Javier Zamora, author of New York Times best seller: Solito, visited Roosevelt High School this March! The beautiful memoir is about Zamora’s journey alone from a small coastal town in El Salvador, to the United States hoping to reunite with his parents. He began his trip across Guatemala and Mexico in 1999 as a nine year old with the help of a local coyote (or guide), expecting to arrive in California around two weeks later. The journey ended up taking nine weeks, and Javier had no contact with his family. The story tells Javier’s point of view, experience, and the relationships he built along the way.
Freshmen and Sophomore English classes, as well as Senior Inquiry read Solito prior to Zamora’s visit. Students were able to ask questions about the writing process of the book, his life now, details of the story, and much more. His visit was really interesting as it provided a totally different outlook and almost new perspective hearing from him first hand. Since the book was fully written from Zamora’s childhood memories, many students remained curious about the struggles he faced mentally after his journey. He was extremely open about his experience after, sharing that he seeked therapy and even some of the differences he found from his expectations of the U.S.
Although Javier didn’t make the trip with any of his family, he meets a mother and daughter named Patricia and Carla, as well as a man named Chino. We see the bond through shared hardship and perseverance throughout their journey, before the four split ways in the USA. Javier reunited with his family, but left readers questioning if he ever reconnected with those he immigrated with. One student asked this question, which he revealed he received an Instagram DM from Carla only one day prior! Zamora stated that he hoped the publishing of this book back in 2022 could help him find them and he now has plans to meet up with Carla and Patricia.
We’re so grateful for our librarian, Ms. Graham, for setting up this opportunity! I loved hearing more of his story that we didn’t see in the book and found it super interesting. Getting to read the memoir and then hearing from Zamora in person was such a cool experience!