![\"\"](\"http:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/helen.jpg\" "\\"Helen")
The author of a critically acclaimed book that traces the lives of four Mexican girls living in Denver will have a book signing and lead a discussion beginning at 5 p.m. Feb. 3 at the University Center Theater.<\/p>\nThe author of a critically acclaimed book that traces the lives of four Mexican girls living in Denver will have a book signing and lead a discussion beginning at 5 p.m. Feb. 3 at the University Center Theater.<\/p>\n
Helen Thorpe, a journalist and author of Just Like Us: The True Story of Four Mexican Girls Coming of Age in America<\/em>, will visit UCCS at the invitation of the Department of Women\u2019s and Ethnic Studies and the Matrix Center for the Advancement of Social Equity and Inclusion based at the university.<\/p>\n \u201cHelen Thorpe is an amazing an accomplished writer who tells the story of four young women from Mexico,\u201d Abby Ferber, professor, Women\u2019s and Ethnic Studies, said. \u201cTwo of the women have legal documentation, two do not. The story of their lives is a personal illustration of the challenges facing women and the difficulty of our national immigration policy.\u201d<\/p>\n Called a \u201cBest Book of 2009\u201d by the Washington Post<\/em>, Thorpe uses in-depth journalism to peek into the subculture of Mexican immigrants. She traces the lives of four Denver girls beginning on the eve of their senior prom and the opportunities ahead. The girls represent an American of Mexican descent, a Mexican in the United States legally and women whose parents brought them to the U.S. illegally years earlier and who are ineligible for a Social Security number.<\/p>\n \u201cNo matter what one\u2019s opinions are about immigration, \u201cJust Like Us\u201d offers fascinating insight into one of America\u2019s most complicated social issues today,\u201d reads the book\u2019s promotional jacket. \u201cThe girls, their families, those who welcome them, and those who object to their presence all must grapple with the same deep dilemma: Who is an American? Who gets to live in America? And what happens when we don\u2019t agree?\u201d<\/p>\n Thorpe is a freelance journalist whose magazine stories have appeared in The New York Times Magazine<\/em>, New York<\/em> magazine, Texas Monthly<\/em>, Westword<\/em>, and 5280<\/em>.<\/p>\n Born in London, she grew up in Medford, New Jersey, and earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in English literature from Princeton University and a master\u2019s from Columbia University. She worked for The New York Observer<\/em>, The New Yorker<\/em>, and Texas Monthly<\/em>. She was hired by Walt Disney movie studio to report on the murder of Irish journalist Veronica Guerin and a film based on that treatment was produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Joel Schumacher. She has also produced several radio stories, including a short piece that aired on This American Life <\/em>and a half-hour radio documentary that aired on KGNU and Soundprint<\/em>.<\/p>\n Thorpe is married to John Hickenlooper, the mayor of Denver, and they have one son. She currently serves on the boards of two non-profit organizations that focus on ensuring the success of all children, particularly those who are growing up in poverty. Just Like Us<\/em> is her first book.<\/p>\n The signing and discussion event are free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Department of Women\u2019s and Ethnic Studies, 255-4553. For more about Thorpe, visit helenthorpe.wordpress.com\/about\/<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Andrew Clark: andrewclarkphotography.com<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"