In the last few weeks, particularly after the win in New York, I have been thinking about the intellectualism and political activism of young people, particularly young immigrants and second generation U.S. citizens. Over the past year i had the fortune to work part time as the Coordinator of the Field Family Teen Author Series at the Free Library of Philadelphia, reading and distributing young adult literature to teens throughout Philadelphia.
What I learned is that young women particuarly, as both authors and readers, are grappling with conceptions of immigration, citizenship, and refugee status through young adult literature. While not all YA novels focused on immigrants to the United States were written by immigrants or first generation Americans themselves, most of them were. What’s more, most of them were written by women, young women. Then young women are expressing themselves, their opinions on immigration to the United States, and their liberal political views through Young Adult literature.
While we sometimes discuss literature here at USIH, the focus is generally not on Young Adult literature, as we, afterall, are not the intended audience. But i think intellectual historians who focus on this period in American intellectual history will need to grapple with the prevalence of YA-particular YA focusing on political issues. Though right now I am focused on immigration narratives, there is also young adult literature dealing with mass incarceration, police violence, civil rights, and LGBT rights, all with a liberal political bent.
In the last year alone, quite a few immigration focused YA novels have been released. Ibi Zoboi’s American Street explores teenage Fabiola’s move from Haiti to Detroit, even as her mother was detained at the border. In The Sun is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon, the main character spends her last day in New York before being deported with her family. In I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, Erica Sanchez explores parental expectations, cultural differences, and mental illness. And these aren’t the only such novels.
What these novels share are women characters, women authors, and attempts to make the experience of immigrant teenagers and teenagers of color widely known. Reading novels can increase empathy generally, and these novels aren’t simply moralistic by complicated stories about immigration, racism and nativism in the United States. It seems that many adults would be better for reading them.
It might not seem like Ya literature has a lot to do with intellectual history, but these novels are clearly the intellectual and political expression of immigrant and first generation women of color in the United States. We should take them seriously.
Some suggestions:
American Street, Ibi Zoboi
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, Erika Sanchez
American Panda, Gloria Chao
The Sun is Also a Star, Nicola Yoon
The Poet X, Elizabeth Acevedo
Calling My Name, Liara Tamani
When Dimple Met Rishi, Sandyha Menon
Love, Hate, and Other Filters, Samira Ahmed
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There is also a tradition of immigrant Jewish women writing these types of memoirs, novels, and short stories at the beginning of the 20th century. See “From Plotzk to Boston” and “The Promised Land,” and Anzia Yezierska, “Hungry Hearts” and “Bread Givers.” I’m not sure these are exactly for young adults but they are very accessible.