Letter to Our Readers 2019

Dear readers,
 
We are proud to unveil the special issue of La Ceiba, themed, “DACA, TPS, and Uncertainty: Immigrant Lives in the Contemporary U.S.” We assembled this issue because from the White House and State Capitols to city councils, immigration policies are currently intensely debated and contested. Deferred Action for Unaccompanied Minors (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) are two of these policies that are presently the subject of much debate.
 
It is because of our commitment to serving these immigrant communities—and because media coverage largely focuses on the highest political levels of the immigration debate, and not on how the changes in these laws affect the lives of immigrant communities across the country—that we curated this themed issue. Our aim is to contribute to this on-going discussion with an interdisciplinary collection that involves community grassroots efforts, artistic responses, personal narratives, and academic perspectives.
 
From its inception, La Ceiba thrives in the urge to create community, connect with the world, and raise awareness of the Central American diaspora. The journal’s inclusivity allows those who seek the opportunity for publication a space to share, explore, and magnify their voices.
 
Our goal is to amplify the production of scholarship and artistry while staying true to the needs of our communities. The contributors make the journal and the students and readers are the journal. Without their written voices and the assemblage of artistry, our journal cannot exist. For that we would like to thank everyone who took a chance on our publication and trusted us with their work.
 
Sincerely,
 
La Ceiba Editorial Team

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