Just like us offers a powerful account of four young mexican women coming of age in denvertwo of whom have legal documentation, two of whom who dontand the challenges they face as they attempt to pursue the. Two of the girls, marisela and yadira lack the proper. The story revolves around four high school students. Based on helen thorpes bestselling book, this documentarystyle play follows four latina teenage girls in. Meeting people whose life trajectories were so different from my own enlarged my way of thinking.
A stunning work of indepth journalism in the tradition of random family, helen thorpes just like us takes us deep into an american subculture that of mexican. When she embarked on her galvanizing book, just like us. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Jan 11, 2011 just like us tells the story of four high school students whose parents entered this country illegally from mexico. The author spent six years following the young women as they come of age, delving deep into the predicament facing the two without legal status and the political backdrop to their circumstances. The true story of four mexican girls coming of age in america is the basis for the play premiering nov. Her book just like us was adapted for the stage by the denver center for the performing arts, and soldier girls was optioned by hbo and julia louisdreyfus as a potential miniseries. The newcomers book by helen thorpe official publisher. Over the course of several years, thorpe shadowed a group of four friends. Just like us tells the true story of four young mexicanamerican women who have lived in the united states since childhood.
Just like us based on helen thorpes bestselling book, this documentarystyle play follows four latina teenage girls in denver two of whom are documented and two who are notthrough young adulthood. Marisela who is a gaudy, driven, dramatic girl who wears twice as much makeup as anybody else in her circle. Two of them have legal documentation and two do not. Just like us, written by author helen thorpe, invites societal members to enter the world of immigrants living in the united states. The true story of four mexican girls coming of age in. Just like us by helen thorpe essay 1172 words 5 pages just like us by helen thorpe was on systematic study of four young mexican women growing up in the suburbs of denver, colorado with two of the women living in the country as legal residents and the other two living as undocumented. The true story of four mexican girls coming of age in america by helen thorpe. It ranges over a wide spectrum of individuals, from elizabeth, the mother of john the baptist, to paul, apostle to the gentiles.
In just like us, helen thorpe attacks the complicated issue of illegal immigration from a variety of angles. Based on helen thorpe s bestselling book, just like us is a documentarystyle play that follows four latina teenage girls in denvertwo of whom are documented and two who are notthrough young adulthood. Along the way, thorpe wrote a bestselling book, just like us, about four teenage mexicanamerican girls whose parents were living in colorado and in the united states illegally. Just like us is a pathbreaking exploration of what foreignness has meant across american history. All roles will be cast with college studentsactors.
It subsequently won the colorado book award and was named one of the best books published that year by the washington post. Scribner when she embarked on her galvanizing book, just like us. Just like us by helen thorpe essay 1172 words 5 pages. All four girls have grown up in the united states, but only two have documents. Helen thorpe just like us offers a powerful account of four young mexican women coming of age in denvertwo of whom have legal documentation, two of whom who dont. Vision latino theatre company presents karen zacariass just. Argumentative essay about helen thorpes just like us just like us by helen thorpe is the true story of four mexican girls coming of age in america. Two of the girls, marisela and yadira lack the proper documentation needed to be considered legal. The true story of four mexican girls coming of age in america, in which she looks at the struggles of growing up as an illegal immigrant from the.
Why did john hickenlooper and helen thorpe separate. Denver author helen thorpe s nonfiction just like us. Taking a page from adrian leblancs 2003 book, journalist thorpe spent several years with her subjectsfour mexican girls, two legal, two undocumented. Analysis of just like us by helen thorpe 706 words cram. Just like us isbn 9781416538981 pdf epub helen thorpe ebook. Thorpe s message throught this book was, dont let the misuse of negativity of your. A stunning work of indepth journalism in the tradition of random family, helen thorpe s just like us takes us deep into an american subculture that of mexican immigrants largely hidden from the mainstream. Helen thorpe has taken policy and turned it in to literature.
Helen thorpe is a lifelong journalist who has written three books of narrative nonfiction about the lives of undocumented immigrants, refugees surmounting the challenges of resettlement, and veterans of foreign conflict. Just like us by helen thorpe is the story of four mexicanamerican girls in the first decade of the twentyfirst century as they graduate from high school in denver, colorado and move into adulthood. Thorpe will discuss and sign her first book just like us. Club play, the soldout world premiere drama just like us adapted from the book by helen thorpe at denver theater center, the steinberg citation award play legacy of light, the francesca primus award winning play mariela in the desert, the helen hayes award winning play the sins of sor juana, the adaptation of julia. Based on helen thorpe s bestselling book, this documentarystyle play follows four latina teenage. Helen thorpe depicts the endeavors of two illegal immigrant young ladies, challenging the education system, to receive funding allowing them to.
Solution all four girls ended up graduating from tj hs and ended up going to big time universities in denver, these girls made others know that with god anything is possible. Just like us download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. In just like us, helen thorpe attacks the complicated issue of illegal. She is an awardwinning journalist who lives in denver, colorado.
Four mexican girls, two legal immigrants born in the united states, and two illegals born in mexico with legal siblings born in the us, grew up. Author helen thorpe discusses her new book just like us. Just like us book by helen thorpe official publisher. Just like us by karen zacarias directed by gina sandidiaz audition information who may audition.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading just like us. The battles of three women at home and at war, an account of three female soldiers who saw combat in afghanistan and iraq. A stunning work of indepth journalism in the tradition of random family, helen thorpe s just like us takes us deep into an. Helen thorpe books list of books by author helen thorpe.
Based on helen thorpes bestselling book, just like us is a documentarystyle play that follows four latina teenage girls in denvertwo of whom are documented and two who are notthrough young adulthood. Her magazine journalism has appeared in the new york times magazine, the new yorker, texas monthly, and 5280. The true story of four mexican girls coming of age in america, helen thorpe had a policy wonks interest in immigration, leavened with her own odd sense of dual identity as someone who herself arrived in the united states as a child. Her forthcoming book, the newcomers, about refugee resettlement, is due out in november. Nov 28, 2017 in helen thorpe s the newcomers, the author spends a year in a denver classroom as immigrant teenagers learn english. University of denver magazine archivejust like us play features. Thorpe, an irishamerican journalist, published the nonfiction novel in 2009. Her journalism has appeared in the new york times magazine, new york magazine, the new yorker, slate, and harpers bazaar. As the girls attempt to make it into college, they discover that only the legal pair see a clear path forward. All four of the girls have grown up in the united states, and all four want to live the american dream, but only two have documents. Thomas borstelmann traces american ambivalence about nonamericans, identifying a paradoxical perception of foreigners as suspiciously different yet fundamentally sharing american values beneath the.
Helen thorpe was born in london, england, and grew up in medford, new jersey. Just like us beautifully and powerfully reminds us of the individuals whose lives lie at the center of the chaos that is our approach to immigration. When playwright karen zacarias turned helen thorpes just like us into a play, she knew that the university of denver had to be part of the. Just like us, the true story of four mexican girls coming of age in america. Just like us helen thorpe writes just like us, a story of four mexican girls growing up in america. A powerful and moving account of four young women from mexico who have lived most of their lives in the united states and attend the same high school. The friends are split down the middle in terms of their legal status. Just like us, which follows the lives of four denver girls of mexican ancestry and deals with aspects of immigration into the united states, was published by scribner in 2009. While thorpe embarked on an inherently private search for self, hickenlooper successfully ran for his second term as mayor. Based on helen thorpe s bestselling book, this documentarystyle play follows four latina teenage girls in denvertwo of whom are documented and two who are notthrough young adulthood. We meet four girls on the eve of their senior prom, in denver, colorado. J ust like us takes readers on a compelling journey with four young mexicanamerican women who have lived in the u. Read just like us online by helen thorpe books free 30day.
Helen thorpe depicts the endeavors of two illegal immigrant young ladies, challenging the education system, to receive funding allowing them to attend college without proper documentation. Primarily, she focuses on the lives of four motivated young girls of mexican background two legal one u. Based on helen thorpes bestselling book, this documentarystyle play follows four latina teenage. Marisela and yadira, were born in mexico and are undocumented while clara was born in. The true story of four mexican girls coming of age in america, and the newcomers. Quaker, very smart, confident, unfussy, petite woman with a penchant for interesting eye glasses. Helen thorpe just like us tattered cover book store. Just like us is a vivid snapshot of the possible reactions of no fewer than twentyone characters who came into contact with jesus of nazareth. Cynthia camacho vindrola steven mayers english 1a 060920 just like us the immigration problem in america has been dividing the document and undocumented people, in the book just like us, by helen thorpe, she tells the story of four mexican american girls who live in denver colorado. Jan 11, 2018 in her third book, thorpe, the author of just like us and soldier girls, puts a human face on immigration.
Based on helen thorpes bestselling book, this documentarystyle play follows four latina teenage girls in denvertwo of whom are documented and two who are notthrough young adulthood. In just like us journalist helen thorpe chronicles the true, comingofage story of four colorado teenage girls. Just like us takes readers on a compelling journey with four young mexican american. Adult nonfiction written by a gifted journalist, a powerful account of four young mexican women coming of age in denvertwo of whom have legal documentation, two of. The true story of four mexican girls coming of age in america thorpe, helen on. Just like us by helen thorpe was on systematic study of four young mexican women growing up in the suburbs of denver, colorado with two of the women living in the country as legal residents and the other two living as undocumented. Helen thorpe biography, age, husband john hickenlooper. Argumentative essay about helen thorpe s just like us just like us by helen thorpe is the true story of four mexican girls coming of age in america. Her vivid report follows the progress of a group of immigrant. Finding refuge, friendship, and hope in america, and more on. See all books authored by helen thorpe, including just like us.
As her eyes are slowly opened to the catch22 aspects of american immigration law, ours are, too, and we. Just like us book by helen thorpe official publisher page. From the awardwinning author of soldier girls and just like us, an extraordinary the denver post account of refugee teenagers at a denver public high school and their compassionate teacher and a reminder that in an era of nativism, some americans are still breaking down walls and nurturing the seeds of the great american experiment the new york times. The true story of four mexican girls coming of age in america kindle edition by thorpe, helen. Her radio stories have aired on this american life and sound print. Their closeknit friendships begin to unravel when immigration status dictates the girls opportunities, or lack thereof. Helen thorpe just like us offers a powerful account of four young mexican women coming of age in denvertwo of whom have legal documentation, two of whom who dontand the challenges they face as they attempt. She is the author of just like us, soldier girls, and the newcomers and lives in denver. Just like us by helen thorpe now updated, the powerful account of four young mexican women coming of age in denver, two who have legal documentation. Just like us, the stage adaptation of the book by helen thorpe.
Helen thorpe, wife of denver mayor john hickenlooper, is a freelance writer who has written magazine stories for the new yorke r, the new york times magazine, new york magazine, the new york observer, and texas monthly, among other publications. Oct 06, 2009 learn more about just like us at just. The true story of four mexican girls coming of age in america. Just like us isbn 9781416538981 pdf epub helen thorpe. Outside the school, arguments over refugees were raging, but the time i had spent inside the building showed me that those conversations were based on phantasms. Dec 01, 2017 helen thorpe is also the author of soldier girls. Helen thorpe was born in london and grew up in new jersey.
The true story of four mexican girls coming of age in america, written by helen thorpe, is detailed account of the lives of four mexicoborn girls as they come of age in denver, colorado. From the awardwinning author of soldier girls and just like us, an extraordinary the denver post account of refugee teenagers at a denver public high school and their compassionate teacher and a reminder that in an. The true story of four mexican girls coming of age in america by helen thorpe published september 2009 by scribner400 pages. Helen thorpe is a board member of the museum of contemporary art denver. A stunning work of indepth journalism in the tradition of random family, helen thorpes just like us. Just like us book pdf download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. The story of four mexican girls coming of age in america, which details the lives of four impoverished, young mexican women living in the u. The true story of four mexican girls coming of age in america 2009 in pdf,epub. Helen thorpe discusses the true story of four mexican girls coming to terms with the harsh. Just like us tells the story of four high school students whose parents entered this country illegally from mexico. Elissa and clara have endured many of the problems of immigrant life, including poverty, absent fathers, mounting familial responsibilities and intense pressure to succeed.