AUTHOR GUEST POST: JOE GIORDANO, IMMIGRATION THEN AND NOW - SPOTLIGHT ON NEW RELEASE "BIRDS OF PASSAGE" - GIVEAWAY

           

Immigration Then and Now
The United States is a country of immigrants. Ironically, anti-immigration views have a long history. We can site John Adams's signing of the 1798 Alien and Sedition Acts, Millard Fillmore's run for the Presidency on the Know Nothing/American Party ticket of the 1856 opposing Irish-Catholics immigration. A Wisconsin and an Illinois governor were defeated for promoting anti-German immigrant laws in 1890. The Chinese Exclusion Act was enacted in 1882, and a 1907 unofficial agreement between governments stopped Japanese immigration to the United States. The Immigration Restriction League out of Boston, New York, Chicago and San Francisco in the 1890s believed southern and eastern Europeans were racially inferior and threatened the American way of life. The Dillingham Commission consisting of both Senate and House members agreed with the Immigration League and in 1911 recommended reducing southern and eastern European immigration. United States immigration laws were tightened after World War I.

WALKING HOME BLOG TOUR - INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR ARLEEN WILLIAMS: SEEKING TO UNDERSTAND THE LIVES OF EMIGRANTS IN OUR EVOLVING COMMUNITIES.

The Book

Walking Home is a compelling glimpse into the lives of emigrés in modern day America – refugees from genocide and war. The book journeys from loss and grief to survival and joy. The story hits the ground running, literally, with Kidane’s escape from Africa that reaches far into his future into Seattle, Washington. Kidane battles with survivor guilt while he struggles to settle into Seattle, a new life, relationship, school and work. He wants the American dream but is haunted by the past where he survived horrific violence in Africa, and was forced to leave everything and everyone he loved, behind.

Beautifully written, this poignant and intimate portrait of survivors is a must read for anyone seeking to understand the lives of emigrants in our evolving communities.

I'm glad Arleen Williams accepted to answer a few questions and even to give me some precious teaching tips! Here's our exchange. I hope you'll enjoy it .

My interview

The new overwhelming flood of immigration to  Europe  is present–day breaking news. Thousands and thousands of desperate human beings are fleeing from their countries at war and coming to our countries in search of safety and freedom. Your book is a perfect chance to focus and reflect on this urgent matter. So many thanks, for accepting to answer my questions, Arleen!

It is my pleasure, Maria Grazia. Thank you for reading my work.

My first question  is : what led you to write “Walking Home”?

I've been working with refugees and immigrants at a large urban community college for thirty years. As an ESL instructor, I find myself in frequent conversations with students dealing with the extreme hardships of leaving homelands they  may never see again while also trying to adjust to the challenges of a new culture and language.