These are the stories. My stories, their stories—just as they were told to my mother and her mother and hers. They were given to me for safekeeping, … - Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa

In a world where families are suddenly and inexplicably separated, where life and death can come at any time, the community holds continuity and safety.

She moved by rote, dragging her grief into the fields with her. (chapter 12 p149)

I love the African proverb “you’ll never know what happened on the hunt until you speak to the lion.” I think many readers realize that, for the most part, the story we have gotten has been from the perspective of the conquerors. That is why is it so important for us to tell our own stories. What we have been taught has been distorted, one-sided, self-serving, and incomplete, at best. I think readers are thirsty for another narrative, one that feels more authentic and truthful.