This book presents an intimate portrayal of African migration through Mexico, based on a four-year longitudinal ethnography (2021-2025) conducted in Tijuana, Tapachula, and Mexico City. Through the lives of five African migrants, it explores the complex and ever-changing migration systems that shape their journeys, decisions, and ultimate destinations—be it the United States, Canada, a return to their home countries, or settling in Mexico. Each chapter delves into a migrant's life story, offering a nuanced examination of forced migration infrastructures, smuggling networks, and the unique vulnerabilities faced by women in the asylum system. It also highlights how gender roles, expectations, and intersectional inequalities influence mobility, protection, and belonging across borders. The narratives reveal a complex web of interactions with corrupt migration authorities, compassionate smugglers, activists, and researchers, all navigating the intricacies of migration regimes. This ethnographic approach provides readers with authentic, bittersweet accounts of contemporary migration trajectories across the Americas. It challenges preconceived notions, revealing that smugglers are not uniformly malevolent, researchers often extend beyond their academic roles, and migrants' decisions are frequently driven by factors beyond rational calculation. By illuminating these multifaceted realities, the book offers a profound understanding of the human experiences underlying current migration patterns in the region. It also provides the views and strategies of different actors, not only the migrants, but also other people sharing part of the migrants’ stories and making their journeys possible (e.g. researchers, smugglers and activists). Even though it originates from academic research, the tone and contents are intended to be accessible to anyone interested in the topic.
