Women’s Giving Fund book discussion to bring immigration scholar Stephanie Canizales to Park City

Stephanie Canizales, author of “Sin Padres, Ni Papeles,” will speak at Park City Community Foundation’s Women’s Giving Fund book discussion May 5 at the Jim Santy Auditorium. Photo:

The May 5 event will feature “Sin Padres, Ni Papeles,” a community conversation with Wasatch Immigration Project and a book signing at Dolly’s Bookstore

PARK CITY, Utah — Park City Community Foundation’s Women’s Giving Fund will host its annual book discussion on May 5 with author and sociologist Stephanie Canizales, whose book, “Sin Padres, Ni Papeles: Unaccompanied Migrant Youth Coming of Age in the United States,” examines the lives of undocumented youth who migrate to the United States alone.

Canizales’ book focuses on unaccompanied migrant youth in Los Angeles, tracing the pressures they face while coming of age without parents or legal status. According to the University of California Press, the book examines how undocumented teens navigate low-wage work, emotional and material hardship, family obligations, and their own definitions of success in adulthood.

The evening will begin with a 6:30 p.m. reception in the Community Room, where guests can meet Canizales, take part in a hands-on activity, and gather for snacks. The program will move to the Jim Santy Auditorium at 7 p.m. for an author presentation, followed by a community conversation with a guest speaker from the Wasatch Immigration Project and an audience Q&A. A book signing with Dolly’s Bookstore will follow at 8 p.m. in the Community Room.

The discussion comes less than a year after the Wasatch Immigration Project was named the Women’s Giving Fund’s 2025 high-impact grantee. Park City Community Foundation awarded a record $150,000 among three finalists last July, with Wasatch Immigration Project receiving the top grant of $90,000. Peace House and SOS Outreach each received $30,000.

The Wasatch Immigration Project, a nonprofit serving the greater Wasatch Back, provides accessible legal advice, representation, and education to individuals and families navigating the immigration system.

The Women’s Giving Fund makes annual high-impact grants to organizations serving women and children in Summit County. The fund was founded by more than 1,000 members who each contributed $1,000 to become lifetime members, according to Park City Community Foundation.

Park City Community Foundation said the book discussion is intended to give community members a chance to hear from Canizales and to connect more deeply with stories shaping local and national conversations about immigration, youth, and belonging.

The event is scheduled for 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, at the Jim Santy Auditorium, 1255 Park Ave, and is open to all.