Latinx

  • Book List, Latinx, Reading

    Six Books by Latinas to Read This Summer

    Pretty much my favorite thing in the whole wide world is a good book list. 

    But then, you probably know that about me already. 

    And summer is an ESPECIALLY crucial time to have great reading options available! To me, nothing says “vacation” louder than a stack of wonderful books just waiting for me to read them.

    (The other day my husband and I went out of town for three days to celebrate our anniversary and between the two of us, we took 7 BOOKS, which was… excessive. But did feel VERY vacation-y!)

    So today I thought I’d share some great books I’ve read and recommend for your summer reading list—all written by Latina authors! I was so happy to find that it wasn’t difficult at all to find several recent books by Latinas in multiple genres to include in this guide, which gives me great hope for the future.

    BOOKS BY LATINAS TO READ THIS SUMMER

    Old novel: Dominicana by Angie Cruz

    I just think it’s the worst when book lists are filled with new-releases that you have to wait 100 years to get from the library, so although “Dominicana” is actually only a couple of years old, it should be fairly easy to get your hands on this one. Ana Canción was never one of those dominicanas who dreamed of moving to the States. But when Juan Ruiz (a man twice her age) proposes and promises to take her to New York City, she has to accept the opportunity to move away from the place where hope for a better future is ever-dwindling; not just for her, but for her whole family. This was an incredibly insightful portrait of what it means to be an immigrant in America, and once again, beautiful writing by Angie Cruz. 

    Image of the book "Infinite Country."

    New novel: Infinite Country by Patricia Engel

    This book hooked me from its very first line: “It was her idea to tie up the nun.” Ahh! This 2021 release about a Colombian family—half in the U.S. and half in Colombia—is just so, so good. I loved the way this book highlights so many different immigration experiences: a deported father, an undocumented mother, kids raised in the U.S. with and without U.S. citizenship, and a U.S. citizen raised in Colombia. And though the author doesn’t shy away from writing the pain, overall this story is a gorgeous portrayal of hope and one family’s commitment to each other (that I couldn’t put down and blazed through in a couple of days). Besides the fact that it was a joy to read such a nuanced immigration story (which is no small thing), the writing is incredible! Highly recommend. 

    YA/Fantasy: Lobizona by Romina Garber

    Fantasy is not usually my first choice, but I picked this one up because A) my friend Madison said it was really good and B) I wanted to have a few different genres represented in this book list. And I have to admit, a couple of times when I was reading, I’d look up and be like “I am reading a book about werewolves right now…” But then the story was so engrossing, I’d shrug and pick it back up. Props to Romina Garber for crafting an excellent story that weaves magic, social commentary, immigration, Argentine folklore and bilingualism! As a not-YA, I’m not the target audience for this book but I still read it in two days and will absolutely read the sequel, coming out this August! 

    Romance: The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

    I read a review of this book that described it as “kind of like a Jane Austen novel with a splash of telekinesis thrown in,” which IMHO is spot-on. Antonina “Nina” Beaulieu is a fish out of water, sent to the city of Loisail to stay with her cousin and his wife, Valérie, who is supposed to oversee her first Grand Season where she will hopefully find a husband. When she’s drawn to Hector Auvray, a performer who shares the same telekinetic abilities she has, it becomes clear she’s been dropped straight into a world she’s both ill-prepared and ill-fitted for. This is a classic love triangle with several twists, and while it is slower-paced (especially at the beginning), it’s just a very easy romance to read. I blazed through it in a couple of days at the beach, and it was just a perfect light vacation read. Solid writing by Moreno-Garcia, who apparently never writes books in the same genre twice! 

    Memoir: My Broken Language by Quiara Alegría Hudes

    Originally I picked this book up because Quiara Alegría Hudes (along with Lin-Manuel Miranda) wrote the excellent musical “In the Heights.” TBH I didn’t know anything else about it, and was very pleasantly surprised by the gorgeous writing of this book (what else would you expect from a prize-winning lyricist, though, right?). I especially loved all of the unapologetic and unexplained Spanish in Hudes’ coming-of-age story as a half-Jewish, half-Puerto Riqueña growing up with her Santera mom in Philly. Warning that there’s quite a bit of swearing and some strong thematic elements to this memoir!

    Image of the book "La casa de los espíritus."

    En español: La casa de los espíritus by Isabel Allende

    If I haven’t yet convinced you to read something by Isabel Allende (honestly my life’s mission), then just go ahead and start with this absolute CLASSIC! This book is magical realism perfection, and follows the Trueba family through four generations, from post-World War I Chile through the Pinochet coup which overthrew the Allende government in 1973. Written in masterful prose by Isabel Allende, this book is (with good reason!) one of the most important and beloved Latin American works of the twentieth century. Whether we’re reading about ethereal Clara and her violent husband Esteban; their daughter, Blanca (and her forbidden love for a man named Pedro Tercero); or granddaughter Alba, a beautiful and ambitious girl who wants to usher Chile into its revolutionary future—Allende grips us in this sweeping saga. (TW for some strong thematic elements including rape and abortion.) 

    ***

    Feliz verano and happy reading! Hope one or more of these books by Latinas is calling your name!

    P.S. 8 (more) books for your summer reading list, because can you ever really have too many?

    READ MORE

  • Alegría, Latinx

    5 Ways to Find Alegría in One Minute or Less

    • Comments Off on 5 Ways to Find Alegría in One Minute or Less

    Are you ok?

    If there’s any question that will define 2020 in my mind, it’s this one. The other day I came across this: according to researchers who analyze emotions expressed on Twitter, 2020 is the saddest year in the 13 years since their study began, setting multiple “saddest day ever” records). We’re not only dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, but also with a “pandemic of human disappointment” as all of our events & plans are canceled, our regular routines thrown out the window, and our vision for what this year would be… evaporated.

    So if you (like so many of us!) are contending with low-key 2020 blues, I want to share some quick ways to find alegría that you can count on for a little pick-me-up. They won’t cure more severe mental health symptoms that can strain your ability to cope (for those, look to a therapist, counselor or helpline ¡por favor!), but these small things can for sure change the course of a day. 

    1. Sit in the sunshine. Even before the pandemic, research showed that Americans spend an average of 87% of their time indoors, and another 6% in cars, so many of us don’t get nearly enough sunlight. Which is no good, because sunlight elevates serotonin levels, a neurotransmitter that is critical in balancing mood. It’s also super important for helping our bodies form vitamin D! Even one minute spent letting the sun warm my (sunscreened) face makes such a difference. Pro tip: roll up your sleeve during the winter so the sun can hit more of your bare skin! 

    2. Brinca. Photographer Phillippe Halsman worked with all of the biggest celebs of his day (Marilyn Monroe, Richard Nixon, Audrey Hepburn), and he always made them jump. He believed that jumping helped people drop their masks and release the joyful self inside. And it really is nearly impossible to be grouchy while leaping through the air (try it!). Other effective ways to find alegría: skipping, hopping, or even just throwing your hands in the air. 

    3. Do something new. Staying mostly at home can make all our days almost identical. So even adding something small to the normal routine can brighten up a day. Order a chai if you normally drink coffee, wear something you would normally NEVER wear, eat dessert first. 🙂 Doing something new can help break the downward spiral of a bad mood and perhaps offer a moment of joy. 

    Momentos de alegría poster.

    4. Look up. This one seems so simple, but it really works. We spend so much time looking down at our phones and our computers, so lifting the gaze opens up your posture and allows more light into your eyes. Both of those things can help improve mood and shift your perspective (literally and metaphorically). And looking up increases the likelihood you’ll see something happy, like a bird, a butterfly, or a whimsical shape in the clouds. I love hanging plants in my house, because they give us an interesting reason to look up! 

    5. Cheer someone else up. This one is basically a guarantee! Focusing on making someone else feel good takes the focus off your own less-awesome feelings. And thinking about ways to cheer someone up, whether through a kind gesture, a funny video or joke, or a thoughtful little surprise, give you almost as much joy as actually doing the thing. AND if you are successful in sparking someone else’s joy, you’ll probably “catch” some as you feel their joy boomerang right back to you. 

    It’s easy to overlook very small things like this or dismiss them as unimportant. But I’ve been all about the “small moments of joy” this year because, well, so many of our big ones seem to have been put on hold. Also, because emotions tend to work in “positive feedback loops” (meaning they compound and create more of the same emotion), even a few small moments of joy each day can have a meaningful impact. 

    Do you have a quick way to find alegría that never fails to boost your mood? I would love to know, please share it in the comments!

    P.S. Our free “Momentos de alegría 2020” poster (pictured above) is the gift that keeps on giving! Download it here if you haven’t already & get our list of small, joyful activities for the whole family. We’ve been working our way through it, and checking off all of the happy things we’ve done together is a mood-booster for sure! 

    (Photo of Audrey Hepburn by Philippe Halsman.)

    READ MORE

  • Latinx

    (Virtual) Hispanic Heritage Month

    • Comments Off on (Virtual) Hispanic Heritage Month

    There are a lot of things to love about September: cooler weather, sending the kids back to school (well, maybe not SENDING them to school this year but you know what I mean), bouquets of newly sharpened pencils… 

    And one thing that I ESPECIALLY love about September is celebrating 1) Mexican Independence Day, which we do every single year and 2) the start of Hispanic Heritage Month! For me, both are opportunities to make sure my little Latinitas are strongly rooted in their heritage. And while you never have to wait for an annual event to take pride in your cultural background, I really like that as a nation we collectively take a few weeks to celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of Americans with Latin American backgrounds (and there are so many!). 

    Three little girls dressed in typical Mexican dresses for Hispanic Heritage Month.

    I’ve been thinking about what it means for Latinx children to celebrate their heritage as we approach Hispanic Heritage Month. I thought I would share what my June BILINGUIFY! students wrote about why it’s important for them to raise kids who connect to both culture and language. Here are some of my very favorite things they wrote: 

    “My daughter will be the definition of being an immigrant in this country. She will be a part of two different cultures and be fluent in two beautiful, rich and powerful languages: English and Spanish.” 

    “I want my girls to identify as strong, Latina women, and I think being bilingual will help them feel more connected to the culture.” 

    “I thought I just wanted my girls to connect to their heritage, family, have advantages later in life, etc. But once I started digging, I realized I wanted my daughters to get to know me. Speaking and maintaining my Spanish is an integral part of who I am. I want them to know my story. Parenting is really hard and adding Spanish to my plate feels even harder. But now I feel like I have a greater reason for doing all of this.” 

    Can you relate to any of these? I definitely can! 

    I thought I’d share a few virtual options for celebrating a virtual Hispanic Heritage Month at home this year since most in-person events will probably be canceled: 

    • The Smithsonian Latino Center (SLC). The SLC has tons of online resources, including the Smithsonian Latino Virtual Museum. Here are their family & public programs, and they also have a teacher’s toolkit with bilingual learning activities for pre-K-16 that you can find here. So cool!
    • Google Arts & Culture: Latino Cultures in the U.S. The Google Arts & Culture online collection has things in lots of different categories, including film, sports, dance, music, tradition, and style. And (no surprise from Google), it’s user-friendly and very easy to navigate.
    • Grupo de Artistas LatinoAmericanos (GALA) Hispanic Theatre. The GALA Hispanic Theatre in Washington, D.C., recently launched a new digital strategy, GALA En Familia, so that we all can engage with Hispanic and Latinx performing arts from home. On their sites you can see dance performances, monologues, reading, lectures y más. All the videos are in Spanish (with options for subtitles) so that’s great for a little extra Spanish exposure. 

    Whether you’re already speaking Spanish at home with the kids & want to make sure you keep momentum, or you want to raise bilingual kids but haven’t quite nailed your strategy yet, this is a great month to “echarle ganas!” Hispanic Heritage Month provides so many opportunities to connect with our Latinx heritage and this year especially, I’ll take any excuse for a celebration I can get. 

    ***

    P.S. I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to contribute even in a small way to helping parents tap into the joy of raising kids who are rooted in their heritage and language. Soooo happy! So I’m thrilled to say that in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I’m opening up BILINGUIFY! one last time until 2021! 

    If you’re ready to feel inspired and creative about bilingual parenting, I hope you’ll join us. No matter where you are in your bilingual parenting, you belong. Promise! I’ll open the program on September 17th & we start on September 28th so mark your calendar if you want in! 

    READ MORE