In Mexico, this coding school gives returning immigrants a second chance

Growing up in the small town of Bradenton, Florida, Miriam Álvarez had a pretty typical American childhood. She took the pledge of allegiance every morning in elementary school and cheered the U.S. team during Olympic spirit week in high school. Her younger brother enrolled in the Army, and is now serving in South Korea.

But when Álvarez was 14, her parents sat her down in the living room and told her a secret they’d been keeping her whole life: Álvarez, her sister, and her parents were undocumented. Her mother had brought Álvarez from Mexico to the U.S. when she was just nine months old. 

“It was a shock because you felt lied to,” says the shy 22-year-old, who laughs nervously when talking about her past. “Telling me that I’m not American, or not even Mexican American. So really, what am I?” Read more…

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