both republicans and democrats alike. Overall a compelling story about a sadly still VERY relevant topic. #istandwithdreamers