Presente: Bilingual Latin@ Immigrant Voices Racial Justice Book - Paperback

Immigrant Workers Share Their Stories of Resistance and Organizing

Presente! breaks through the polarized immigration debate with authentic voices from undocumented immigrant communities. This dual-language anthology presents essays written by immigrant workers themselves, documenting their experiences at the intersection of race, class, and immigration in the United States.

Beyond Victimization: Immigrant-Led Social Justice Movement

Mainstream media narratives either demonize undocumented immigrants or portray them solely as victims. This collection challenges both frameworks by centering immigrants as active participants in their own struggle for racial and economic justice. The authors—organizers with Workers Defense Project and other grassroots organizations—share firsthand accounts of building solidarity, resisting state repression, and creating alternative models for progressive social change.

What's Inside This Bilingual Edition

The anthology features essays exploring the immigrant-rights movement from those leading it on the ground. Contributors include Cristina Tzintzún, executive director of Workers Defense Project; Carlos Pérez de Alejo, executive director of Cooperation Texas; and Arnulfo Manríquez, organizer with Workers Defense Project. Their writings move beyond a "legalization-only" framework to embrace broader visions for social justice organizing.

The book includes a foreword by Democracy Now! co-host Juan González and is offered in dual-language format, making these critical perspectives accessible to both English and Spanish-speaking audiences.

About the Contributors

Cristina Tzintzún directs Workers Defense Project and co-founded the Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition. Her work has appeared in Colonize This! and Yes Means, Yes!, and she covers immigration rights for Ahora Si! and El Norte.

Carlos Pérez de Alejo works with Third Coast Workers for Cooperation, focusing on worker-owned cooperatives. His writings have been published in Yes!, Z Magazine, and Dollars and Sense.

Omar Angel, originally from Oaxaca, Mexico, holds a Law Degree from the University of Veracruz and has organized with Workers Defense Project, Immigrant Worker Centers Collaborative, and Workplace Project.

Arnulfo Manríquez organizes immigrant construction workers to defend their labor and human rights through Workers Defense Project.

Essential Reading for Activists and Scholars

This paperback edition serves as both academic text and organizing tool, documenting grassroots resistance movements across the country. The collection provides rare insight into how immigrant communities build power, challenge injustice, and create sustainable alternatives to exploitative systems.