We’re Going to Be Alright

About the Book

Dear Parents and Teachers, You might ask, “Why did we write this book for children?” We have realized over the years that it is important to talk with children about difficult issues happening in the world. They do notice them, and they do worry. It is better for them when we, as the adults, bring up these issues in a safe, caring way, allowing them to express their ideas and even their fears. As many as fifteen thousand children in the United States are placed in foster care due to detainment or deportation of a parent. The placement of children in protective care usually lasts as long as the legal proceedings, which could take months. Teachers have little idea of how to work with children with these kinds of emotional challenges. At present, there is a lack of research on the specific ways that the deportation of a parent shapes the children left behind. What we do know, however, is that the separation of families under these kinds of circumstances is certain to have adverse consequences for newborns, grade-school children, and adolescents alike. As parents and educators, we can help all children understand what the children of undocumented immigrants are going through. We hope this book will help them see these children as very like them, with loving families, hopes, and dreams. Estimados padres y maestros Ustedes se preguntarán “porque escribimos este libro para los niños”. En los últimos diez años hemos visto la importancia que tiene el dialogo con los niños acerca de los temas que están pasando alrededor del mundo. Ellos se dan cuenta y además se preocupan de los eventos mundiales. Para los niños es mejor que los adultos hablen con ellos estos temas en un ambiente seguro, con cariño, para que puedan expresar sus ideas e inclusive sus temores. En los Estados Unidos han Alrededor de 15,000 niños en los sido dados a hogares de acogimiento por los que sus padres han sido deportados of detenidos.1 Estos niños duran en estos hogares hasta que los asuntos legales de los padres se solucionen lo cual puede durar meses. Los maestros tienen poco conocimiento de como trabajar con los niños que tienen esta clase de problemas emocionales. No se han hecho muchas investigaciones del impacto que produce en los niños que sus padres sean deportados. Sin embargo, lo que sí sabemos es que la separación en estas circunstancias de los bebes, niños y adolescentes tienen consecuencias adversas para todos. Como padres y maestros debemos ayudar a entender a los niños las dificultades pasan los niños de los padres indocumentados. Esperamos que este libro ayude a ver que estos niños son como ellos con familias que los quieren, con sueños y esperanzas.

About the Author

Dr. Maria Uribe is a Senior Instructor at the University of Colorado Denver in the School of Education & Human Development. After dedicating 35 years to teaching, coaching, preparing pre-service teacher and service teachers, and becoming award winning administrator, she is now a professor of literacy and licensure courses at the university. Her passion to see students succeed and ensure wellbeing has inspired her to always promote culturally responsive teaching for all students. Natalia Murcia Gutiérrez, also known as Natsumergida, is an artist based in Bogotá, Colombia. She uses her drawings and illustrations to tell stories about herself as well as other topics she believes are worth talking about. She firmly believes drawings are words. “After all, that’s how language was created.” She works as a curator in Carta Abierta Galería (Bogotá, Colombia) and has participated in different art exhibitions Bogotá, Austrias, Spain, Moss, Norway and Orlando, Florida. Dr. Sally Nathenson-Mejía is an Associate Professor at the University of Colorado Denver in the School of Education & Human Development. She has been an educator in the field of literacy for over 35 years, researching the reading and writing development of bilingual children in elementary and secondary schools. Dr. Nathenson-Mejia’s teaching and research has involved working directly in schools that serve predominantly culturally and linguistically diverse students.