I, Witness Journey

A young writer opens a window for young readers on his experiences crossing the US/Mexico border and his life as an undocumented immigrant. When Luis Onofre Valencia was five years old, his father lost his business and was forced to leave Mexico for the United States to find work. Devastated, Luis and his family struggled to keep afloat. When his father asked them to join him in the US, Luis journeyed by truck for several weeks, separate from his family members, who traveled on foot. When the family reunited in Anaheim, Luis faced an entirely new struggle: adapting to a new city and a new culture that did not look kindly on him. With a voice that is both accessible and engaging, Luis brings forward an empowering first-person account of a young man finding strength in his identity, and using this strength to become a community leader, a police intervention activist, and an advocate for mental health.