Chronicles from a Barrio Education
By: Dr. Larry D. Espinoza

The border between the United States and Mexico runs like a jagged scar across miles of arid desert, steep canyons, dirty little towns and dangerous metropolitan border cities. Situated along this frontier are unofficial check points patrolled by racists, armed vigilantes, drug cartel runners, human smugglers, and those hopeless migrants seeking to improve the futures of their families and willing to risk death in the process. They are victimized by the natural elements, governments and those who prey on the weak. The border has become a death zone for tens of thousands. On November 2nd, Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, Yaqui Shamen bless this stretch of barren earth by burning sweet grass at midnight in order to bring peace to those who have lost their lives along this border. These lost souls, legend has it, are destine to wander this landscape. This novel is one story, one voice from the border. In whispered voices from the dried cracked lips of the fallen, the dead beseech the living not to forget them.

Written in the persona of an eighteen year old inner city youth composing his college admission essay “Chronicles from a Barrio Education” tells a story of lost humanity. This is the story of a philosophy of human salvation that is entrusted to this child from the ashes of an ancient dead civilianization. In this dramatic and humorous narration of Schoolboy, the orphaned Mexican child, is charged with bringing to America the prophesy that awakens humanity to the struggle between good versus evil, love versus hate, learning versus ignorance and artist expression versus cowardly silence. Spirits and demons haunt this child’s journey through the eternal battle between the powers of light and those of darkness. Will this humble child of misfortune be consumed by the border rage, hate, poverty, racism and crime of his inner city existence? Or will his ancient prophesy of compassion and the pursuit of literacy finally bring the secret to achieving peace and tolerance to both sides of the border?