Diane Guerrero was born in New Jersey in 1986 to undocumented immigrant parents from Colombia. Her parents had immigrated to the US on a 90-day visa, bringing Eric, Guerrero’s older stepbrother, with them; the family stayed in the US with the hope of having a safer life. Guerrero experienced familial separation as a result of US immigration enforcement throughout her youth: Her mother was frequently detained and deported, and both her parents and Eric were detained and deported a final time when Guerrero was 14. Her book is a direct and personal account of her own experiences and the longer-term effects they have had on her.

Guerrero is a successful actor and celebrity and her memoir uses her audience reach and status to further the cause of immigrant welfare and reform in the US. After many years pursuing an acting career, Guerrero was cast in Netflix’s groundbreaking first original series, Orange Is the New Black. Gaining attention for spearheading a new model of TV access, the series creators deliberately brought faces and voices to the forefront that are grossly underrepresented in American media, focusing on the stories of women who have experienced adversity, including women of color.