Inspired by the human side of the immigration debate, The Certones, a collective of Chicago musicians, are working on an album exploring underreported stories of immigration in America. Songs from the work have been aired on NPR’s Latino USA, played at demonstrations, and used for fundraising. Due out in summer of 2008, the album includes:
COYOTE considers the role of immigrant smugglers on the southwestern U.S. border
ELVIRA’S SONG, inspired by a mother who sought refuge in a church sanctuary to avoid separating from her U.S. citizen son, Saul
ICE MEN, prompted by the August 2007 Koch Foods chicken packing plant raid
JESUS, commemorating the desert heroism of Jesus Manuel Cordova, who, during an illegal border crossing on Thanksgiving Day, 2007, rescued an American child left stranded after his mother’s death in a car accident.
TERMINAL ISLAND, based on the accusation that ICE forcibly injected immigrants with psychotropic drugs during the deportation process
ZAPETA, dedicated to Pedro Zapeta, whose $59,000 life savings was seized as the undocumented worker attempted to leave the United States for his native Guatemala
