Writer Javier Zamora to Share Experiences as a Young Immigrant During Dominican University Program

Dominican University’s new PASOS Network will co-present a program with writer, poet and speaker Javier Zamora on Thursday, Oct. 12 at 6 p.m. in the university’s Lund Auditorium, 7900 W. Division St. in River Forest.  

Zamora will discuss his new memoir Solito, in which he explores his immigrant experience and his harrowing journey to the United States as an unaccompanied 9-year-old. He will share the story of his trek from El Salvador by boat, bus, and foot to reunite with his parents, who had made their own journeys earlier. He will also explore "how identity influences our ideas of home and brings humanity and warmth to the figure of the ‘immigrant,’ stressing there are always moments of joy, love, and hope, even in the worst of circumstances." 

For more information on Javier Zamora, please visit www.prhspeakers.com. 

The free program, which is co-presented with Dominican’s St. Catherine Siena Center, will also be available to view online. Registration through the online box office is required.     

The PASOS Network was created to strengthen the faith leadership of Latine young adults for the Church and society. The Network invites institutions of Catholic higher education to celebrate, integrate, and amplify Latine faith traditions. Housed within Dominican University’s Division of Mission and Ministry, the PASOS Network is a national community that roots ministries and practices in the faith traditions of students and their communities. 

Dominican University has been a federally recognized Hispanic-Serving Institution since 2011.    

“Through the PASOS Network, we hope to re-envision what it means to serve and support students from historically and intentionally marginalized communities,” said Armando Guerrero Estrada, director of the PASOS Network. "It is an honor to host Javier Zamora, whose experiences mirror the realities of many of our Dominican University students and their families." 

For Zamora, remembering is an act of defiance and healing—one that can inspire our students as they reclaim their identities and write their own stories, no longer solito (alone), but safely and lovingly embraced by the University community. 

About Dominican University    

Founded in 1901, Dominican University is a comprehensive, coeducational Catholic institution offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees through the Rosary College of Arts and Sciences, the Borra College of Health Sciences, the Brennan School of Business and the College of Applied Social Sciences. The university also offers doctoral degrees in information studies and applied social justice. U.S. News & World Report ranks Dominican University #11 out of all Midwest regional master’s level universities, #1 in the Midwest for Best Value and #1 in Illinois for innovation and ensuring the social mobility of its graduates.