In The Community
"Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Image credit: Editorial Simon & Schuster
This beautifully written coming-of-age novel follows the story of two Mexican-American boys, Aristotle and Dante, as they navigate the challenges of growing up, friendship, and falling in love. “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” is a tender exploration of identity, family, and self-acceptance, so it will open your eyes to many aspects of the queer experience. It also has a 2022 movie adaptation directed by Cuban Aitch Alberto that you can watch when you’re done!
"Brief Story from the Green Planet" (2019)
Image credit: IMDB
Speaking of movies, “Brief Story from the Green Planet” is the first one on the list. Directed by Argentine filmmaker Santiago Loza, this is a sci-fi adventure movie that follows Tania, a transgender woman who recently lost her beloved grandmother and is grieving. Soon after this sad news, she accidentally discovers that her grandmother was hosting an alien at her home. With the help of two friends, Tania goes on the journey of returning the alien where it belongs. The characters are vulnerable and resilient, and the movie presents a metaphor that’s for viewers to unravel for themselves.
“Juliet Takes a Breath” by Gabby Rivera
Image credit: Editorial Riverdale Avenue Books
The next book on the list is written by Gabby Rivera and it’s a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story about a gay Latina from the Bronx. The book follows Juliet as she grapples with her identity and goes on a journey of self-discovery when she interns for a feminist writer she admires. Juliet’s journey in “Juliet Takes a Breath” is a raw portrayal of intersectionality, feminism, and queer identity. It’s an important read not only for queer Latinos but also for people who want to understand queer experiences a bit better.
"Gentefied" (2020-2021)
Image credit: Netflix
If you’re in the mood for binging a good show, “Gentefied” has two seasons you can dive into. This is a dramedy show that follows three Mexican-American cousins in East Los Angeles as they navigate the challenges of gentrification, family, and their own identities. The show includes queer storylines, notably featuring Ana, a queer artist who struggles to balance her passion with her family's expectations. It’s an enjoyable show that will make you laugh but it also delivers important messages about life, family, love, and the Latino experience.
"The Grief Keeper" by Alexandra Villasante
Image credit: Editorial Putnam
Written by Alexandra Villasante of Uruguayan descent, “The Grief Keeper” is a YA novel that follows Marisol, a Salvadoran refugee who agrees to participate in a secret government experiment to keep her sister safe. The experiment consists of becoming a grief keeper, someone who takes another person’s grief into their own body to save a life. It’s a risky experiment, but Marisol didn’t expect that one of the risks would be falling in love. It's a powerful story about trauma, love, queer love, and the lengths we'll go to protect the people we love.
"Vida" (2018-2020)
Image credit: IMDB
“Vida” is a must-watch that will make you feel and also break you a little. Created by Tanya Saracho, a talented Mexican-American actress, playwright, dramaturge, and screenwriter, “Vida” draws inspiration from the short story “Pour Vida” by Richard Villegas Jr. This Starz series is boldly queer with elements of magical realism and it follows the journey of Emma (Mishel Prada) and Lyn (Melissa Barrera) as they return to their Boyle Heights home after their mother's death. Their return forces them to confront their past and how much they’ve changed since they left. At its core, Vida is about peeling back the layers to discover our true selves, making it quite relatable. It only has two seasons, so it's perfect for a good TV show binge session.
“They Both Die at the End” by Adam Silvera
Image credit: Harper Collins Publishers
Written by Adam Silvera of Puerto Rican descent, “They Both Die at the End” is a YA, LGBTQ+ novel that follows Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio as they face their final day on Earth. They don’t want to spend it on their own, so they use an app to search for people to share their last few precious hours alive and they find each other. It’s a groundbreaking story about two Latino gay boys and the power of love, which is very important to highlight in the Latino community as it sometimes struggles with LGBTQ+ acceptance.
"The Firefly" (2015)
Image credit: IMDB
“The Firefly” is known as the first Colombian movie ever made about lesbians. Even though it’s a bit of an oldie, it’s worth a watch. It’s a romance, fantasy, and drama film directed by Colombian director, screenwriter, and producer Ana Maria Hermida. “The Firefly” follows Lucia who has been married to a banker for 4 years but she’s just not happy. One day, she gets the news that her estranged brother died in a car accident on his wedding day. Lucia visits her brother’s grieving fiancée, Mariana, and they strike up an unexpected bond that soon turns romantic. Will she continue in a loveless marriage or be with Mariana? It’s quite an exploration of grief, coming to terms with one’s identity, and love.
“Loving in the War Years” by Cherrie Moraga
Image credit: South End Press
Cherrie Moraga is a Chicana writer, feminist, and activist who published “Loving in the War Years” in 1983, a time when gay Chicano identities were being censored. It’s a classic Chicano feminist work that explores themes like Chicano identity, white-passing privilege, LGBTQ+ identity and unapologetically embracing it, feminism, and solidarity with women of color. It’s a classic for a reason and it has been a validating read for countless Chicanos since its publication.
"Love, Victor" (2020-2022)
Image credit: IMDB
Last but not least, “Love, Victor” is a teen comedy-drama inspired and set in the same world as “Love, Simon,” the 2018 movie. “Love, Victor” follows Victor, a teen of Puerto Rican and Colombian descent who’s struggling with his sexual orientation. While “Love, Simon” deals with the struggles of coming out to others when you’re not ready, “Love, Victor” deals with coming to terms with your sexuality and navigating the challenging aspects of that. It has 3 seasons you can binge and you’ll definitely enjoy Simon’s journey.
Dominicana by Angie Cruz
This is a character-focused historical fiction book that follows Ana Cancion, a 15-year-old girl who’s married off to a man over twice her age to secure her family’s future. Ana's experience is difficult when moving from the Dominican Republic to Harlem. The story is based on the story of the author’s own mother, and it’s an intimate, raw exploration of being a young girl trying to find her place in the world. Ana’s story has layers of complexity, exploring themes like language, culture, power dynamics, class, abuse, violence, war, and more. It’s a captivating story about the loss of one’s innocence, and it’s impossible to put down.
The Great Divide by Cristina Henriquez
Another historical fiction, “The Great Divide,” is a story set during the construction of the Panama Canal, focusing on the lives of the people who contributed to its creation. This book explores the personal cost of progress through a variety of characters. There’s Francisco, a local fisherman who has been affected by the construction of the canal; Omar, Francisco’s son who is a laborer looking for belonging; Ana Buntin, a 16-year-old from Barbados who’s resilient and hopeful; and John Oswald, a scientist fighting malaria in Panama. Henriquez explores ambition, sacrifice, and loyalty through these characters, shedding light on the diverse community of laborers, dreamers, and activists who shaped the Panama Canal.
Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez
Xochitl Gonzalez is a New York Times bestselling author, and this novel follows a first-generation Ivy League student, Raquel, who stumbles upon the forgotten work of Anita de Monte, an artist who died suspiciously in 1985. Raquel, who is working on her final thesis, feels like she doesn’t belong and is buckling under the pressure of working twice as hard for the same opportunities as everyone else. However, when she becomes involved with an older art student, things start to change. It’s through Anita’s story and work, however, that Raquel starts to question the dynamics of her relationship. This explores themes like love, power, and art from the perspectives of two different women.
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
We have another New York Times bestselling author! Known for “The Poet X,” Elizabeth Acevedo is an Afro-Latina shedding light on Dominican-American and Afro-Caribbean culture. “With the Fire on High” is a Young Adult novel that follows Emoni Santiago, a young mother who takes care of her daughter and her abuela. Emoni is in her high school senior year, so she’s balancing her current responsibilities and the pursuit of her dream of becoming a chef. The kitchen is the one place where she can let everything go and work her magic. The book is beautifully written and it has you rooting for Emoni, wishing you could try some of her delicious food.
Like Happiness by Ursula Villarreal-Moura
In this contemporary literary fiction, Ursula Villarreal-Moura explores the dynamics of gender, fame, and power. The story follows Tatum Vega, a young woman who had a tumultuous relationship with a famous writer, M. DomĂnguez, in New York City. After 10 years, Tatum rebuilt her life in Chile and has a new partner, Vera, but their world is turned upside down when Tatum gets a call from a reporter investigating DomĂnguez for assault. Forced to revisit her past, Tatum reflects on her past relationship and explores themes like gender, fame, Latino identity, power dynamics in relationships, and more.
The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina HenrĂquez
People who have immigrated to the U.S. from South and Central American countries will see themselves reflected in the pages of this book. The story follows a cast of sympathetic characters and it explores the love story between a Panamanian boy and a Mexican girl who live in an apartment complex full of immigrant families. This book provides many different perspectives, and it explores the struggle of pursuing the mythical American Dream. It’s poignant, beautifully written, and very moving, so you may need to have some tissues at hand.
Fury by Clyo Mendoza
Written by Mexican poet and novelist, Clyo Mendoza, “Fury” takes place in a desolate desert, and it follows a few different characters. We have Lázaro and Juan, soldiers from opposing factions who desert, fall in love with each other, and discover a dark truth. The story also follows Vicente, a salesman, who’s spending his last days tied up like a dog, and Salvador, a morgue worker lost in the desert who sees people he loves in every cactus he encounters. All of these characters are imprisoned in the desert, and Mendoza uses them to explore the complexity of the human condition. The writing is eloquent and sensitive, and it explores both love and suffering in an often disturbing but always mesmerizing way.
Belonging: A Daughter’s Search for Identity Through Loss and Love by Michelle Miller
If you prefer nonfiction to fiction, this memoir by Michelle Miller is very insightful. Miller is an award-winning journalist and the co-host of CBS Saturday Morning who explores race, identity, and family secrets through this book. Miller was abandoned at birth by her mother and her father’s dying wish is for them to meet. This sends Miller on a quest as she explores the relationship between her Chicana mother and African American father. In this memoir, Miller seeks identity and gets personal about her experiences as a mixed-race person living in America. It’s poignant and reflective about the things that define us.
The Waves Take You Home by MarĂa Alejandra Barrios VĂ©lez
MarĂa Alejandra Barrios VĂ©lez
“The Waves Take You Home” is a heartfelt story with magical realism elements. The story follows Violeta Sanoguera, a Colombian woman who was encouraged by her mother and grandmother to move to New York City to study art and leave the man she loved behind. She builds a new life in NYC, but when her grandmother suddenly dies and she hops on a plane back to Colombia, she’s forced to confront her past. The ghost of her grandmother accompanies Violeta and she goes on a journey where she reconnects with her roots and discovers her true self after years of always doing whatever her family asked of her. That’s an experience many Latinas can relate to and this book explores it quite beautifully.
La Mala Suerte Is Following Me by Ana Siqueira
Last but not least, “La Mala Suerte Is Following Me” is a lovely children’s book that people of all ages can enjoy. It’s a picture book with whimsical, beautiful illustrations centered around Latino superstitions. Written by Brazilian author Ana Siqueira, the story follows Miguel, a young boy who ignored his grandmother’s warning about opening an umbrella indoors and accidentally invited La Mala Suerte into his life. After that, all sorts of unfortunate things start to happen to him and he goes on a quest to find something that will help him get rid of his bad luck. It’s a funny exploration of superstition with a nice message about making one’s own luck.
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Image by expertbooksmuggler on Instagram
Image by expertbooksmuggler on Instagram
Reading books isn’t just a means of entertainment, escapism, or education, it can also be an act of activism. No political movement in history would’ve happened without educated people or a means to educate others and inspire action.
This is why many bookstores, libraries, and activists create and share reading lists to support movements. For example, with the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people, Palestinian stories and authors are constantly being highlighted in bookish spaces to raise awareness and educate people. Efforts like #ReadPalestine week, organized by Publishers for Palestine, is just one example, but individual content creators also share recommendations.
In celebration of World Book Day, we discuss a few reasons why reading is and will always be political.
Stories are a reflection of reality and human experience
At no point in time have war, disease, hunger, poverty, racism, injustice, etc., not been a part of our reality and human experience. Authors know these things either in theory or because they’ve lived them themselves. As a result, they inform their stories and are reflected in them. This is how, as readers, we’re exposed to an incredibly diverse range of human experiences through the books we pick.
It doesn’t matter if the stories are based in the real world or fantasy worlds, writers write what they know. Their experiences and knowledge of the world are always found in the stories they create in one way or another, and isn’t everything in our lives either caused by or affected by politics? Politics are involved even in the books we don’t have access to, or limited access to, because book banning, despite constitutional amendments that were supposed to protect against that practice, still exists and is flourishing.
Authors pour political elements into their works, whether to expose an aspect of our reality for its ugliness or to reimagine it. For example, “The Hunger Games” books aren’t just about a young girl trying to save her little sister. They’re about totalitarian governments, genocide, political repression, poverty, surveillance, revolution, sacrifice to achieve societal change, and more.
Books offer political expression and inspire action
Political expression can be found in all kinds of books. Yes, even romance books. Love stories involve all kinds of characters and depict all kinds of relationships. They also reflect the qualities of ideal partners, which are highly influenced by society. Whether it’s people from different social classes falling in love, interracial relationships, and more, authors can and do explore social issues through their characters’ relationships.
Of course, political expression can be positive or negative. While stories can imagine a more just world to provide comfort and hope, perspective, or criticism of the issues that plague us, they can also reinforce, promote, or even seek to rationalize those issues.
Why? Because it doesn’t matter what the intention of the author is, reading is learning. Instead of learning to uphold harmful political views, values, beliefs, or even stereotypes, we should learn to challenge and dismantle them. What better way to do that than through books? Reading can make a difference in who we are and what we believe, being aware of that fact is a lot more productive than trying to separate reading from politics.
Image by bookedwithrook on Instagram
Image by bookedwithrook on Instagram
Therefore, banning a book that explores one aspect of a relationship while allowing books that explore another is, in and of itself, a form of selective indoctrination. The selection of books can teach us to uphold harmful political views, values, beliefs, and stereotypes while offering no other perspective that challenges any of these views.
Reading and politics: an unbreakable union
While reading is often done for entertainment or relaxation, many seek how to gain more empathy in books. Books allow us to explore experiences and perspectives that we wouldn’t otherwise have access to. That exposure can affect us deeply and inform the way we approach not only other people but also our contributions to society. Authoritarian regimes know this and have used book burning throughout history.
Today’s book banning is akin to piles of burned books reduced to ashes.
Books communicate things about their authors and the world as it was at the time they were written. The very act of choosing a book is political. For example, choosing to read books that champion diverse stories when the publishing world is so white can be a political act. While books can provide comfort, enjoyment, relief, joy, and more, they’re also one of the many ways we can use our agency to affect change.
Books are one of the many vehicles through which we exercise our power to influence our community. On this World Book Day, let’s think more critically about the kind of stories we consume and recommend to others, and let’s vow to use books to promote diverse experiences, understanding, kindness, and positive change.
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