Orange Lady

by Erika Ayon

Orange Lady is a poetry collection that recounts the author's experience as an immigrant growing up in South Central Los Angeles, where her family sold oranges on the street in order to survive. In adulthood, Ms. Ayón explores different facets of grief from not belonging in certain spaces, longing for a country she left long ago, and the loss of her father. The title itself stems from a moment when she was young, and a classmate called her, “Orange Lady” in front of the whole school after seeing her selling oranges. Although that moment initially caused her immense shame, it later motivated her to become more than her circumstances. These poems depict a journey that begins with recollections of being a street vendor to fading memories of Mexico and South Central Los Angeles, to reflections about a daughter’s relationship with her father. They delve into issues of poverty, cultural identity, and the many hardships faced by the immigrant community.