In the first picture book written by a DACA Dreamer, Areli Morales
tells her own powerful and vibrant immigration story.
When Areli was just a baby, her mama and papa moved from Mexico to New
York with her brother, Alex, to make a better life for the family--and
when she was in kindergarten, they sent for her, too.
Everything in New York was different. Gone were the Saturdays at
Abuela's house, filled with cousins and sunshine. Instead, things were
busy and fast and noisy. Areli's limited English came out wrong, and
schoolmates accused her of being illegal. But with time, America became
her home. And she saw it as a land of opportunity, where millions of
immigrants who came before her paved their own paths. She knew she
would, too.
This is a moving story--one that resonates with millions of immigrants
who make up the fabric of our country--about one girl living in two
worlds, a girl whose DACA application was eventually approved and who is
now living her American dream.
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is an immigration
policy that has provided relief to thousands of undocumented children,
referred to as "Dreamers," who came to the United States as children and
call this country home.