The Gladioli Are Invisible - Paperback

by Mildred J. Antenor (Author)

Gladioli represent honor, respect, strength of character, rememberance, and perseverance--a poignant means by which to illustrate the Caribbean immigrant experience of the twentieth century. The Gladioli are Invisible brings a once-unseen population into view, thoughtfully exploring the everyday lives of three generations. Lucy fled an abusive husband in Haiti for the States in the 1920s, with a newborn, to seek out something better for herself and her baby. Lucy's daughter, Martha, battled with mental health issues throughout her life, exacerbated by the struggles of being a single mother. And Mildred, the author, dealt with her own hearbreak and strife, yet was able to find a way to achieve great things in spite of where she started. Masterfully told with exquisite attention to detail and skillfully layered with the many complexities of relationships, this insightful memoir is a history of family and community collected over the years through conversations with relatives, neighbors, teachers, weaving a rich tapestry of adversity, drug abuse, mental illness, alcoholism, domestic violence, and in some cases, redemption and success. From Port-au-Prince to Park Slope, Brooklyn, Antenor shows how this immigrant community has coped with the past, dealt with the present, and hopes to sustain a future amidst the concerns of maintaining themselves and their traditions.