All the Agents and Saints: Dispatches from the US Borderlands, Paperback Edition

After a decade of chasing stories around the globe, intrepid travel writer Stephanie Elizondo Griest followed the magnetic pull home--only to discover that her native South Texas had been radically transformed in her absence. Ravaged by drug wars and barricaded by an eighteen-foot steel wall, her ancestral land had become the nation's foremost crossing ground for undocumented workers, many of whom perished along the way. The frequency of these tragedies seemed like a terrible coincidence, before Elizondo Griest moved to the New York / Canada borderlands. Once she began to meet Mohawks from the Akwesasne Nation, however, she recognized striking parallels to life on the southern border. Having lost their land through devious treaties, their mother tongues at English-only schools, and their traditional occupations through capitalist ventures, Tejanos and Mohawks alike struggle under the legacy of colonialism. Toxic industries surround their neighborhoods while the U.S. Border Patrol militarizes them. Combating these forces are legions of artists and activists devoted to preserving their indigenous cultures. Complex belief systems, meanwhile, conjure miracles. In All the Agents and Saints , Elizondo Griest weaves seven years of stories into a meditation on the existential impact of international borderlines by illuminating the spaces in between and the people who live there. After A Decade Of Chasing Stories Around The Globe, Intrepid Travel Writer Stephanie Elizondo Griest Followed The Magnetic Pull Home--only To Discover That Her Native South Texas Had Been Radically Transformed In Her Absence. Ravaged By Drug Wars And Barricaded By An Eighteen-foot Steel Wall, Her Ancestral Land Had Become The Nation's Foremost Crossing Ground For Undocumented Workers, Many Of Whom Perished Along The Way. The Frequency Of These Tragedies Seemed Like A Terrible Coincidence, Before Elizondo Griest Moved To The New York / Canada Borderlands. Once She Began To Meet Mohawks From The Akwesasne Nation, However, She Recognized Striking Parallels To Life On The Southern Border -- After A Decade Of Chasing Stories Around The Globe, Intrepid Travel Writer Stephanie Elizondo Griest Followed The Magnetic Pull Home -- Only To Discover That Her Native South Texas Had Been Radically Transformed In Her Absence. Ravaged By Drug Wars And Barricaded By An Eighteen-foot Steel Wall, Her Ancestral Land Had Become The Nation's Foremost Crossing Ground For Undocumented Workers, Many Of Whom Perished Along The Way. The Frequency Of These Tragedies Seemed Like A Terrible Coincidence, Before Elizondo Griest Moved To The New York / Canada Borderlands. Once She Began To Meet Mohawks From The Akwesasne Nation, However, She Recognized Striking Parallels To Life On The Southern Border. -- Provided By Publisher. Stephanie Elizondo Griest. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 277-289). After a decade of chasing stories around the globe, intrepid travel writer Stephanie Elizondo Griest followed the magnetic pull home—only to discover that her native South Texas had been radically transformed in her absence. Ravaged by drug wars and barricaded by an eighteen-foot steel wall, her ancestral land had become the nation's foremost crossing ground for undocumented workers, many of whom perished along the way. The frequency of these tragedies seemed like a terrible coincidence until Elizondo Griest moved to the New York–Canada borderlands. Once she began to meet Mohawks from the Akwesasne Nation, she recognized striking parallels to life on the southern border. Having lost their land through devious treaties, their mother tongues at English-only schools, and their traditional occupations through capitalist ventures, Tejanos and Mohawks alike struggle under the legacy of colonialism. Toxic industries surround their neighborhoods, while the U.S. Border Patrol militarizes them. Combating these forces are legions of artists and activists devoted to preserving their indigenous cultures. Complex belief systems, meanwhile, conjure miracles. In All the Agents and Saints , Elizondo Griest weaves seven years of stories into a meditation on the existential impact of international borderlines by illuminating the spaces in between and the people who live there. This edition features a new preface by the author. Cover -- Half Title -- Title -- Copyright -- Dedication -- Contents -- Introduction: The Descendants -- Prologue: Nepantla -- Part I: The Texas-Mexico Borderlands -- 1 The Miracle Tree -- 2 The Rebel -- 3 The Venerable -- 4 The Activist and the Ordinance -- 5 The Bonder and the Dealer -- 6 The Agents -- 7 The Wall -- 8 The Chokepoint -- 9 The Woman in the Woods -- 10 The Healing -- Part II: The New York-Canada Borderlands -- 11 The Sort of Homecoming -- 12 The Trade -- 13 The War -- 14 The Saint -- 15 The Activist and the Obelisk -- 16 The Movement -- 17 The Mother Tongue -- 18 The Bridge -- 19 The River -- 20 The Words That Come Before All Else -- Epilogue: The United States of In-between -- Acknowledgments -- Notes -- About the Author After a decade of chasing stories around the globe, travel writer Stephanie Elizondo Griest followed the magnetic pull home - only to discover that her native South Texas had been transformed in her absence. In All the Agents and Saints, she weaves seven years of stories into a meditation on the existential impact of international borderlines. After a decade of chasing stories around the globe, travel writer Stephanie Elizondo Griest followed the magnetic pull home - only to discover that her native South Texas had been transformed in her absence. In this work, she weaves seven years of stories into a meditation on the existential impact of international borderlines After a decade of chasing stories around the globe, travel writer Stephanie Elizondo Griest followed the magnetic pull home - only to discover that her native South Texas had been radically transformed. In this book she weaves seven years of stories into a meditation on the existential impact of international borderlines.