ANDER & SANTI WERE HERE

Explores love and growing up viewed through artistic lenses.

Ander is a nonbinary Mexican teen who’s currently working at his family’s restaurant on the Westside of San Antonio. They’ve decided to take the year before entering the School of the Art Institute of Chicago to dedicate themself to their art, including pursuing a youth residency through Beautify Not Gentrify, a local organization. What’s not so great is that their parents consider it more of a year off without purpose. Tired of feeling like they have to prove themself to their parents and dominant society through the authenticity and validity of their artistic expression, Ander often seeks comfort in their best friends, a tightknit group of queer teens who are often the highlights of the scenes in which they appear. From the beginning, Ander is aware of the huge impact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and its politics have had in their community, but so far, it has never hit very close to home. This changes when they become involved with Santiago, an undocumented teen from Mexico. Suddenly even their sense of self becomes shaken as they start to reconsider everything around them. Although the young couple’s relationship is loving, the pace initially moves very slowly, making it difficult to sustain readers’ interest. However, the close friendships help bind the narrative together.

A relevant coming-of-age journey for patient readers.