In the News

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In the News —

“Finally there is a children’s book about issues that impact our communities!
This is a must read for anyone who cares about human rights & raising socially conscious children.”

– Ray A. Ybarra Maldonado, Esq.

“Donde Esta Papi?” presents a glimpse of the beauty, strength, and resilience of migrant families. The US/Mexico border is a highly politicized geographical space in which the violation of human rights is rampant. Government sanctioned violence and rhetoric extends beyond the border; separating families, disrupting childhoods, and creating a culture of legitimized racism and xenophobia. 

Written from the perspective of an eight-year-old girl, the book makes visible the often-neglected impact of immigration enforcement on children.  Amidst this uncertain terrain, Akemi’s story is the true story of a child in Arizona; one of many, reminding us that we cannot lose faith and must continue to fight back.

This book is an essential read for anyone who cares about human and children’s rights. It hopes to speak directly to children; to instill a sense of pride and hope for their future. 

“Donde Esta Papi?” is a social justice children’s book based on the true story of a child whose father was taken into immigration custody. Written from the perspective of an eight-year-old girl, the book tries to make visible the often-neglected impact of immigration enforcement on children. An estimated 5.9 million U.S. citizen children under the age of 18 live with at least one undocumented parent (analyzing 2009-2013 U.S. Census Data) and roughly half-a-million U.S. citizen children experienced the apprehension, detention, and deportation of at least one parent in the course of about two years (according to data from Immigration and Customs Enforcement from 2011-2013 as reported by the American Immigration Council). Many impacted children find themselves questioning their identity, sense of safety, agency, and belonging. This experience of straddling geographical and cultural borders is the impetus for writing this book; to create a story that resonates with the lived reality of immigrant children and offer words of encouragement and hope. Many of the quotes attributed to the main character are actual quotes from young children living in Arizona (who were interviewed about their views and perspectives on school, home, and community).

Donde Esta Papi?
A Social Justice Children Book; Immigrant Families & Resistance

Migration is a fundamental human right. This book is an invitation for anyone who cares about children's rights to become an advocate for immigration reform. Children have a right to safety and protection and should have a say on issues that impact their daily lives. Our current laws are a direct affront to this basic human right. Immigration laws and policies not only criminalize and separate families but also incite a culture of nativism and xenophobia. Enforcement agencies racially profile, aggressively detain, incarcerate, and deport immigrant families; inciting fear in entire communities and disrupting countless childhoods. We need not wait for our laws to change. We all have the power to support immigrant children and their families today.

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Thank You to

Meet The Author

  • Dr. Angeles Maldonado is a mother and a human rights scholar-activist in Arizona. She is the CEO of Ybarra Maldonado Law Group and the founder and executive director of The Border Crit Institute, whose mission is to foreground the voices and experiences of people of color living in the borderlands (through social justice education and pedagogy, borderland research, and the publication of counter-narratives of resistance). She holds a Ph.D. in Education, a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, and a Bachelor of Science in Justice Studies. Dr. Maldonado’s parents brought her to the United States when she was just eight years old to provide her and her siblings with better educational opportunities. Her experiences as an immigrant child inspired her to become an advocate for social justice and migrant rights. She dedicates this book to immigrant children and their families who find themselves in a state of liminality and uncertainty. Dr. Maldonado believes strongly that migration is a fundamental human right and all borders must be resisted. She is also part of an international network of children’s rights advocates, whose research focuses on preserving children’s participation rights in research and foregrounding the voices of young children. Her research documents the perspectives of children in Arizona, and the findings inspired her to write a book that hopes to capture the beauty, strength, and resilience of immigrant children and their families, but most importantly to be a tool for healing, reflection, and praxis.

Meet The Illustrator

  • Edward Dennis lives and breathes art and cycling. He is a 3rd Generation Mexican-American living in Phoenix, Arizona. When Edward is not creating art, he is riding a bicycle (either on the road or on a mountain). The work ethic of his uncle Andy Rios and the teachings of his father motivated him to believe that anything is possible. From an early age, he was inspired by video game instruction manuals, old comics, and children’s books. Edward is the first in his family to graduate college and is grateful for the many sacrifices that his family and ancestors had to go through for him to achieve this accomplishment. He understands first hand the discrimination and trouble people of color face day to day growing up in Arizona and hopes that this book enables readers to see the problem of immigration in a new light. Edward graduated with a Bachelors from Arizona State University in Special Education and currently works in inner-city Phoenix as an educator. Although he is a full-time artist, Edward is passionate about continuing to work with children. He enjoys making learning unique by exposing youth to new perspectives and skill sets. His greatest hope is that Latino children will relate to“Donde Esta Papi?” and his own personal story; to know they are not alone and to feel inspired. “I want to encourage children to believe in themselves, to pursue their passions, and to know that the only thing you need to succeed is dedication and discipline.” Edward has illustrated a series of art projects; including books and video games, more information on his current work can be found at www.artofedwarddennis.com.

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