Author Of Book Sharing Immigrant Women's Stories Plans Year's First Stop In Plainfield

PLAINFIELD, IL — For many, communicating with people in everyday life is something not given a second thought. But for immigrant women studying English for the first time at the Dominican Literacy Center in Aurora, it's a journey not taken for granted.

Blanca started as a housekeeper, working through the ranks of a company for years before a decision from corporate changed her life. Juanita was able to escape stalkers by starting a new life in the United States. Maribel, a survivor of domestic violence, started her own business after cleaning toilets for a living. Each of these stories, plus others, are told in Chicago author Anna Marie Kukec Tomczyk's first book, "We Are Eagles."

The author, a freelance journalist, will make her first book tour stop of the year at the Plainfield Public Library, 15025 S. Illinois St., at 7 p.m. Jan. 13. At the free event, Kukec Tomczyk will discuss her book and the process of writing it, read the first chapter and share pictures of the women whose stories she's telling.

First released as a paperback in April 2021, the narrative nonfiction work covers the Aurora literacy center's first 25 years by sharing stories from a few of the initial five women — including the very first, Juanita — to partake in the programs.

At Dominican Literacy Center, an organization and located at 260 Vermont Avenue in Aurora, women learn to read, write and speak English. Staff also help prepare immigrants to pass their naturalization test and become U.S. citizens. Since its founding in 1993, more than 2,500 women have participated in its programs.

"They've seen so many success stories out of there that a number of the women, once they learned English and were able to assimilate themselves into the society here, they suddenly just blossomed," she said.

Written as if happening in the present day, Kukec Tomczyk's book reveals why the women decided to go to the center to learn English and what made them continue until they were able to "get a basic understanding of this crazy language we deal with on a daily basis."

Setting "We Are Eagles" apart from other books, Kukec Tomczyk structured it to give readers several ways to immerse themselves in its words: reading it cover to cover like any other book or picking one woman's story and reading it section to section.

"I tried to make a new approach to this book and how it was formed," the author said, adding it was an idea her husband, Jim, gave her.

A journalist, Kukec Tomczyk wrote for newspapers and magazines until switching to freelancing in 2017, giving her time to begin reporting for her book. Of interviewing and getting to know the women, Kukec Tomczyk said it was a rewarding process.

"It is difficult to go in there cold. None of these women knew me," she said. "None of them knew what I would do with their stories, so I had to talk to them a number of times and try to earn their respect and trust."

She continued: "Some of them were opening up to very emotional and heartbreaking situations that they lived. It was almost like they were reliving those situations again, even though they were decades old by then."

Since its release, the book has garnered an international audience. Though it has yet to be translated into other languages, Kukec Tomczyk said it has been marketed to an English-speaking audience in countries including Japan, Australia, India, Italy and Canada.

"It's very heartwarming to see some international sales as well, especially at the very beginning," she said.

"We Are Eagles" is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Town House Books & Cafe in St. Charles, among other stores.

Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect "We Are Eagles" was released in April 2021, not 2020. Patch apologizes for the error.