Character Profiles
Gilbert Mejia
At age 19, Gilbert’s parents are deported back to Guatemala and he instantly becomes responsible for the household and for his 14-year old sister, all while staying on track with college. Having arrived illegally in the U.S. as a baby, Gilbert also has to manage his own deportation case and fight to stay in the country he calls home.
Sam Mejia
Samuel Mejia fled Guatemala in the midst of a civil war and had lived and worked in the U.S. for seventeen years before immigration agents raided his home. He worked as a carpenter in Marin County, and most recently, created concrete foundations for house boats that would eventually sell for millions of dollars.
Elida Mejia-Perez
Elida is the matriarch of the household and being separated from her children took a huge emotional toll. Before being deported, Elida cared for a 99 year-old woman at the end of life, as well as working as a nanny caring for a 2 year-old baby at the beginning of life.
Helen Mejia
Helen, age 14, was born in the U.S. and before the deportation was a straight-A student. After her parent’s were deported from the U.S., Helen struggles with depression, keeping up her grades, and navigating the vacuum of support that was taken away when her parents left.
