Latinx Reads: Authenticity in Action

I guess since my blog is already a mix of app reviews, tech reviews, and entertainment reviews, I might as well review the books I read as well. There's no better book to kick things off with than "In the Country We Love" by Diane Guerrero.

I can't tell you exactly how I came upon this book. It had to be a culmination of seeing articles about the "Orange is the New Black"/"Jane the Virgin" actress reflecting on a time when she came home one day and her family was inexplicably gone, which she would soon come to realize was the result of an ICE deportation.



First of all, this book is a very breezy read. Diane uses intimate and personal pictures from her past as well as diary entry-esque chapters to detail growing up as a young Latina in the Bronx wanting to be a performer but having to carry around the weight of her parent's documented status, economic situation, and societal boxes that kept forming her view of the world but more importantly herself.

Guerrero is so genuine and open, your heart is overwhelmed with pride and respect yet breaking at the same time. She makes it clear that she hasn't stopped learning from her youth nor has she softened due to her career successes.

Of all the female celebrity memoirs you'll come across at the library or book store, Diane Guerrero's story is quite possibly the most breathtaking and honest book. It's hard to not be able to hug her right then and there as you turn the pages. She creates this intimacy as though your best friend gave you an old journal to look through and read.

Another thing that I loved was that Diane doesn't alienate the reader through language barriers. Though written in English, Diane stays true to her parent's Spanish background but also translates without diminishing the message or importance of the quote.

Sidenote: I'm a big fan of anything that really incorporates the use of Spanish/English in one. Spanglish media is my jam.

For young women in this tumultuous time as an American in Trump Era America where the immigration topic is almost violently overtaking the news cycles, reading first hand from the daughter of immigrants on her parents' character and desire to give her the American dream will definitely impact your empathy and passion when it comes to supporting the immigrant community.

Immigrants aren't the monsters that the politicians and shock jocks want you to believe they are, these are people who rarely if ever actually level and sit down one on one with immigrants. But listening to a first-hand witness and product of immigrants who just come here wanting to live a better life and trying to abide by the process to become citizens....it's so brutally honest and thought provoking. She speaks to every generation, whether you're an immigrant yourself, a first generation American born to immigrants, an nth generation American born with far back immigration roots, and anyone in between. It's such a human story.

As someone who was already very supportive of positive immigration reform, this still opened up my eyes and made me want to hug my abuelitos a little tighter.

I will read this book over and over. I've already shared it with those close to me whom I know would respond well or be touched by it. This blog post is only an urge for you to do the same.

You can find the book on Amazon here http://a.co/iAWJj9g
You can follow Diane on Twitter & Instagram: @dianeguerrero_