Diane Guerrero’s memoir In the Country We Love: My Family Divided is headed to the small screen.
After putting pen to paper to detail how, as a teen, she was thrust into adulthood when her undocumented parents were forced to return to Colombia following an unsuccessful attempt to secure U.S. citizenship, the Orange is the New Black and Jane the Virgin actress will take the lead in a CBS drama loosely based on her life.
According to reports, In the Country We Love will tell the story of a top corporate attorney who takes on pro bono cases for undocumented immigrants as a daughter of deported immigrants herself.
An honest look into the lives of immigrants is timely as the debate on immigration reform is sure to continue beyond election day, and a prime time slot offers Diane the opportunity to expand the dialogue. “Now at least people are listening. They’re willing to address the issues [around immigration]. That’s the important part,” she told Vogue in May. “So no, when I hear people like [Donald Trump], I don’t get discouraged; I get motivated.”
In the Country We Love is currently in development for next season.