ASU Book Group: 'Kids at Work' by Emir Estrada
The ASU Book Group's February 2021 reading selection is "Kids at Work: Latinx Families Selling Food on the Streets of Los Angeles" by Emir Estrada. The book group is open to all in the ASU community and meets monthly from noon–1 p.m. on Zoom. Haven't read the book? Come anyway! Authors are always present.
Synopsis:
*Winner, Outstanding Scholarly Contribution Award, Children and Youth Section, American Sociological Association, 2019-2020*
This book explores the experiences of children in the U.S. who street-vend alongside their undocumented parents. These children not only learn to value money, manage their time and develop a work ethic, they also form stronger bonds with their parents. "The children who worked with their parents developed an empathetic stance toward their parents — a resiliency that results from experiencing their parents' position of oppression," Estrada said.
Bringing to light this special bond, and the struggles and successes of these children, is at the heart of her book. The crucial role that kids play as their families try to prosper in a new country is one few scholars have explored, and that few of their Los Angeles customers appreciate.
The book is available on amazon.com.
Emir Estrada is assistant professor in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change at ASU.
The ASU Book Group meetings and selections for 2020-21 are:
- Sep. 30 – David Sklar, “Atlas of Men”
- Oct. 28 – Joey Eschrich and Clark A. Miller, “The Weight of Light”
- Nov. 18 – Kelly deVos, “Fat Girl on a Plane”
- Dec. 16 – Clive Wynne, “Dog Is Love”
- Jan. 27 – Sally Ball, “Hold Sway”
- Feb. 24 – Emir Estrada, “Kids at Work”
- Mar. 31 – Kristin Grady Gilger and Julia Wallace, “There’s No Crying in Newsrooms”
- Apr. 28 – Elizabeth Horan, Carmen Urioste-Azcorra and Cynthia Tompkins, “Preciadas Cartas (1932-1979)”
The ASU Book Group is sponsored as a community outreach initiative by the Department of English and organized in partnership with the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing.