#immigrant stories

[doubledaybooks]

“They told us to strive for assimilation. The quicker we transformed into one of the many the better. But how could we choose? The U.S. was the land that saved us; Colombia was the land that saw us emerge.” -Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Fruit of the Drunken Tree

[dove00]

Hi! So. I was thinking of Superman smashes the klan comic and how it really portrayed the parallels to an immigrant story for Clark.

But. I wanted to talk about Kara and another character!

Warning for not graphic discussion of racism and xenophobia. As well as canon characters’ death.

Note: check out greta (mysterycitrus) if you haven’t already for awesome points about many characters.

Kara spent 16 years on Krypton. She had friends, family, a whole life there and then due to things out of her control, she was forced to leave all that behind to live in a new place. As a teenager.

Clark was a baby and it is always heartbreaking to think of how his dad realized Clark can’t understand him in My Adventures with Superman, but he got to grow up in America—on Earth. It’s the only home he’s ever truly known.

It’s also worth noting that no matter how much good Clark does, Luthor and other humans will never fully trust him because he’s not from Earth.

Now, for the longest time, Kara has nobody to really talk to about Krypton. Not anyone who will fully remember.

Kara lost everything she’s ever known and then expected to be a “normal teenage girl from Earth.”

That character I was talking about earlier: Dick Grayson, specifically when he’s written as Romani.

I acknowledge Devin Grayson and Tom Taylor’s racism and bias when writing him. As well as some fanfic authors. Note: do not use slurs to refer to the characters especially if you are not part of those groups!

Both Kara and Dick were children when tragedy struck them.

Both Kara and Dick were children when they were ripped from their homes (the only one they knew) and placed with people who don’t know their culture.

Both Kara and Dick were written off (by fandom, comics, in universe, or all 3) as “angry.”

I feel like there could be interesting stories there (especially with each other).

What do you think?

Please note: I am not Romani, so if I said anything incorrect and/or inappropriate, please let me know and I will change it. Sorry.

[isawthismeme]

I ran to the comments section and was not disappointed!

[pattytacuri]

it was supposed to be

it was supposed to be a happy new beginning we thought we were headed towards Paradise that’s how America is sold to immigrants a brand new land where impossible dreams come true but for us, it was a complete nightmare full of betrayal, lies, and poverty it almost broke my family apart going from a privileged life to a marginalized one made mami angry and papi lean into his addiction- it was supposed to be a happy new beginning but it almost ended my family

10/25/22

[tired-pidgeon]

Also I’ve just learned about Kamala Harris’ coconut tree meme and I love that I can tell right away that her mother was an immigrant too

That sort of idiom is not something I’ve ever heard an American use in an organic way

[360degreesasthecrowflies]

In a very thoughtful/existential mood this weekend

Was out with my friends last night. Most of them are from this city or have a partner who is. Young folk though, 20s still. Anyway. The consensus was pretty much that they're settled here now and wouldn't think of moving away.

And I'm sitting there like. That's not where my headspace is AT ALL.

This might be a me being an immigrant thing. But if I got a better option elsewhere I'd move IN A HEARTBEAT

Now I guess I'm questioning why I even live here at all if that's my opinion... talk about inceptioning yourself.

I live here because its a place and I do already. There's nothing more than that to it to me. It's affordable, comparatively. (Although less so than it was!) I feel fairly safe here. I know people here. But that's it for me.

Is that enough of a reason to live somewhere? Are there better reasons to be elsewhere? What other reasons do people live somewhere? What SHOULD I be wanting?

[westanovencleaner]

My dad in his late 20s, barely awake after a long day of work at GE Capital and walking into the Chinese restaurant near his office, too tired to cook dinner.

My dad in his late 20s, a Chinese immigrant chasing the American Dream, seeing double as he looks at the menu. Suddenly, the words "egg drop soup" and "wonton soup" blend together, and he has an idea. He asks for egg drop wonton soup with green scallions, and he becomes famous at the restaurant for coming up with the dish.

My dad in his late 50s, barely standing after a long day of caring for my sick mom and walking into the Chinese restaurant he used to frequent.

The owner, seeing the same weary boy from 30 or so years ago, smiles as he askes for his famous concoction.

The owner, seeing the same weary boy from 30 or so years ago, hands him a 2-liter bottle of Coca-Cola, remembering his childish obsession with the drink that was the one constant between China and America.

My dad in his late 50s, bragging about his egg drop wonton soup as we eat it and brandishing his Coca-Cola bottle like a trophy, and the owner's right ear turns red, and he wonders who's talking about him.

[rebel-girl-queen-of-my-world]

In Sensorium: Notes for My People- Tanais

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Fragrance has long been used to mark who is civilized and who is barbaric, who is pure and who is polluted, who is free and who is damned.” - Tanais

After listening to just a chapter of this entrancing memoir-meets-cultural history of perfume and scent, I knew I needed a hard copy. Tanais is one of those few authors who reminded me of that Vashti Bunyan song “I’d Like to Walk Around in Your Mind” - not in a creepy way, more of an “I love how this person thinks and wanna discuss a million things with them” way!

In Sensorium is in part a love letter to Tanais’ Bangladeshi heritage, presenting their personal journey in the greater context of the horrors of the caste system, the Partition, and the gut-wrenching violence exacted on women & femmes therein. They follow the through line of perfume and scent - the roles played by colonization, class, and climate; and how the drive to create beauty for its own sake knows no bounds.

Creating beauty comes naturally to Tanais, a self-taught perfumer. After reading this book I had to check out their creations - I am after all the kid who collected perfume samples. Luckily Tanais sells tiny rollerballs of their scents for $8 so I could not only afford them, I could afford several! My favorites were:

Nymphea - an aquatic white floral of lotus and lily with the comforting warmth of sandalwood.

Matí - a tribute to little tablets of Ganges river clay eaten by expectant mothers in Bangladesh. This complex, earthy rose evokes coziness with its notes of cocoa and Ganges clay. These scents are both truly addictive.

I also bought the Heart Chakra lipstick, which looks green in the tube but turns a brilliant berry on me, fading to a popsicle stain (see below).

If you have an interest in memoirs by queer brown femmes, Bangladesh, perfume, or just love lyrical prose, you will be grateful for the journey.

[valentinsylve]

by Franny Choi

[jesncin]

"Who Is Superman? A Private Interview with Lois Lane" a fancomic about hope and connection. I've had this story in mind for so long and I'm very excited to be able to share it at last. Thank you for reading, and happy Lunar New Year!

[katothin]

who tf keeps putting olives in my dad's home made salsa?

[selfdiscoverymedia]

TSM24-45. Elizabeth Mehren The Immigrant Story.

Their Story Matters, with Sara troy and her guest Elizabeth Mehren, on air from November 5thElizabeth’s volunteer work with The Immigrant Story, a small nonprofit in Portland, Oregon, inspired her to write I Lived to Tell the World. Through her involvement, she heard powerful stories of resilience and hope from immigrants and refugees who had overcome incredible challenges. These experiences…

[isawthismeme]

[pattytacuri]

Open mic

Have you ever performed on stage or given a speech? ♥️♥️♥️ Me reading my poem purpose on 12/11/24

[haveacupofjohanny]

Reyna Grande: Championing Immigrant Narratives with Emotional Power

Reyna Grande’s powerful immigrant narratives inspire me to write with emotional depth and authenticity. Her stories show the beauty of vulnerability in storytelling. 🌍📖 #ReynaGrande #ImmigrantNarratives #LatinaAuthors #HaveACupOfJohanny

For this week’s Friday Feature, I’m highlighting a writer who continues to leave a profound mark on the literary world—Reyna Grande. Known for her emotionally resonant stories about the immigrant experience, Reyna gives voice to those whose stories often go untold. Her work is a masterclass in vulnerability, resilience, and the power of sharing personal truths, particularly in books like The…