Denzel’s Melody, DACA dance & Disappearing Dad

An immigrant story of trauma and love

Melody Lumbang-Stevens holding her newborn son Denzel Mendoza. Photo courtesy Mendoza.

Denzel Mendoza loved his student model King 606 trombone so much he would shower and sleep with it as a sixth grader, his mother, Melody Lumbang-Stevens recalls.

“He’d come back from school and take a shower and clean the trombone, and he’d sleep beside the trombone,” she laughs, still marveling…