Wynnewood author, Liliana Velásquez, will read from her book Dreams and Nightmares that describes her 2,000 mile journey to the U.S. at the PhillyCAM Community Room on Thursday, writes John Timpane for Philly.com.

The true story follows the route of the then fourteen-years-old Velásquez who left her abusive family in in Guatemala to travel here. On the way she was robbed by drug traffickers and hitched a ride on the network of trains used by immigrants to travel to the border.

After crossing the border, Velásquez spent two days hiding before she was being caught by immigration officers in Arizona. However, due to her circumstances, they granted her special immigrant juvenile status which allowed her to stay.

[uam_ad id=”51712″]

Advertisement

Sadly, her first foster placement did not work out, but soon after that she found the family of her dreams in Layla and Marcos Luria in Wynnewood. With their help, she attended Lower Merion High School and Montgomery County Technical High School. Now, five years on, she is now studying to become a nurse.

“By telling my story, I feel at peace, unburdened,” said Velásquez in her book. “All of my suffering, and all of my dreams, my destiny, are now kept safe in this book.”

Read more about Velásquez’s story at Philly.com by clicking here.

[uam_ad id=”52088″]