Mother of Exiles

In 1898, on Angel Island, a pregnant Eddie Loi faces deportation amid America’s tightening immigration laws. A century later, her great-grandson Braulio, through his role in the Miami border patrol, inadvertently conjures her spirit — unleashing a witty, opinionated ancestor. By 2063, their descendants, beset by climate catastrophe, embark on a perilous oceanic journey seeking sanctuary. From detention to diaspora, Mother of Exiles follows a single family’s century-and-a-half odyssey — tracing their flight, fight, and the futures they dare imagine. Jessica Huang’s multigenerational triptych blends historical drama with supernatural encounters, weaving moments of surprising humor into a powerful portrait of belonging and resilience.

Mother of Exiles received a Venturous Playwright Fellowship at the Playwrights’ Center in St. Paul, MN, supported by Venturous Theater Fund of the Tides Foundation.