“Here in Oklahoma, I understand why--why humans would sit behind a glass window and look in the faces of families running away from danger and dead sheep, and not feel anything. They think we're bad people who will come and take their stuff. Like when I won the tetherball tournament at recess against Trevor and I wouldn't have if I hadn't been there at all.” FearImmigrantsRefugeesOklahomaNativismTetherball Book:Everything Sad Is Untrue Source: Everything Sad Is Untrue
“In a refugee camp, it's the waiting that will kill you. The whole point of a refugee camp is that there are actual people trying to kill you. But really, it's the slow numbing death of hopelessness that does it. You have to imagine a room that's just a cement cube--nothing beautiful in it. If you're not careful, this is also what becomes of the parlor of your mind.” FearWaitingHopelessnessRefugeesRefugee Camps Book:Everything Sad Is Untrue Source: Everything Sad Is Untrue
“My mom comes home exhausted every night. I have never seen her not exhausted. And also, I have never seen her not working. People in Oklahoma think this must be how refugees are--never sitting, never sleeping, like they have no knees and no dreams. Maybe people think that's just the way my mom talks, kinda panicky and chipper at the same time, like someone scared who doesn't want you to think she's scared--even maybe like you're the one she's scared of.” FearImmigrantsMothersWorkingExhaustionTirednessBeing Tired Book:Everything Sad Is Untrue Source: Everything Sad Is Untrue