River of Fire

Creating a new life in the United States can be challenging for any minority immigrant woman who has the courage to give up everything she's ever known to start anew. In her openly honest memoir, an Indo-Trinidadian woman shares the fascinating story of how she seized an opportunity later in life to follow her dream of working in law enforcement-simply because she wanted to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Born in Trinidad, West Indies, Maria Pereira offers her early memories as a backdrop to her future life in Atlanta, Georgia, where she confronts violations at Atlanta's Fulton County Jail that threaten the well-being of fellow deputies, inmates, and visitors. Persevering against ostracization and a demotion, she describes how she stood up to her adversaries and followed her conscience, prevailing in the end and ultimately gaining the respect of the inmates and her colleagues. By refusing to allow racism or sexism to define her dream, Pereira offers an inspiring portrait that proves that making a difference is not easy, but in the end, it's immensely rewarding.