“I heard this once: When the immigrants came to America, they thought the streets would be paved with gold. But when they got here, they realized three things: 1. The streets were not paved with gold. 2. The streets were not paved at all. 3. They were the ones expected to do the paving.” AmericaWorkStreetsLaborImmigrantsAmerican DreamPaving Book:Everything Sad Is Untrue Source: Everything Sad Is Untrue
“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
“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