Just Like Us

Why should two teenagers labor over their homework if they will just end up working at McDonald's?

Four young women of Mexican heritage grow up in the Denver area and upon their high school graduation face the stinging effects that come with the realities of life in the United States as immigrants; both legal and illegal. Helen Thorpe follows the stories of Marisela, Yadira, Clara and Elissa over several years charting their progress through college. All four of the women are highly motivated to shine in their academic pursuits, but the reality is that without legal immigration status, it may prove difficult to achieve professional goals in the US. Thorpe is an experienced journalist who presents various sides of the immigration debate. Just Like Us offers a rare look inside the culture and everyday concerns of the undocumented Mexican immigrant.