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There’s something about fall that always invites you to find a cozy place, and with coffee, in hand, push you to get lots in books and relatable stories.
To continue highlighting Hispanic and Latina voices during this particular month, we enlisted five books that will take you from boosting your self-esteem to understanding the real meaning behind the word “Latinx.”
I AM THESE TRUTHS by Sunny Hostin
Daughter of a Puerto Rican mother and Black father, Sunny Hostin, opens up about growing up bi-racial in her new book, I AM THESE TRUTHS. Born as Asunción Cummings, the New York native and co-host on ABC’s morning talk show The View and former Senior Legal Correspondent and Analyst for ABC News, wrote about her profound and personal experience of living in poverty and the trauma of witnessing the stabbing of her uncle Ed at the age of 7. Hostin also shares how her parents suffered from police harassment and discrimination when moving the family to a better neighborhood and providing a better life. All of the injustices she witnessed as a young girl fueled her passion for fighting for social justice and equality. In her memoir, Hostin also shares her heartbreaking experience of suffering five miscarriages and her infertility struggles.
What Would Frida Do? A Guide to Living Boldly by Arianna Davis
Written by the digital director for O, The Oprah Magazine, What Would Frida Do? A Guide to Living Boldly is an invitation to explore Frida Kahlo’s impact not only in the Latinx community but in the world. In her book, Davis uses Kahlo’s story as a lesson and how people can apply them to boost their confidence, overcome pain, deal with heartbreaks, and more. The beautifully written book also motivates the reader to live outside the box, embrace natural beauty, and don’t be afraid to be vulnerable.
The Girl with the Self-Esteem Issues by Rosie Mercado
This memoir, written by a bilingual Latina model and certified Life Coach, Rosie Mercado, packs a story of ups and downs and a fight to make dreams come true. The author put together an inspirational guide filled with hard-earned, heartfelt advice for all women striving for independence, and her remarkable journey from helplessness to becoming a model, life coach, and daytime celebrity.
Finding Latinx: In Search of the Voices Redefining Latino Identity by Paola Ramos
In this empowering book, journalist and activist Paola Ramos shares her journey to find the people’s communities defining the controversial term, “Latinx.” The edition is an introduction to the indigenous Oaxacans who rebuilt the main street in a post-industrial town in upstate New York; to “Las Poderosas,” a group of people fighting for reproductive rights in Texas, plus the story of musicians, drag queens, environmental activists, farmworkers, and the migrants detained at the border. In this chronicle, Ramos reveals how the word “Latinx” has given rise to a sense of collectivity and solidarity among Latinos unseen in this country for decades.
Sanctuary by Paola Mendoza and Abby Sher
Co-authors Paola Mendoza and Abby Sher crafted a futuristic narrative on how undocumented immigrants would be living in the United States by 2032. The haunting and hopeful story envisions a future where everyone can find sanctuary.