Back in late spring, after covid hit and I had more time on my hands, I decided to look up books written by authors of color. And READ! Thank goodness for the Kindle app and the local library. So far, I have found nothing but amazing writers and stories from around the world. Some uplifting. Some a bit depressing. Some humorous. Some adventurous with an ending that left my mouth hanging open, not sure how to process what I just read. I'll get to that series in another blog. This one, however, is dedicated to an author who was introduced to me during a writing/book club zoom meeting. I had just read Pachinko by Min Jin Lee and shared my thoughts on the tumultuous relationships between the Japanese and Koreans before and during World War II. I compared it to Samoans and Tongans, and the many times I was told we don't get along. Funny, I'm Samoan married to a Tongan. Hm...
When I was first introduced to Elizabeth Acevedo, an absolute GENIUS, it was with her book "With the Fire on High." She talks about being a boricua, someone of Puerto Rican descent, combined with her African roots. An Afro-Latina. Her way of blending the American side using the New York streets as her background and the rich cultural nuances of family members create a story for all ages. I can relate to the older folks in the story who grew up in the islands and migrated to the United States. I know my children can relate to the story of someone who has ties to the islands through her family, but is still trying to navigate a system on her own. Of course, the details about food and family traditions made this book all the more relatable. Then, to my pleasant surprise, I found more books by Ms. Acevedo! "Poet X" and "Clap When You Land" are written in poetry form to tell the story. And oh what stories they behold! She continues to blend the Latina and African roots into stories of freedom, self advocacy, reflection, and understanding. If I had to choose a favorite, I would have to say it's "Poet X." It's a reminder of my youngest daughter, who loves poetry and spoken word, and how we are trying to bridge that gap between the old and the new. How we, as people of color, want our stories to be a part of the narrative, the Poetry Out Loud choices, the school curriculum, the classroom conversations. If this is the future of what will be taught in schools, I am in full support.
You can find more information about Elizabeth Acevedo on her website: http://www.acevedowrites.com/
