This website is an effort to answer the questions above, made by the students in the Latin American History class at Poly Prep Country Day School .

As many of us entered this Latin American History course, we quickly learned just how little we knew about Latin American history, and the issues Latin Americans face. Through this class we had the opportunity to be empowered through knowledge and can now leave knowing we are well informed about Latin America. We created this website with the hope of sharing the information we have learned with other high school students so that they too can understand the complexities of Latin America and how that affects Latin Americans today.

We focused our inquiry on three main, interconnected topics: the diversity of Latin America, the United States' involvement in the region, and present-day migration and asylum-seeking.

One of the best ways to understand Latin America's rich history, culture and experiences is through stories. Here are some additional resources you can check out!

Books:

• Martínez, Óscar. A History of Violence: Living and Dying in Central America. Verso, 2017.

  • The journey of a reporter through Latin America, as he understands the violence and process of migration

• Nazario, Sonia. Enrique's Journey. Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2014.

  • The story of a 17 year old boy from Honduras who migrates to the US in hopes of finding his mother

• Luiselli, Valeria. Tell Me How It Ends: An Essay in 40 Questions. Coffee House Press, 2017.

  • An account of a translator in immigration court for minors about the stories she has heard, and the questions she asks the children.

• Esquivel, Laura. Like Water for Hot Chocolate. Doubleday, 1993.

  • A story of society in Mexico during the early 1900s with references to traditional Mexican food and violence in Mexico as the revolution arises.

Movies:

• Which Way Home. HBO Documentary Films, 2009.

  • A documentary following the journey of children travelling through Mexico in hopes of making it to the US

• Cuba and the Cameraman. Netflix, 2017.

  • A documentary about Cuba over a 45 years period, highlighting the effects of communism.

• Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado. Netflix 2020.

  • A biography about Walter Mercado's life and how he became a famous astrologist and some of the connections he made along the way (including a meeting with Lin Manuel Miranda).