Book recommendations for Hispanic Heritage Month

S1: It's time for Midday Edition on KPBS. It's Hispanic Heritage Month , so today we are talking about identity , history and the books , giving voice to it all. I'm Jade Hindman with conversations that keep you informed , inspired , and make you think.

S2:

S1: Then the history of the Chicano movement in an art exhibit , plus a few book recommendations for Hispanic Heritage Month. That's ahead on Midday Edition. And. Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to honor the traditions , history , and values of Hispanic and Latino communities in the United States. That also means exploring complex identities and the labels we latch onto. One of many examples includes the term Latinx , which has grown in popularity in recent years , but that term is only used by about 4% of Latino adults , according to a recent Pew Research poll. Still others say the term Latinx is more inclusive to those in the LGBTQ plus community. My next guests will help us understand these labels and how they've evolved. Her name is Ariana Ruiz , and she's assistant professor of Chicano Latinx literature at UC San Diego. Professor Ruiz , welcome to Midday Edition.

S2: Thank you so much. Glad to be here.

S1: Glad to have you here. So I'd love to start by asking you what term you most identify with when talking about your identity.

S2: Well , that's a really interesting , thought provoking question , actually. Um , and part of what we'll get into in the discussion , so much of it depends on location. Um , so being in San Diego , where there is a wide and diverse Latinx Latino population , um , I tend to identify as Chicana or Chicana x. And so speaking to , um , my Mexican-American identity , um , is how I identify myself. Wow.

S1: Well , as we dive into this conversation about identity , give me some background on where that term Hispanic originates from and how it's evolved. Sure.

S2: Sure. And so when we're thinking about Hispanic , really , we're , um , considering it as a sort of nationally institutionalized label. So that's a term that's really first picked up by the US government in the 1970s. And that's after , um , Hispanic organizations such as the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Education Fund and other such entities lobbied the federal government to collect information on the population. And so this is , of course , leading to the census. Right. And so that's really where you start to to use and think of Hispanic , um , within this particular bureaucratic setting , if you will. And that's largely one of the reasons why , when we're thinking about Hispanic , um , really , we're thinking about an ancestry that's related to one or more Spanish speaking countries. Of course , that also means that it has a particular relationship to Spain , um , which also has a history of colonization to it. And so that's something that Latino and Latinx are less tethered to , um , which is why you kind of get this divide between Hispanic and Latinx. And , and I should add that it's not that one is right or wrong , but rather that again , it's more so about familiarity , about community , about how we see ourselves , how we're labeled from the outside in , and those kind of relationships that are formed. If we're to think about the term Hispanic , especially within Spanish speaking communities , we hear a lot about the Spanish language media as Hispano or Hispano Blancas. Right. So again , we're thinking about how that's still a term that's used , but how it has a little bit more of that bureaucratic edge to it in a way that Latino and Latinx does not.

S1: Well , in that let's get into that. Terms like Latino and Latina gained popularity in the 90s. They include anyone from Latin America , as you mentioned. But why do we see these terms Hispanic and Latino used interchangeably when they're in fact different.

S2: We can think about it from the outside in. Right ? So considering these terms as um , labels that are used to help define or understand a people , but then we can also think about it from the inside , where it's being used to help cultivate community and as a way to see myself and see others , um , within my , my sort of collective identity. Right. Um , and these are collective identities that , as we talked about the differences between Hispanic and Latino , Latinx , um , doesn't always capture national origin , language , race , generational status , etc.. Um , and so that's , I think part of the reason why the two can be somewhat confusing. Um , and again , it's not to say that one is , uh , right or wrong , but just understanding the difference between the the variety and number of terms. so you can make an informed decision of who it is that you are speaking to , who it is that you're including or not including within a particular conversation. And so really , we're thinking through this , uh , politics of labeling. Um , and when we get into the politics of labeling , that's really when these conversations and what I think are very fruitful debates about gender , race and sexuality , when when that comes up.

S1: Well , let me ask you this. Here's another another term that's , you know , emerged is Latin x.

S2: And one of them is that the X is not one that is , uh , friendly to Spanish speakers. Right. And that is not entirely true , because within Spanish , uh , there is the use of the X within indigenous languages , there's the use of the X , and so it's not one that is uncommon. Having said that , when we're thinking about Latinx , that's really coming from the queer community. Um , it's a term that is really used to , um , identify and again , um , create community amongst , um , folks that are non-gender conforming that do not see themselves recognized within the A or the O. So Spanish and the use of the term Latino or Latina is a gendered language. Right. And so what happens when we're not seeing ourselves within the O or within the A ? We're we're looking for a more , perhaps gender neutral version of the term. And that's where something like Latinx and more recently either Latina or Latin , um , has also , um , really started to , uh , take precedence within , um , particular terminologies and communities. Yeah.

S1: Yeah. Well , you know , also , as you mentioned , the term Latin , uh , has grown in popularity.

S2: Um , so the movement towards that is that it's more friendly for Spanish speakers that the , a , um , is one that is more common within , um , Spanish , that it sort of rolls off the tongue a little bit better than Latinx. Again , I think that the X and the E can operate in very similar ways. Um , but I also am I'm open to the fact that again , if , um , I am , um , monolingual Spanish speaker or if I'm a Spanish speaker who just feels that the Latina is more representative of me , my language , my history , my experience , then by all means , like , that's not going to be a factor of why , um , I see you as not a part of the community , right ? That that's not going to factor into that. Um , but it has to do more so with , um , Spanish language.

S1:

S2: There's also times when we're talking about particular groups or issues that are , for example , the Chicano Latina movement , um , in the 1970s and 80s , where there is a reason why we're using Latina , right ? There is a reason why we're using Chicana. But really , I would say that what I've seen and what I've gathered from research is that there is that generational , um , sort of shift or change where there's an older generation or , um , a generation that grew up , um , and really identifies with , with that. Oh , or with that. A and we'll say , you know , Latino is already gender neutral. Um , but again , that somewhat erases or overlooks the labor of many , um , Chicana Latina feminists that work hard , worked very hard to really , um , uplift the Latino or Chicano label. And I would say that , again , if we're thinking about then historically and the politics and movements that have , um , happened in most recent years , then we have that same richness and dialogue and , um , resistance in , uh , folks that are pushing towards the Latinx or Latina identity. Mhm.

S1: Well , I mean , let's I want to dig into that a bit. I mean , how should we be thinking about , um , Latinx Latina ? Is it something that we should be thinking about just in terms of the LGBTQ plus community , or is it something that we should be thinking about as a way to describe and be gender neutral and inclusive of all people who identify as Latino or Latina ? Right.

S2: So I the way that it's largely used , and I should add that just like Hispanic , you know , we talked about this earlier , that Hispanic has this sort of bureaucratic edge to it. Um , Latino and to a certain degree , Latinx has also been , um , picked up by , uh , sort of system in which now we have sort of bureaucratic language that includes Latino and Latinx right in it. And so those that that again , it just it's the way that language changes over time , right , that that's going to happen. Um , and so the way that Latinx is now used is much more within this understanding of a gender neutral term. Part of what I encourage us to think of is when we're using if we're using Latinx , just like if we were using Latino and Latino and thinking about it as , um , a gender neutral term already , who is included in that ? Are we thinking about people , folks that have been marginalized within the Latino , Latina , Latinx community ? Is it really representative of all of those different voices Experiences. Right. I think that that's really where , um , we want to consider why we're using a term , how we're using the term. Are we being mindful in , um , and really creating a space to , to welcome folks.

S1:

S2: Very and and so again , this goes back to that earlier statement. Um , and I will say , I think for me , there's also a degree of frustration with that , um , where what happens when these labels are taken up and used in a performative nature where there isn't that type of work being done to highlight the diverse experience that is the Latinx , Latino , Latina experience , right ? It's one that , again , we're using from the outside to , let's say , invite folks in , but once they're there , are they going to feel welcomed or are they going to feel seen ? Right. And I think that this is a larger conversation that ties back into the whole notion of Hispanic Heritage Month. Um , is it something where , uh , what is the collective effort to , um , to recognize and uplift ? To include who ? Yeah.

S1: Well , you're also doing a lot of work around the term Latino dad , uh , which describes the Latin community writ large. Tell me about that. Yeah.

S2: Yeah. So in thinking about Latino dad , I think a lot of the times there's , um , monolithic way of understanding Latino , that of being Latino in the United States. Um , you see this a lot within politics. Um , when we're talking about , uh , the Latino vote , um , sleeping giant , um , you know , how to reach the Latino , uh , voter , um , and all of those ways of thinking about being Latino are very one dimensional. It takes away from the complexity , the multiplicity that is Latin for this. So I always like to include the s at the end of that , make it plural , because it is just , um , a much more diverse group of folks that we're talking about. Um , and this idea of thinking about it as one dimensional flatness really leads to a lot of unfair assumptions about what the Latino experience is versus , again , opening it up to a lot more fluidity , a lot more messiness as well , and embracing that , um , as part of the experience. Um , we're we're much more than , than that , right ? Yeah.

S1:

S2: And so when we're thinking about , again , this idea of , um , terminology as a way to self signify , self-identify , um , we're also seeing this rise and , and and it's been long term historically but much more visible , I would say , or at least within , um , the academic literature and even I would say within public forums for Afro-Latino. So Afro-latinx experience , Afro-Latino experience , um , and the indigenous experience. And so if we're thinking about terms and labels as a sort of tool for visibility and community formation , um , then we see this really long standing movement for , as I said , afro-latinx and indigenous representation. And these are crucially important in again , expanding our notions of Latino , but also for confronting issues that have to do with race , colorism , uh , economic and cultural marginalization within the Latino and Latinx community. These are these are very real things. And , uh , I think this speaks back to that messiness that comes into play when we're talking about these large , um , pan ethnic identities. Right ? What's defined and what isn't defined within it. And so that's really where we're starting to see a lot more activism literature that is specifically thinking of and taking up , um , the afro-latinx and indigenous experience. Mhm.

S1: Mhm. Well , to close it out , I , you know , I guess that also speaks to the importance of Hispanic Heritage Month , um , where we can celebrate Hispanic history and culture as well as Latino history and culture. Um , but , you know , identities are deeply personal and constantly evolving.

S2: Um , and just the this larger , wonderful community , um , that can be much more inclusive. Right. And so I think that's something to be mindful of in terms of , again , who who we're inviting , who were who we're recognizing , um , who we want to make sure to , to include , um , within these conversations that are taking place.

S1: I've been speaking with Arianna Ruiz. She's assistant professor of chicken and Latinx literature at UC San Diego. Professor Ruiz , thank you so much for being here today.

S2: Thank you.

S1: Coming up , the history of the Chicano movement through an art exhibit.

S3: Change is inevitable within our world and within our communities.

S1: Welcome back to KPBS Midday Edition. I'm your host , Jade Hindman. The local Chicano movement is the highlight of a new exhibit in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. You can find it at San Diego City Hall as part of the city's inaugural Telling Our Stories and Preserving Our History series. It includes photos , city records , and art celebrating Chicano Park's history as a symbol of Mexican-American heritage and pride. The exhibit is a collaboration between the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center and the office of City Clerk Diana Fuentes. Here's what she had to say about it.

S4: What I want people to get is to understand the history that happened in Chicano Park , and how that has really just evolved and shaped the history of San Diego.

S1: Well , joining me now to discuss the details is Alberto Pulido. He's vice chair of the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center , and chair of the ethnic Studies department at the University of San Diego. So , Alberto , welcome to Midday Edition.

S3: Oh , thank you very much. I really it's a pleasure to be here.

S1: So glad you're here. Let's start with the exhibit here. Can you describe what people are going to see ? I mean , what's on display ? What are some of the highlights ? Walk me through that.

S3: Well , I think the first thing that is quite impactful is that we've taken over a lobby at 202 C Street , and I think that right there is very impressionable because usually people go in there and work on passports , but here they are confronted by these incredible photographs. Um , a lot of history. And we have designed an entryway into the space. So when you enter it , you know you've gone into something new and unique. We also have a short video that is a way to educate people who come to see the show , uh , to learn about the history. And then we have a decision tree where people are asked to put up a leaf so as to what happened in that neighborhood. If you were in that neighborhood at the time , what would you have done ? Yeah.

S1: Well , take me back to the beginning of the Chicano movement here in San Diego.

S3: But I also would add to the fact that with the arrival of Interstate five and with the arrival of the Coronado Bay bridge. There was a real destruction of a neighborhood. We lost 75% of its residents. So people were pretty upset about that. And I think the park represents a way for community to come back together , since so many people had been scattered after they had lost their homes. Hmm.

S1: Hmm. Well , take me into the movement. What happened during the movement ? It was it was really built on self-determination.

S3: So what you have is a renaissance of literature. You have a renaissance of theater , film , a lot of people wanting to find their indigenous roots because they discover that they're actually they're part of a longer legacy of colonization with the arrival of the Spanish and the Europeans. So all that begins to build up , and I think one of the biggest lessons in this work is you don't just talk the talk , but you have to walk the walk , meaning that you begin to engage and you you turn ideas into community action. Hence the Chicano Park. You had a free clinic. You had numerous social organizations that were coming in to try to strengthen and to help the community and to build a better life for the citizens.

S1:

S3: It's it's survived a takeover. It's survived , you know , conflict with the city and the state of California. And it's 54 years old. and that history can be found in all the pillars that hold all the images of of the murals and of the history of the culture , you know , people who are part of that story , so important. And so therefore , then a park with over 100 murals , the largest collection of murals anywhere , that legacy to me is going to endure. And what then makes it even more powerful is it is now a national landmark. So therefore , people from all generations , from all walks of life can learn about that struggle and learn about that history. Yeah.

S1: Yeah. You mentioned the murals and in the exhibit. One thing that stands out is the honoring of those vibrant murals at Chicano Park through replicas.

S3: They also were part of a takeover. They also were part of a demand for a space. And the Ford building would become what then ? They would have the Centro Cultural , which is still in existence today. But getting back to my story , those artists known as Toltec and a salon , many of them still live with us today , decided to go down to the community and say , what can we do with these ugly gray pillars that are holding up this bridge and this barren land that's below us ? And they begin to bring color. They begin to bring story community to begin to put paint on those murals and begin to tell stories. And that's that legacy that through art , you can transform communities. That , to me is one of the biggest lessons of Chicano Park. You know , the power of art , the power of creativity , the power of the human spirit , of coming in and changing things. So I think that's very important.

S1: And talk a bit more about that art and how it influenced and fueled the Chicano movement.

S3: Well , again , the art is another one of those human expressions that tells your story. It tells your history. You see yourself in those images. The images contain part of this legacy. One of the biggest issues around the Chicano struggle was our identity , because we were the children of people coming from Mexico. And so therefore we had connections to Mexico , but we really could never find their place in Mexico. And then when we were here , we could never find our place here. So Chicano was that third space where you found it wasn't a combination like the term Mexican American. It was a fusion of those identities and that unique identity that you have. And that's what spoke to so many of the community because they found themselves there. And again , it wasn't a combination , but more like a blending that brought with it , brought run , it brought with itself a lot of the beauty of the culture and a lot of understanding of the culture within its unique sort of space.

S1: Yeah , well , you know , something you said earlier is that one part of the exhibit asks visitors to reflect on what they would have done in the Chicano movement. Talk about the intention behind that choice.

S3: Oh , that's a really good question. The intention behind that choice is because those of us who have grown up in this wonderful city of San Diego , over time , it's become these small neighborhoods North Park , Hillcrest , Logan Heights. You know , we can go on and on and on. And in this neighborhood , 92113 we had major changes happen , changes that the neighborhood did not have control of. So the question we're asking universally is , if I'm in North Park , if I'm in Hillcrest , if I'm in South Park , and there's a major change happening to my neighborhood. What would I have done ? How would I have dealt with it ? Because it's interesting to compare that historically. But also there's a universal theme here , because change is inevitable within our world and within our communities. And how do we deal with it ? Do we accept it ? Do we challenge it ? Do we find ways to compromise ? And it's , you know , I think it's the ongoing discussion in the past , and it's going to continue as San Diego continues to change with time. We have an international border just a few miles south of us. So how does all that play into that ? And that's really at the core of what we're trying to say. We're speaking about a specific neighborhood , about a specific historical moment , but it's a universal theme for all of us who live in San Diego. Yeah.

S1: Yeah. And as people reflect in and take everything in in the exhibit , what do you hope people learn from the experience , especially against the backdrop of our current struggles and injustices. Preservation.

S3: Preservation. Preservation. Because that's , you know , as a quote unquote academic , as a wannabe activist. Um , we have to preserve our stories. And you want to know something ? If we don't preserve them , nobody else will. And I'm a big believer that we do not exist without our stories. Uh , the Native American writer Leslie Marmon Soco talks about the fact that stories are medicine , the heal , and they give us a sense of identity and transformation. And when you erase those like you would have done , you know , I mean , this was a very real sort of like what I want to say , concrete erasure , right ? Where you remove homes , you remove families , you remove weddings , and you remove , you know , rites of passage because you've left , you've destroyed the neighborhood. We still have the stories , the lives of the people who lived it. And we had documents that we could then go to and draw from them. For me , then that's what is the important thing. We all need to preserve our stories , preserve our histories and tell them. Some people have that easier than others. Some people you know are able to document things. Other people do it verbally , but nonetheless , it just runs through time. And it's so important for our existence and for our future. Wow.

S1: Wow. Well , the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center is about to celebrate its second anniversary. Um , as you've really laid out , it does bring a lot of value to the community.

S3: We're actually in the neighborhood. And it's been a challenge. It's been a struggle at so many different levels. But we we are looking forward to our second year anniversary. We have an emerging staff of wonderful people. I love to say the fact that they're young , because then they're going to be the future of so much of this work. And I'd also like to invite everybody to our second anniversary celebration. There'll be more information coming out on this , but that will be a Saturday , October 12th , where we'll be featuring the work of the Royal Chicano Air Force , which is an incredible art group from Sacramento. Ricardo Favela will be the artist who will be featuring , uh , so please come on out. Come celebrate with us. Come learn that history. Come learn about those struggles. And please don't miss the exhibit that's over at City Hall , because I think it's really , uh , it's folks have done a wonderful job , and I'm really proud of what was pulled together there.

S1: All right. I've been speaking with Alberto Pulido , vice chair of the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center , also chair of the ethnic studies department at the University of San Diego. Alberto , it's been such a pleasure speaking with you. Thanks for joining us.

S3: Thank you so. Much.

S1: Much. You can check out the Chicano Park exhibit at San Diego City Hall now through October 18th. Still ahead , we turn our conversation to book recommendations for Hispanic Heritage Month.

S5: Reading and literature is an act of resistance , educating ourselves on our history , both the positive and the dark parts of it is incredibly important so that we do not repeat mistakes.

S1: KPBS Midday Edition returns after the break. Welcome back to KPBS Midday Edition. I'm your host , Jade Hindman. On today's show , we've been discussing ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. One great way to do that is through books. Jesse Gutierrez is co-owner of Libba Lula Books in Barrio Logan. They join us now with recommendations on what we should be reading. Jesse , welcome.

S5: Hi , Jade , thanks for having me.

S1: So glad to have you here. So for those who don't know , can you share a little bit about Libra Lula books and and what inspired you to open the shop ? Absolutely.

S5: Libre Lula Books is a bookshop that my partner and I opened up about three and a half years ago in the historic neighborhood , Barrio Logan , where we also live. Um , and the inspiration behind it is kind of twofold. Definitely was inspired by a long family dream to open up a bookshop just to promote literacy and encourage , uh , communities of color and working class communities to connect with literature. My mom was a big proponent of reading and vocabulary expansion , and she really planted that seed. And then , um , my previous career was in education , and I worked in mostly southeast San Diego , um , K through 12 , working in arts and literature , and I wanted to have a space where youth could come and folks from all walks of life could come and be surrounded by books.

S1: And you touched on this , but Libra , Lula is is really committed to elevating queer and Bipoc stories.

S5: So if you are seeing a book or a spine in our stacks , know that someone that is part of our team hand-selected that book , looked into the author , um , and just really is ensuring that those narratives are , um , like you said , elevated and placed on display for folks to see themselves within those bookshelves.

S6: Well , before we get into.

S1: Your recommendations , tell me what makes something a good selection for Hispanic Heritage Month.

S5: It literally every year I'm overwhelmed by the incredible , expansive titles that are being put out constantly , but especially when we have these moments within a specific month to celebrate a different identity or community. And in Latino Heritage Month , I believe that , um , we have access to a variety of voices , and that's really what I love about what's coming out , contemporary narratives , because you have everything from , um , memoirs to graphic novels to , um , magical realism. One of the books I'm going to talk about today , a short stories. Um , self-growth and empowerment. You really can go in any direction , and I'm all over the map.

S1: All right , well , let's get into it. You have a large stack of books with you. What's the first book in your stack this year for Hispanic Heritage Month ? Yes.

S5: This book , Diaz and Primas by Priscilla Rodriguez , is an incredible exploration of the women in her life that she grew up with. She grew up with the perspective of these women in very narrow view , the kind of stereotypes that were placed upon them. She witnessed from a very early age , uh , stereotypes such as being like the Chingon or the loco , or the queer one , or the fat one , or the perfect one , um , just very , very narrow , um , points of view of these really multifaceted women that she experienced in her life. And so this book is really a opportunity for us to view not only the women in her life , but also the women in all of our lives that are that create so much richness and texture to our environments and see them as that , rather than these singular points of view , and kind of liberating these characters and people in her life and in our own lives , to see them as multifaceted creatures and beings that give and take and live and laugh and cry. And she really hasn't gives us an opportunity to liberate ourselves and the incredible women in our lives , um , to just be themselves and not be stereotyped , um , specifically being women of color.

S1: Oh that's great.

S6: Well , all right , moving.

S1: Along to this next one you have here , which also has to do with family. It's Chiller Salvation by Estella Gonzalez. Um , this one takes place in East LA. What can you tell me about that one ? Absolutely.

S5: Salvation is probably one of my favorite books that I read last year. Um , and I believe it came out of two years prior , um , we had the opportunity to sit down with this idea , uh , last year as well , prior to reading the book or after I was able to read the book. And this book is just really near and dear to my heart because my mom is from East Los. Um , she born and raised. Um , and so this book really takes you in scene immediately. You can smell the taco shops , you can hear the kids on the corner playing. You can hear all the traffic of the freeways passing by. Um , she really illustrates the environment so well. But this is a collection of short stories , and throughout it you're going to find a little bit of everything. Um , my absolute favorite is the opening story. Um , that is definitely magical realism. It opens and hits you right in the gut with Frida Kahlo and the Virgin Mary. Um , walking into a diner and just bestowing upon some incredible wisdom upon this young waitress gives gives her some really , really tough love while also just making fun of each other , laughing , cursing , you name it kind of throws out these. The idea of these two women that we within our culture , we put on pedestals and humanizes them. Wow.

S1: Could you imagine , though , walking into a cafe where there's Frida Kahlo and Mary ? Oh my. Gosh.

S5: Gosh. Oh yeah , and they're smoking cigarettes and they're , you know , again , they're talking about the hardships of their life. They're talking about the the growth of their lives , the celebrations. But all of it is in the same pot , you know. So they're really trying to encourage this young person to take it all in and experience every single moment for what it is.

S1: That's great. Well , you've also brought a memoir from a local San Diego author , Jesse Leon. It's it's called I'm Not Broken. And now this book has to do with cycles of abuse and resilience and survival.

S5: Um , it's incredibly devastating to bear witness to Jesse Leon's story and childhood , and what he had to endure as a young person , um , is absolutely terrible. What I appreciate about this book so much is that he has alchemy and all of that pain and difficulties that he endured , and has distilled it into this incredibly short memoir. I think he could probably write three more , um , to really go in depth of what he went through and shows us this not only a story of survival , but of reclamation , and also is utilizing his experience to shed light on sex trafficking that we we are unfortunately very subject to here in San Diego being so close to the border. Um , and for other factors , of course , I also appreciate that Jesse grew up in the 70s in Logan Heights area , which is very close to Barrio Logan , is part of Barrio Logan. Um , during the time when Chicano Park was established. So there's some very rich history here as well , um , that we don't really see or have a lot of , um , written archival information about that time when the uprising was occurring in Chicano Park.

S1: That sounds like a really powerful memoir , you know , and listeners will remember from our last segment that they can actually learn more about the Chicano movement through the exhibit open right now at City Hall. Um , moving along , Jesse , you also brought along this book called Tura and Cash. This one has to do with tackling your finances as a first generation Latina. It sounds like a really practical pick.

S5: I loved that it had very little jargon , if any. Um , very accessible. And that's something we're really big on in the book shop. Again , when we're hand selecting these books that anyone can walk in and find something that can support them in their journey wherever they're at in their journey. And this just so happens to talk about creating general generational wealth , especially being first generation , allowing for financial freedom and liberation , which is something we don't talk about a lot. From my experience in a lot of communities of color , it's taboo or it's not supposed to be , you know , putting your business out there. So this is really inspirational in that Giovanna wants us to each create an individual path toward financial freedom , and then she talks about the fact that collectively , then we can do some incredible healing and we can become a rich community , not just in the sense of financial , but just overall by sharing what we know with each other. Um , and her ability to talk about these hard subjects that don't always seem accessible or feel challenging to a lot of us when it comes to our finances. She just doesn't in such a light hearted and genuine , and most of the time funny way that it becomes really , uh , less nerve racking and we're all kind of able to access information. I'm really appreciated this book.

S6: I mean , for.

S1: Really solid recommendations there. Okay. So I want to talk a little more about the meanings of books like these. Did you have these stories and messages growing up.

S5: Um , because I believe it allows us to see one another , not just ourselves. Um , being able to have access with giving consent access into someone's lives and to others , uh , experiences. And I think that really bonds us and brings us closer together and allows for a deeper sense of empathy than if we're just all walking around with these individualistic perspectives of only ourselves. I really believe that representation in literature allows for us to grow and connect in ways that we might not be able to if we're if we're not seeing one another.

S6: Yeah , yeah.

S1: I mean , also important for organizing , I would imagine. Um , so , I mean , if you could talk more.

S6: About the power of.

S1: Literature and storytelling as a means of collective resistance.

S5: I love that question. Thank you for that question , Jade. Yeah. Literature , I believe , is such a radical act and reading is a radical act. We see this with book bans all over the country. This week is actually Banned Book Week. Um , so go out to your local library and think a librarian for all of their efforts to make sure that , um , accessible they have we have access to books and representation on our shelves. Um , because like you said , uh , reading and literature is an act of resistance , educating ourselves on our history. Um , both the positive and the dark parts of it is incredibly important so that we do not repeat mistakes , or so that we may gather inspiration on how to fight back , how to demand humanity be at our core and demand that we are taking care of each other.

S6: All right. Well , I've been speaking with.

S1: Jesse Gutierrez , co-owner of Libba Lula Books. Jesse , thank you so much for joining us.

S5: Thank you. Jade , I really appreciate it.

S1: And that's our show for today. I'm your host , Jade Hindman. Thanks for tuning in to Midday Edition. Be sure to have a great day on purpose , everyone.