Everyone has had some sort of struggle in their life. It’s impossible to shed light on every story, but that doesn’t devalue anyone’s story. On October 25th, 2023, Montclair welcomed in Reyna Grande, the beloved author of The Distance Between Us. Her story has charmed and connected with the students here, giving them voices they may not have known they had. Her story, as Grande has mentioned, is not unique.

Advocating for immigrant and social rights, Grande uses The Distance Between Us to tell her story of family separation, trauma, and growth. On Unity Day, Grande took the time to validate peoples’ experiences, shedding light on the stories untold. She was able to identify what her experiences were: traumatic. And with her growth in knowledge, she felt empowered to take back the saddest parts of her life, and turn it into beautiful literature. She encouraged everyone to find ways to have control over their attitude, because no one can have full control over what happens to them. In this, Grande admits that life will be challenging, but it’s always worth living through. Success, with passion, will be what changes the outcome. Because, for Grande, she never saw herself making it so far, never pictured her stories making an impact. But with perseverance and optimism, Grande was able to get the life of her dreams.

Through Unity Day, students became motivated and determined to continue to persevere, to still have dreams. And, hopefully, for the rest of their lives, they will find fulfillment in what they have chosen to do.