How Dare the Sun Rise

Sandra was just ten years old when she found herself with a gun pointed at her head. She had watched as rebels gunned down her mother and six-year-old sister in a refugee camp. Remarkably, the rebel didn’t pull the trigger, and Sandra escaped.

Thus began a new life for her and her surviving family members. With no home and no money, they struggled to stay alive. Eventually, through a United Nations refugee program, they moved to America, only to face yet another ethnic disconnect. Sandra may have crossed an ocean, but there was now a much wider divide she had to overcome. And it started with middle school in New York.

In this memoir, Sandra tells the story of her survival, of finding her place in a new country, of her hope for the future, and how she found a way to give voice to her people.

Sandra Uwiringiyimana was ten years old when she found herself with a gun pointed at her head. The rebels had come at night—wielding weapons, torches, and machetes. She had watched as her mother and six-year-old sister were gunned down in a refugee camp, far from their home in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The rebels were killing people who weren’t from the same tribe.

“Good-bye, life,” she said to the man ready to shoot her.

Remarkably, the rebel didn’t pull the trigger, and Sandra escaped into the night.

Thus began a new life for her and her surviving family members. With no home and no money, they struggled to stay alive. Eventually, through a United Nations refugee program, they moved to America, only to face yet another ethnic disconnect. Sandra may have crossed an ocean, but there was now a much wider divide she had to overcome. And it started with middle school in New York.

In this profoundly moving memoir, Sandra tells the inspiring story of her survival, of finding her place in a new country, and of her hope for the future. How Dare the Sun Rise shows the unrelenting strength of one incredible young woman and her family, unveiling how she found a way to give voice to her people and begin the path to healing through art and activism.

“This gut-wrenching, poetic memoir reminds us that no life story can be reduced to the word ‘refugee.’ Uwiringiyimana weaves the pieces of her life into a fine tapestry that evokes deep empathy, even as it provides an excellent introduction for young readers to the political and economic climate in a conflict-ridden African region.” ★ “The title is a critical piece of literature, contributing to the larger refugee narrative in a way that is complex and nuanced but still accessible for a YA audience. This poignant memoir is a must-have for teen collections.” “As America’s doors threaten to shut against refugees, this memoir could not be timelier. Her ability to summon the chaos and terror is extraordinary, but then, so is she. [Uwiringiyimana] has emerged as a powerful spokesperson for the plight of the dispossessed.” “With compassion and perspicacity, Uwiringiyimana shares the journey through which she became a courageous advocate for her tribe and refugees everywhere: ‘This is my story…. I must keep telling it, until the international community proves…. that my family and all others are not disposable.’” “Sandra’s account of her transition to America is fully as engrossing as her family’s escape from their war-torn homeland, and her memories of trying to navigate American culture…will provoke consideration even with readers who look upon immigrant classmates and neighbors with indifference.” “The politically and culturally complex picture of Africa that the author paints is welcome, and the complexities of black identity for recent immigrants versus that of diasporic black people are not often touched upon in YA literature.”   “[A] story of tragedy, terror, survival, and hope. [Uwiringiyimana] becomes a powerful voice for many who are silenced: girls, women, and immigrants everywhere, refugees in particular. This hard-hitting autobiography will have readers reeling as it shows one young woman’s challenging path to healing.” “A brave and honest story that puts a human face on the international refugee crisis-and asks us all to walk a mile in Sandra’s shoes.” “Sandra’s life story has profound power. From Africa to America, to the world-an inspiring tale and a riveting read.” “In a world on fire, Sandra’s story of survival delivers essential truths and a message of peace and unity that speaks to us all.”