Only the Living

Based on a true story that takes place in the Western United States during the tumultuous nineteen thirties, Only the Living is centered on Teresa Wei Ramirez, a young girl of Mexican-Chinese heritage. Thrust from a stable family life as a child in Arizona into a life of migratory field work, Teresa's life evolves into one of fear, longing, and dreams of escape as her labor crew migrates through agricultural fields up and down the Pacific Coast states. Teresa's dreams of escaping become reality after she survives being beaten and abandoned in the fields of California's Central Valley farmlands and is taken to a welcoming home and family in the Tulare County town of Farmington. There she finds acceptance, love and hope for her future, yet holds a continuing fear of the life she's left behind. Her interactions with those who have created her fears, love, marriage, parenthood, reunification with family, labor union struggles, and lifestyle choices, all contribute to Teresa's struggle for belonging in diverse multicultural communities of complex, multifaceted individuals. The story takes place in a decade of change and uncertainty between two world wars, a time of massive immigrations, migrations, depression, social upheavals, prejudice and fear. A time also, of opportunity, new freedoms, changing technologies and values. A time not unlike today.