Las Madres is an incredible story of generational resilience and transformation with family and community at its heart. Dennis Raphael Garcia deftly writes the tale of three generations of women in his family, recounting the difficult challenges each of them faced in their lifetimes as they pursued the same goal-the advancement of the well-being of their families from poverty to success.

Las Madres focuses on Candelaria Garcia, who was born in Mexico; her daughter Rafaela; and Rafaela's daughter Irene, the author's mother. Each of these Latina women followed a separate path on their journey to security and freedom from want. Though they traveled with apprehension and uncertainty into unknown places and arenas, they were courageous, patient, and steadfast in their pursuit.

Las Madres dispels any notion that immigrants and their families who come to the United States are given a life of ease. Very few people living on the high plains of Kansas in 1900 had it easy, especially Mexican railroad workers and their families. Their journeys remind readers that there is no one true path to achieve an end. Las Madres will inspire readers, especially Latina women, to continue the pursuit of their dreams.

About the Author
Dennis Raphael Garcia is a retired attorney and teacher living in California. He is the author of Marine, Public Servant, Kansan: The Life of Ernest Garcia, published by the University Press of Kansas in 2018, which was first-place winner in the International Latino Book Awards' biography category.

Reviews
Dennis Garcia's family testimony is an intimate, inspiring, and well-researched account of the hopes and fears of three generations of Latinas in the heartland. This book is a must-read for anybody interested in understanding the experiences of Mexican Americans in the United States and learning more about the history of Kansas.""-JosE Enrique Navarro, coeditor of Mexican Americans of Wichita's North End

""Las Madres is a dynamic family story told from the point of view of three generations of women. With a sweeping narrative moving from Mexico to Dodge City, Kansas, from revolution to world wars, Las Madres provides a one-of-a-kind view into the life of Mexican immigrants and their children away from the border.""-Valerie Mendoza, contributor to Wide-Open Town: Kansas City in the Pendergast Era

Book Information
ISBN 9780700637980
Author Dennis Raphael Garcia
Format Paperback
Page Count 320
Imprint University Press of Kansas
Publisher University Press of Kansas