Publisher's Synopsis
Color presents poignant conversations with people who have come from a variety of Central and South American cultures and backgrounds. The author based her writing on exchanges she witnessed through her work as an interpreter and advocate for Spanish-speaking immigrants. Her narratives give voice to their hopes, dreams, and life experiences--from the ordinary to the overwhelmingly difficult.
In Color, a mother tells how as a little girl, she swept a dirt floor, cooked over a wood fire, and washed clothes in a muddy river. "Can you imagine being here, in a nice apartment, how fun it is for me to keep house?" A man is unable to comprehend the poor work ethic of his fellow employees. "Minimum wage is more per hour than I would make at home by a long shot. So I work as hard as I can…but my citizen coworkers are always complaining. They even tell me not to work so hard because I make them look bad!" A father speaks of the intense hunger he experienced as a child, and then recalls, "The first time my son said, 'I don't like this food,' I burst out crying. My wife thought I was upset at his bad manners, but I was just so glad my son had the luxury of not liking food…that my children have never known hunger."
Whether about love, work, play, finances, or family, these accounts illuminate cultural differences in attitudes, rights, and values, and also pose intriguing questions about the effects of prosperity. Lorane A. West paints a very real picture of life for immigrants in the United States, and through her portraits, gives Americans a glimpse of themselves that may both surprise and challenge.
