Stories
Dreams & Shadows // With Good REason (Virginia Humanities)
Dr. Emma Violand-Sanchez has dedicated her life to supporting immigrant and refugee students in the American public education system. Emma immigrated from Bolivia to America without her parents in 1961 as a senior in high school, knowing little English. Her memoir Dreams and Shadows: An Immigrant’s Journey is a Virginia story, from the desk of a 16-year-old Emma during the height of desegregation and an adult woman who often had to justify her presence in schools where she was supporting immigrants and refugees.
AGING MATTERS // Emma Violand-Sanchez, Ed.D.
Conversation with Emma Violand-Sanchez, Ed.D., Immigrant, Educator, and Author, Dreams and Shadows: An Immigrant’s Journey, about life in Bolivia and as a U.S. citizen, and her work as an educator of children who speak little English and students who want to overcome immigration barriers in pursuit of higher education. AGING MATTERS weekly podcast/radio program features individuals with expertise about a broad array of aging-related topics. The show is broadcast on Apple, Spotify and other podcast sites and promoted among Pacifica Network community radio affiliates.
Ex-School Board member recounts her advocacy and rise in Arlington politics in new memoir
A former Arlington School Board member has published a new memoir about her work in education, politics and activism.
“Dreams and Shadows: An Immigrant’s Journey” recounts Emma Violand-Sánchez’s extensive career in Arlington Public Schools after traveling from Bolivia to the United States. From reliving the loss of her first husband to exploring her advocacy for immigrant students in Arlington, the 336-page book, co-written with David Bearinger, is full of both triumph and tragedy.
“Writing is healing,” Violand-Sánchez said during an April 4 luncheon interview at Busboys & Poets in Shirlington.
Stories of Life // Emma Violand-Sanchez, Ed.D.
This Stories of Life episode features Doctor Emma Violand-Sanchez, proud immigrant, educator, former Arlington School Board member, and Dream Project founder. She talks about being an Arlington Public School educator and serving on the Arlington School Board. She also discusses establishing the Dream Project as a way to empower students to overcome immigration barriers in pursuit of an education.
The Homefront // Women of war //Virtinia Humanities : With Good REason
Heath Lee and Jessica Frazier walk us through the surprising and sometimes contentious relationship between antiwar activists and the wives of POWs, while Marian Novak and Emma Sanchez describe the lonely and troubling experience of holding down the homefront while their husbands were at war.
New Memoir Dreams and Shadows: An Immigrant’s Journey Chronicles a Remarkable Story of Resilience, Loss, and Triumph
Dreams and Shadows: An Immigrant’s Journey by Emma Violand-Sánchez, with co-author, David Bearinger, is a new inspiring memoir that sheds light on the power of perseverance, faith, and courage. Published by Koehler Books and set to release on March 20, 2025, this deeply personal and timely book tells the extraordinary true story of a Bolivian immigrant who overcame immense obstacles to become a transformative leader in American public education and immigrant rights.