Join Rainy Day Books at The Bird Comedy Theater to celebrate the hilarious and satirically accurate introduction to the United States immigration system, America, Let Me In, from comedian and writer for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Felipe Torres Medina.
This event includes a comedy performance from Felipe, a moderated conversation about his new book, and an opportunity to get your book signed and personalized.
The Book
America, Let Me In: A Choose Your Immigration Story by Felipe Torres Medina
Born in Colombia, Felipe Torres Medina moved to the US at the age of 21 and has spent over ten years of his life both navigating the chaos and confusion of the immigration system and explaining that craziness to the clueless Americans around him. There are few subjects that Americans have stronger opinions on. And there are few subjects that they know less about.
So, like many immigrants before him, Torres Medina sets out to do the job American-born citizens won’t: make the US immigration process accessible, relatable, and, hey, a little bit funny. With an outsider’s eye, an insider’s affection, and a biting, humorous flair, Torres Medina invites readers from all passport lines to explore the multiple paths and potholes of moving to America, and experience just how many choices it takes to choose a new home.
In this laugh-out-loud book, you will be taken down a multitude of possible immigration stories that range from the kafkaesquely silly to an uproarious good time. Some of them are real things that happened to Felipe—like discovering in an immigration interview that he shares a name with several criminals—and some of them are totally invented and will make you question your sanity.
By the end of this handy guide, you’ll learn all you need to know about visas like the H-1B work visa, the infamous 90-day fiancé visa, the so-called Einstein visa, and many more. Remember, the fate of each character’s journey is all in your hands. So choose at your own risk.
The Author
Felipe Torres Medina is an award-winning humorist and writer based in New York City. He writes for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where his work earned him a WGA Award, a Peabody Award, and five Emmy nominations. Felipe co-hosts The Un-Tied States of America, a podcast about the country he moved to. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, BuzzFeed, BuzzFeed Español, McSweeney’s, Reductress, and CollegeHumor as well as several important media publications in Latin America such as El Espectador, KienYKe, and Revista Arcadia. He trained as a writer and comedian at the Upright Citizens Brigade in New York.
The Moderator
Taylor Kay Phillips is a writer, actor, and comedian, born and bred in KC, MO, and is currently a writer for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. Taylor’s authored A Guide to Midwestern Conversation, and her writing has been published in The New Yorker, McSweeney’s, The Atlantic, Reductress, SELF.com, and Greatist. She created and co-hosts the immigration-inspired comedy trivia game show Citizenship LIVE! . Taylor is also a part of the Musical Comedy Duo Dylan Taylor.
