Sponsored by Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Díaz, now available in paperback from Algonquin Books.
In this electric debut memoir, Jaquira Díaz writes fiercely and eloquently of her challenging girlhood and triumphant coming of age. While growing up in housing projects in Puerto Rico and Miami Beach, Díaz found herself caught between extremes. As she longed for a stable home, her life was upended by violence. As her mother battled schizophrenia, Díaz was supported by the love of her friends. As she celebrated her culture, she couldn’t find support for her queer identity. She writes with raw honesty, mapping a way out of despair toward hope to become who she always wanted to be.
We’re at Friday! This week has felt THE longest and I say that as someone who is writing this on Wednesday. Okay, so who’s ready to be INSPIRED by some activist bios? I hope it’s you, ’cause these’re good. Here we go:
Sylvia and Marsha Start a Revolution!: The Story of the Trans Women of Color Who Made LGBTQ+ History by Joy Ellison & Teshika Silver. Did you know there aren’t any bios of Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera? But this one’s coming out this fall and you can preorder it NOW. It’s for kids ages 4-8 and “introduces children to issues surrounding gender identity and diversity.” Seems like a good one to get for a kid you know or to donate somewhere.
Spirit Run: A 6,000-Mile Marathon Through North America’s Stolen Land by Noé Álvarez. Book Riot staff LOVED this book. Álvarez grew up in Washington as the son of Mexican immigrants. At nineteen, he learned of a Native American/First Nations movement called the Peace and Dignity Journeys, “epic marathons meant to renew cultural connections across North America.” This book is about the four-month marathon he took part of through that movement, that went from Canada to Guatemala.
One Earth: People of Color Protecting Our Planet by Anuradha Rao. This is so digestible! It’s marketed at young adults, but adults could definitely get into it. Each activist mini biography ends with a “What can you do?” section that gives you next steps. I LOVE ACTION ITEMS. They have chapters like “Feeding the Food Desert” focused on America, “Preserving Forest-People Relationships” in Kenya, “Uniting for Clean Water” in Jamaica and Canada, and a lot more. Dang, I’m gonna order this book right now.
When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors & asha bandele. I recommended this last week and here it is again! Michelle Alexander of The New Jim Crow called it a “must-read.” Khan-Cullors tells the story of her life, growing up queer and Black in Los Angeles, getting a Fulbright Scholarship and known for her activism by age 22. She later co-founded the Black Lives Matter movement with Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi, which is mentioned in the book, but not the focus of it.
Take care of yourselves, nonfictionites. As always, you can find me on social media @itsalicetime and co-hosting the For Real podcast with Kim here at Book Riot. Until next time, enjoy those facts, fellow nerds.