In this powerful memoir/essay, Tobar explores what it means to be "Latino" in the 21st century. Blending the US/Mexico history, Tobar's personal experience, and stories from his students & interviewees, MIGRANT SOULS decodes the racial and ethnic identity underlying the Latino/x community and reimagines the power & hopes of Latinidad.

While there are many things to love in MIGRANT SOULS, from the interrogation of colonialism that informs the historical context of "Latin America" to the pervasiveness of colorism that leads to the erasure of indigenous identity, Tobar doesn't shy away from the brutalities of the past and our complicities in erasing Latino labor in modern-day America.

I was expecting a more intimate & detailed account of Tobar's life, but I took away so much more than personal accounts. MIGRANT SOULS doesn't just examine how the US disenfranchises, exploits, and murders Latino communities. More importantly, it also empowers the readers to celebrate Latino dreams & joys, challenges the different ways one can be "Latino," and encourages solidarity by drawing upon stories from other communities—Black, Jewish, and Asian alike.

MIGRANT SOULS is the 2023 nonfiction winner of the Kirkus Award and an essential read for those wishing to engage more critically with how we define race & ethnicity.