My favorite piece this month is “Half My Family is Illegal” by Alicia Martinez of Radio Rookies. The piece begins with Martinez telling her younger cousin something that she probably wished she understood at his age: his parents, like hers, are undocumented. As one of the two American-born members of her family, Martinez feels a tremendous amount of pressure to excel academically and to protect her family’s privacy.  Among the diversity of voices featured in the piece, she interviews teens who are faced with the similar responsibility of “laying low” and having to apply for their parents’ citizenship once they are of age. We also hear Martinez confront her family about their undocumented status and why they initially came to the United States. This is a very serious and somewhat dangerous story to tell so I commend Martinez for bringing it to the airwaves.  

Photo Cred: Dallas Observer, A Thousand Dallas Immigrant Families