We The Interwoven

We the Interwoven, Volume 1, brings us the stories of three Americans—three Iowans—whose families have found home in the heartland over the past two generations. This collection brings together a variety of genres, including nonfiction, poetry, and fiction, to represent their unique experiences and amalgamation of influences, from the coast of Azerbaijan to the border towns of Mexico to the archipelago of the Philippines. These stories reflect who they were, who they are, and who they hope to become with the help of Iowa’s fields of opportunity. While the American Dream may bring to mind the quintessential white picket fence, the American experience is as unique as it is diverse.

Jesus “Chuy” Renteria was born in Iowa City and raised in West Liberty, Iowa. Both sides of his family are from border towns in Mexico that transplanted to meatpacking towns in the Midwest.

Sadagat Aliyeva was born and raised in Turkan, a suburb of Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, during the Soviet Era of Stagnation. Her burning desire for freedom brought her to the United States, where she settled in Des Moines, Iowa.

Melissa Palma is the daughter of Filipino immigrants who moved to the United States in the 1980s before she was born. She grew up in a multigenerational household with her grandparents, parents, and little sister in Waterloo, Iowa.