📖 Overview
Julissa Arce is a writer, speaker, and immigration rights advocate known for her memoir "My (Underground) American Dream," which chronicles her journey from undocumented immigrant to Wall Street executive.
Born in Mexico and brought to the United States as a child, Arce worked her way up to become a vice president at Goldman Sachs while keeping her immigration status hidden. After gaining citizenship in 2014, she left her finance career to focus on advocacy work and writing.
Her subsequent books include "Someone Like Me" and "You Sound Like a White Girl: The Case for Rejecting Assimilation," both of which explore themes of immigration, identity, and systemic barriers faced by marginalized communities in America. Her work regularly appears in major publications including TIME, CNN, Bloomberg, and CNBC.
Arce currently serves as a board member for several nonprofit organizations focused on immigration rights and education access. She frequently speaks at universities and conferences about immigration policy reform and her personal experiences navigating corporate America as an undocumented immigrant.
👀 Reviews
Readers connect strongly with Arce's personal story and direct writing style in "My (Underground) American Dream." The book maintains a 4.5/5 rating on Goodreads from over 2,000 readers and 4.7/5 on Amazon.
Readers appreciate:
- Raw honesty about her experiences
- Clear explanations of immigration system complexities
- Balance of emotional depth with practical insights
- Perspective on corporate culture as an undocumented worker
Common criticisms:
- Some find the writing style basic or repetitive
- Readers seeking policy solutions note limited practical recommendations
- A few reviewers question certain timeline details
"You Sound Like a White Girl" receives more varied responses (3.9/5 on Goodreads), with readers either strongly connecting to or disagreeing with her stance on assimilation. Several reviews note the book feels "more like a collection of essays" than a cohesive narrative.
One Amazon reviewer writes: "Her story breaks down stereotypes while highlighting real systemic barriers." A critical Goodreads review states: "Important message but needed tighter editing."
📚 Books by Julissa Arce
My (Underground) American Dream (2016)
A memoir detailing Arce's journey from undocumented immigrant from Mexico to Wall Street executive at Goldman Sachs.
Someone Like Me: How One Undocumented Girl Fought for Her American Dream (2018) A young adult adaptation of Arce's memoir, focusing on her experiences as an immigrant teenager navigating high school and college in Texas.
You Sound Like a White Girl: The Case for Rejecting Assimilation (2022) A non-fiction examination of assimilation in America, drawing from personal experiences and historical context to discuss cultural identity.
Paved with Dreams: How a Mexican American Girl Like Me Found Her Way (2023) A children's picture book autobiography following young Julissa's early life in Mexico and her move to the United States.
Someone Like Me: How One Undocumented Girl Fought for Her American Dream (2018) A young adult adaptation of Arce's memoir, focusing on her experiences as an immigrant teenager navigating high school and college in Texas.
You Sound Like a White Girl: The Case for Rejecting Assimilation (2022) A non-fiction examination of assimilation in America, drawing from personal experiences and historical context to discuss cultural identity.
Paved with Dreams: How a Mexican American Girl Like Me Found Her Way (2023) A children's picture book autobiography following young Julissa's early life in Mexico and her move to the United States.
👥 Similar authors
Reyna Grande writes memoirs about crossing the Mexican border and building a life in the US as an undocumented immigrant. Her work explores family separation, cultural identity, and the immigrant experience in America.
Karla Cornejo Villavicencio focuses on undocumented Americans' stories through first-person narratives and reporting. She writes about mental health, family dynamics, and the complexities of living undocumented in the United States.
Julia Alvarez writes both fiction and non-fiction about Dominican-American experiences and cultural transitions. Her work examines immigration, assimilation, and the ways political upheaval affects families.
Elizabeth Acevedo creates stories about young Latina women navigating identity, family expectations, and cultural boundaries. She writes in both prose and verse about Dominican-American experiences in contemporary settings.
Erika L. Sánchez produces works centered on Mexican-American young women dealing with cultural conflicts and personal growth. Her writing addresses mental health, sexuality, and the challenges of straddling two cultures.
Karla Cornejo Villavicencio focuses on undocumented Americans' stories through first-person narratives and reporting. She writes about mental health, family dynamics, and the complexities of living undocumented in the United States.
Julia Alvarez writes both fiction and non-fiction about Dominican-American experiences and cultural transitions. Her work examines immigration, assimilation, and the ways political upheaval affects families.
Elizabeth Acevedo creates stories about young Latina women navigating identity, family expectations, and cultural boundaries. She writes in both prose and verse about Dominican-American experiences in contemporary settings.
Erika L. Sánchez produces works centered on Mexican-American young women dealing with cultural conflicts and personal growth. Her writing addresses mental health, sexuality, and the challenges of straddling two cultures.