A Handful of Stars

Cynthia Lord explores the complex dynamics between migrant workers and American communities, highlighting the invisible yet undeniable separation that often exists between these two groups. Lily, the protagonist, initially grapples with this societal divide, recognizing the unspoken barriers that prevent meaningful interactions between the two groups. Her confession, “the only reason I ever spoke to Salma Santiago was because my dog ate her lunch,” (1) underscores the randomness of her encounter with Salma, suggesting that genuine connections like it are rare. In Lily’s community, the migrant workers’ presence is often taken for granted, their contributions overlooked, and their voices silenced—Salma states, “People want us to come and work, but they want us to be invisible” (94). This contradiction encapsulates the nuanced challenges migrants confront, where they are both integral to the workforce and yet treated as an annoyance. This marginalization further hinders meaningful connections between the two groups. Lily’s nonchalant remark, “I don’t usually talk to those kids and they don’t usually talk to me” (3), aptly captures a societal refusal to have these two groups interact. In turn, this lack of contact not only limits the opportunities for understanding and empathy but also reinforces the perception of “otherness” that migrant communities often face.

Salma’s participation in the beauty pageant reveals a longstanding reluctance to embrace diversity within the community. The community’s apprehension toward her participation stems from a deep-seated fear of the “other,” a fear of what is unfamiliar and different. Salma’s outsider status, amplified by her migrant worker background, casts her as an uncomfortable presence in the community’s carefully constructed hierarchy. Such discomfort is felt in subtle cues, such as Mrs. LaRue’s repeated reminders of Salma’s foreign status, reinforcing her sense of displacement, or the hairstylists’ judgmental glances, their expressions a silent language of suspicion and exclusion. These subtle acts of discrimination reinforce a prevalent aversion to difference, which denies migrant workers a real sense of belonging and acceptance among the people of the community. Salma’s presence in the pageant disrupts the community’s carefully constructed narrative of social homogeneity, which only exists as a result of the purposeful erasure of a significant part of community members. Years before, Lily’s mother had disrupted the community’s biases as well, challenging the notion that belonging is determined by homogeneity. The parallel between the challenges Salma and Lily’s mother both faced as outsiders illustrates the enduring quest for recognition within a community resistant to change.

Lily’s initial perception of Salma as an outsider undergoes a gradual transformation, influenced not only by the similarities between Salma and her mother but also by Lily’s growing recognition of the migrant community as a whole. The clash between Lily’s public advocacy for Salma’s inclusion in the pageant and her private reservations showcases the internal struggle individuals face when confronting ingrained societal biases. It is only when Lily sees Salma is not an isolated individual but part of a broader collective with shared experiences and struggles that a profound shift in her perspective takes place. She recognizes that Salma’s “otherness” is not a personal trait but rather a consequence of societal structures that marginalize migrant workers, limiting their opportunities and perpetuating stereotypes. This shift in perspective fosters empathy and compassion, allowing Lily to connect with Salma on a deeper level and appreciate the struggles and triumphs of her entire community. Lily’s recognition of the migrant community as a collective entity underscores the importance of understanding individuals not in isolation but as integral parts of broader social networks. This acknowledgment aligns with Lily’s growing realization that the well-being of her community is too intertwined with the individuals who comprise it, echoing her belief that her community “needed [Salma], maybe even more than she needed [them]” (5). This realization forms the core of Lily’s transformation from a self-centered perspective to a more inclusive and empathetic understanding of the world around her.