Below, you'll find concise biographical information about each protagonist, summarizing key aspects of their migration journey that they deemed important to share with those interested in learning about the experiences of Latin American migrants in D.C.

Beatriz, a 45-year-old woman from Cali, Colombia, left her teenage son and mother behind due to limited job prospects and insecurity caused by armed groups in Colombia. She encountered challenges passing through multiple checkpoints to seek asylum and find shelter in the U.S., adding to the emotional strain of leaving her family behind.

Santiago is a 45 year old man from Manizales, Colombia. Citing human rights violations and an inability to “walk freely,” Santiago left Colombia and embarked on a physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding migration journey through the Americas. After passing through six countries, trekking through the Darién Gap, sleeping in the jungle, and being detained, Santiago arrived in D.C. with no support systems or knowledge of organizations that could help. While in the U.S., Santiago has been able to find some part-time work in a variety of roles–from working in a bakery to being a security guard.

Deisy, a 28-year-old single mother from Venezuela, migrated across seven countries with her five young children to ensure they receive a quality education, as many teachers in Venezuela left due to low salaries. She views the "American Dream" as a myth and believes people migrate primarily due to poor economic conditions in their countries. Deisy believes that most Venezuelans want to return home when feasible, as they often leave behind family members.

Unlike Santiago, Deisy is satisfied with the support and opportunities she and her children have found in D.C. They receive health insurance, food, and clothing. Deisy appreciates that her children attend a bilingual school with Spanish-speaking staff and where they are not bullied for being Latin American migrants. She relies on volunteer organizations and churches from which she receives food, clothing, invitations to community events, and helpful information from them.

Despite the helpful support she has received, Deisy is concerned about finding housing since she mentioned reaching “one year” at the temporary shelter, after which she would need to leave. Deisy prefers to remain in D.C. to ensure her children can stay in their school and the family can retain access to health insurance.

Marisol is a 29 year old woman from Venezuela who made the decision to migrate in order to give her children a better future away from the issues of her country. After crossing eight countries and experiencing homelessness throughout her journey, Marisol arrived in D.C. in December of 2022 and began working in March of 2023. Because she has already submitted her asylum application, Marisol has no intention of returning to Venezuela and plans to stay in D.C. where she receives health insurance and her children have access to a good education.

Marisol’s photovoice and interview responses were incredibly work-centric. In D.C., Marisol has worked in a number of cleaning and service roles. While she is grateful for the support she has received from those working at the temporary lodging facility where she lived, she also conceptualized the “American Dream” as something one has to work extremely hard for.

Eriko is a 26 year old man from Venezuela. With his wife and young child, Eriko emigrated from Venezuela because his family could no longer afford to put food on the table. Like Santiago, Eriko emphasized the difficulty of his migration journey, during which he crossed through the Darién Gap, faced hunger, and witnessed death.