We are the Seeds: Central American Creatives Tackle Migration

by Kelly Duarte

We are the Seeds

Several spheres of social media are on fire over the controversy of Jeanine Cummins’ latest novel “American Dirt”. Book Twitter is scrambling, Latinx Twitter is angry, and Mexican writers are making statements on the harmful stereotypes in this book. But one group seems to have been overshadowed in this topic of migration: Central Americans. In today’s political climate where Central American migrants have become the scapegoat and have drawn the ire of both the United States and Mexico, you would think our voices would be centered in this conversation of migration right? The outdated and outside viewpoint of Cummins makes sure that even when stereotypes of migrants and border crossing are at the forefront, Mexicans are still the center of this story. Despite the fact that right now the caravans coming in from the Northern Triangle are facing a humanitarian crisis at the border. There are numerous stories by other Latinx groups about the border crossing but here are some works by Central American creatives that are worth checking out.

Unaccompanied by Javier Zamora 

Javier Zamora has a talent for crafting poems that are beautiful but absolutely devastate your heart. Unaccompanied is a “song of longing and love for a country torn apart by war and gang violence”, a narrative of El Salvador and what it means to leave it behind. 

Migrante by Marcos Antil 

A biography of Marcos Antil who is Maya Q'anjob'al and is a Guatemalan migrant. In his book, he recalls the events that led him to becoming a business man and founding XumaK, an e-commerce and marketing company. This biography recalls the trials and hardship Antil went through but he hopes the book will be an inspiration. As quoted in Estrategia y Negocios “I am sharing my experience where I say that everything is possible in this life. There is the American dream, but why not create our Guatemalan dream. What this text conveys is hope.”

The Wandering Song: Central American Writing in the United States edited by Leticia Hernández Linares, Rubén Martínez, and Héctor Tobar

While this anthology doesn’t not solely tackle the topic of migration, many of its works deal with it through poetry, short stories and non-fiction pieces. The Wandering Song is perhaps one of the most comprehensive pieces of literature that tackles Central American and its diaspora. It is a work that is for those that live in the isthmus and outside of it, with pieces in both English and Spanish. Notable pieces in the anthology that speak on migration are “To the North” by León Salvatierra, “San Nicolás, Patron Saint of Children” by Lorena Duarte and “On Parallel Lines” by Karina Oliva Alvarado.  

Los Angeles Times Articles by Esmeralda Bermudez 

In an age where clickbait journalism seems to be on the rise, it’s important for us to be reminded of the humanity behind the headlines. Bermudez, a Salvadoran journalist, writes about the Latinx community of Los Angeles. These articles giving a voice to underrepresented communities are so vital, especially in our political climate. Coincidentally, Bermudez has also written a piece on how American Dirt and the consequences of not letting marginalized people tell their own stories. 

Re: Construcción by Various Artists 

This multimedia, interactive exhibit examines the Salvadoran Civil War through a transnational and intergenerational lens. This multimedia exhibit has toured the country and brings forth this historic event and its repercussions. The artists featured in the exhibition are Danny Zavaleta, Mauricio Esquivel, Melissa Guevara, Oscar Diaz, Veronica Vides, Carmen Elena Trigueros, Patricio Majano, Fred Ramos, and Jose Cabezas. 

Sacrificing Families: Navigating Laws, Labor, and Love Across Borders by Leisy Abrego 

Leisy Abrego is a professor of Chicana/o studies at UCLA whose main focus of work is Central American immigration. In Sacrificing Families, Abrego looks at Salvadoran families separated by the border. This look at family separation and the inequalities caused by policy decision is sorely needed. Abrego is not afraid to take on the different aspects that leads for parents to leave their children behind: global inequality, gender pay gaps and the increasing numbers of those leaving their home countries.