| You are currently viewing a revision titled "Pick A Book", saved on September 23, 2021 at 6:38 am by Diana Esperanza (She/Her/Ms) | |
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| Title | Pick A Book |
| Content | I chose the book “ Ordinary Girls” by Jaquira Diaz to read for the assignment. As an Afro-Latina, I felt she may have written a memoir that is close to my life. In the YouTube video “ Racial Justice Reads”, she read an excerpt about her grandmother questioning her appearance because of her dark complexion and coily hair. I had a similar experience with my grandmother when I was kid. I felt horrible and guilty for not being what she expected me to be. Diaz’s experience made me feel validated that in a Hispanic household, colorism and/or racism does exist. Many families like to cover it up or find nothing wrong in denigrating their own family member. Jacquira Diaz’s writing reminds me of another author, Esmeralda Santiago. “When I was Puerto Rican” was a memoir that felt familiar to me and Esmeralda made me feel like family. Jaquira Diaz has the same storytelling style. Elizabeth Acevedo is another writer who I enjoyed reading her work, “The Poet X”. Her memoir was about finding how she fits in this world and her sexuality. All three writers have a connection which is writing where they found their voices in a country that does not speak their native language, Spanish. Words on paper and telling their life story was how they stood out and I enjoy reading this type of writing. |
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