Book Review: My (Underground) American Dream
In honor of Hispanic Heritage month, I decided to write a review on My (Underground) American Dream by Julissa Arce. This book was first published last fall, but it only recently started gaining popularity. It is a memoir about Julissa Arce’s childhood, and transition into adulthood as an undocumented immigrant. Considering the lack of Latinx representation in most fields, her story of overcoming incredible hardship to become a Vice President at Goldman Sachs was truly inspiring.
Overall, the book provided a well-rounded look at the life of an undocumented Hispanic woman who, despite all odds, created a successful life for herself.
The book begins with the story of Arce’s early childhood, in which she was raised by relatives in Mexico while her parents were hard at work in Texas, selling jewelry in trade shows. Later, she was suddenly uprooted, and moved to Texas, where she not only had to adjust to being immersed in American culture, but also to living with her parents, and attending a Catholic school. The book presents the reader with a dichotomy—it’s a traditional coming-of-age story, but also a unique insight of Arce’s constant fear regarding her legal status. Even as she recalled experiencing typical teenage drama like having a boyfriend, being late to curfew, and going to parties, she also openly discussed her daily struggles as an undocumented immigrant, which she didn’t share with anyone for a long time.
As if this was not enough, Julissa also had to deal with familial issues, such as an abusive, alcoholic father, and a mother who suffered a terrible incident while working. This book opens one’s eyes to an all-too-common experience where a young person not only has to worry about school, family life, and legal status, but also faces the pressure to work in order to make ends meet. In college, Arce had to commute each night to sell funnel cakes only to come home to tons of homework after a long shift. Being undocumented meant that she encountered various closed doors when it came to advancing her future. After all, jobs, scholarships, and financial aid were not designed for people like her. Without being able to check the “U.S. Citizen” box on applications, she had to go to great lengths to get a job, even if it put her in a riskier legal situation. Still, Arce persevered, and her hard work and determination enabled her to graduate college, and find a job in a prestigious corporation.
Overall, the book provided a well-rounded look at the life of an undocumented Hispanic woman who, despite all odds, created a successful life for herself. Aside from being riveting, the book is also an intense, powerful story of grit and triumph. Arce had to work harder than most to get to where she is today, and she never forgot her Latinx roots, advocating tirelessly on behalf of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and undocumented families. If there is anything someone should take away from this book, it’s this: The word “American” encompasses a wide variety of experiences, and one should always turn a willing ear to marginalized voices.