FROM LAS COMADRES & FRIENDS BOOK CLUB: JUNE BOOKS

Celebrate our Book Club's Quinceañero all year long.  Every month we bring you two books for your reading pleasure.  Here are our selections for June 2022.  

 

Our first book is a historical fiction novel set during the controversial annexation of Texas by our Comadre Reyna Grande.  Our second selection is a contemporary novel set in a predominantly Dominican part of New York City by debut author Cleyvis Natera.

 

 

SAVE THE DATE!  Our next Book Club Zoom Teleconference will be Monday, June 27, 8pm ET.  

 

FREE BOOK.  Sign up today for the teleconference and you may win a FREE BOOK.  Register here:  https://latinolit.com/join-teleconference/

 

FREE AUTOGRAPHED BOOKS PLATES from Reyna Grande to all who attend the teleconference.

 

Book of the Month

 

A BALLAD OF LOVE AND GLORY

by Reyna Grande

Atria Books

 

The year is 1846. After the controversial annexation of Texas, the US Army marches south to provoke war with México over the disputed Río Grande boundary.  Ximena Salomé is a gifted Mexican healer who dreams of building a family with the man she loves on the coveted land she calls home. But when Texas Rangers storm her ranch and shoot her husband dead, her dreams are burned to ashes. Vowing to honor her husband’s memory and defend her country, Ximena uses her healing skills as an army nurse on the frontlines of the ravaging war.

Meanwhile, John Riley, an Irish immigrant in the Yankee army desperate to help his family escape the famine devastating his homeland, is sickened by the unjust war and the unspeakable atrocities against his countrymen by nativist officers. In a bold act of defiance, he swims across the Río Grande and joins the Mexican Army—a desertion punishable by execution. He forms the St. Patrick’s Battalion, a band of Irish soldiers willing to fight to the death for México’s freedom.

 

When Ximena and John meet, a dangerous attraction blooms between them. As the war intensifies, so does their passion. Swept up by forces with the power to change history, they fight not only for the fate of a nation but for their future together.

 

About the Author:  Reyna Grande is an award-winning author, motivational speaker, and writing teacher. As a young girl, she crossed the US–Mexico border to join her family in Los Angeles, a harrowing journey chronicled in THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US, a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. Her other books include the novels A BALLAD OF LOVE AND GLORY, ACROSS A HUNDRED MOUNTAINS, AND DANCING WITH BUTTERFLIES. Reyna lives in California, with her husband and two children. Visit her at ReynaGrande.com.

 

 

Conversations with Book

 

NERUDA ON THE PARK

by Cleyvis Natera

Ballantine Books

 

 The Guerreros have lived in Nothar Park, a predominantly Dominican part of New York City, for twenty years. When demolition begins on a neighboring tenement, Eusebia, an elder of the community, takes matters into her own hands by devising an increasingly dangerous series of schemes to stop construction of the luxury condos. Meanwhile, Eusebia’s daughter, Luz, a rising associate at a top Manhattan law firm who strives to live the bougie lifestyle her parents worked hard to give her, becomes distracted by a sweltering romance with the handsome white developer at the company her mother so vehemently opposes.  As Luz’s father, Vladimir, secretly designs their retirement home in the Dominican Republic, mother and daughter collide, ramping up tensions in Nothar Park, racing toward a near-fatal climax.

 

About the Author: Cleyvis Natera was born in the Dominican Republic, migrated to the United States at ten years old, and grew up in New York City. She holds a BA from Skidmore College and an MFA from New York University. Her writing has won awards and fellowships from PEN America, the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, the Kenyon Review’s Writers Workshops, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. She lives with her husband and two young children in New Jersey. NERUDA ON THE PARK is her first novel.

 

 

 

WRITE A REVIEW. SUPPORT AN AUTHOR!  Support Latino authors by buying their books and writing short reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, etc.  And, always remember to Read Latino Lit.

 

JOIN the book club today.  Sign up here and invite your friends:  https://latinolit.com/join-book-club/

VISIT our book shop here:  https://bookshop.org/shop/lascomadresbookclub


Happy Reading!   

LAS COMADRES CELEBRATE MEMBER ACCOMPLISHMENTS -- APRIL 2022

COMADRES!  We celebrate Your Accomplishments!

Join us in Congratulating these Comadres on their Accomplishments.  We have job anniversaries, promotions, appointments, new jobs, graduations, certifications, marathon winners, etc.   

Andrea Arroyo -- I will be presenting my solo art exhibition "Andrea Arroyo: Art as Solidarity" at three art institutions in NYC, from April-July 2022.  The two outdoor exhibitions at The Hispanic Society Museum and Library and The United Palace, and an indoor exhibition at the Morris-Jumel Mansion Museum, will be presented in conjunction with a variety of programs. The opening reception at the Hispanic Society museum was Saturday, April 23. Please visit www.andreaarroyo.com to join my mailing list and for dates and information.

 Nylda Dieppa -- After publishing my award-winning book "Alborada, A Poetic Memoir Across  Cultures" and writing a first draft of a historical novelization of my mother's memoir, I was derailed by a rare undiagnosed ailment (possibly one more autoimmune disease.) I have spent the last few years struggling with exhaustion, back and neck pain and other problems, and searching for the right healthcare. I am proud to announce that, in spite of not having a diagnosis yet, in 2022 I have made some healthy lifestyle changes and finished a course of physical therapy that have allowed me to improve my stamina to the point that I am able to walk over a mile on a regular basis and was able to walk over three miles during one good day with minimum pain. My pain level has decreased significantly, and I am looking forward to catching up on all the chores and projects that I was forced to neglect during this frustrating period of my life.

 Isabel Sáez – I am celebrating 22 years as a Bilingual Therapist in Private Practice in New York City, serving adults, couples and families/groups.

 Angela Valenzuela, Ph.D.-- I have been recently nominated to serve on a statewide Council on Assessment and Accountability convened by Raise Your Hand Texas, a 20-member group that is seeking to make changes to policy in anticipation of the next 2023 Texas Legislative Session.

 Delila A. Vasquez – I have created “Cafecito Con,” is a podcast on Clubhouse APP and YouTube building community one story at a time.  

 Kyisha Velazquez -- I published my 1st book "Navigating Trauma: A Guide" in Spanish on Amazon: "Navegando el Trauma: Una Guia" on March 5, 2022. 

 

 Congratulations to all!

  

NOTE:  these listings are for congratulatory purposes only. We are not endorsing any products, services or candidates for public office.  

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HEROES AMONGST US WITH RAQUELA MEJIA

 

  

Las Comadres Speaker Series 

presents Raquela Mejia on 

Wednesday, May 25 at 7:00 PM ET

HEROES AMONGST US

Q&A with Raquela Mejia

Creator of Dinorah Desde PBS TV show

Producer of Mantra for Good People (bilingual tribute)

Record and video producer, artist management of RM Productions and co-owner of Maxima Records.

 

Raquela Mejia’s PBS TV show, Dinorah Desde, is more than a travel-food show, it’s also a people show.  It’s about inspirational people, people who are making a difference in the world. Everyone has a story to tell, says Raquela.  Simple people. Beautiful stories. Cause there’s Heroes amongst us.  Join us as Raquela shares her inspiration for her PBS TV show, her journey into television and tips to making it in show biz.

 

For more information, visit us here:  https://lascomadres.com/lco/speaker-series/

SAVE THE DATE! WED, APRIL 27 -- LAS COMADRES SPEAKER SERIES WITH SINDY BENAVIDES, CEO, LULAC

 

SAVE THE DATE!  Wednesday, April 27, at 7pm ET via zoom for a Q&A with Sindy Benavides on Building Strong Latino Communities.

 

 

BUILDING STRONG LATINO COMMUNITIES

Q&A with Sindy Benavides

Chief Executive Officer

League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)

 

Sindy Marisol Benavides is a Honduran-American immigrant who has experienced the American dream, and now devotes her career to public service, ensuring that countless young people, women, and immigrants have the same opportunity. She is currently Chief Executive Officer for the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the oldest Hispanic civil rights organization in the country. She previously served as the Chief Operating Officer and National Director for Civic Engagement and Community Mobilization for LULAC, Vice President of Field & Political Operations for Voto Latino and as Northern Virginia Political Director for the 2012 Kaine for Virginia senatorial campaign. She has also been National Director of Community Outreach for the Democratic National Committee, and Latino Liaison and Director of Gubernatorial Appointments for Governor Timothy M. Kaine.

 

She received her Bachelor of Arts from Virginia State University, where she graduated Valedictorian of her class and studied Political Science with a minor in Spanish. She has also attended American University for her Master’s degree in International Affairs and is working on submitting her substantial research paper.  Ms. Benavides is an alumna of the Sorenson Political Leadership Program through the University of Virginia and the Virginia Executive Institute and Minority Political Leadership Institute through Virginia Commonwealth University. She is an alumna of the 2009 class of the National Hispana Leadership Institute. Sindy obtained her Certificate on Executive Management and Leadership from Harvard Kennedy School in April 2009 and attended the Center for Creative Leadership in July 2009.  Lastly, in 2016, Sindy was selected for Hispanics in Philanthropy (HIP) Next Generation Latino Philanthropy Fellowship program.

 

 

FREE Registration here:   https://forms.gle/EqYe3dP32D3Gm7Bg8

 

 

   

LAS COMADRES & FRIENDS BOOK CLUB ANNOUNCES APRIL 2022 BOOKS OF THE MONTH

Join the Celebration!  Las Comadres & Friends Book Club is celebrating its Quinceañero all year long.15-years of supporting Latino authors and encouraging the world to #ReadLatinoLit. We look forward to another 15!

 

AND....we are happy to announce our book  selections for April 2022. 

 

 

BOOK OF THE MONTH

 

THE NEW YORK CITY SUBWAY POEMS /

POEMAS DEL METRO DE NUEVA YORK

by Carlos Aguasaco

Ashland Poetry Press

 

Summary:  THE NEW YORK CITY SUBWAY POEMS is a bilingual collection of poems about difficult crossroads, chilling situations, and nomads of the world riding the subway and reshaping the metropolis. Critics say that Carlos Aguasaco’s poetry “reveals him as a wounded, yet defiant poet, master of a layered tongue, far from conventional or traditional styles.”

 

About the Author:   Carlos Aguasaco, PhD, is one of the central figures of the new Hispanic American Poetry in the US. He is an Associate Professor of Latin American Cultural Studies and Acting Chair in the Department of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences of City College of the City University of New York (CUNY). Carlos received his PhD from Stony Brook University and was awarded the prestigious W. Burghardt Turner Doctoral Fellowship by the State University of New York. He also holds an MA in Spanish from CCNY and a BA in Literature from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. He has edited eleven literary anthologies and published six books of poems. Carlos is the founder and director of Artepoetica Press, a publishing house specializing in Hispanic American themes and authors. He is also director of The Americas Poetry Festival of New York and coordinator of The Americas Film Festival of New York.  His poems have been translated into English, French, Portuguese, Romanian, Galician, and Arabic.

 

 

CONVERSATIONS WITH BOOKS (2)

 

THE FIVE WOUNDS

by Kirstin Valdez Quade

W.W. Norton & Company

 

Summary:  It’s Holy Week in the small town of Las Penas, New Mexico, and thirty-three-year-old unemployed Amadeo Padilla has been given the part of Jesus in the Good Friday procession. He is preparing feverishly for this role when his fifteen-year-old daughter Angel shows up pregnant on his doorstep and disrupts his plans for personal redemption. With weeks to go until her due date, tough, ebullient Angel has fled her mother’s house, setting her life on a startling new path.  Vivid, tender, funny, and beautifully rendered, THE FIVE WOUNDS spans the baby’s first year as five generations of the Padilla family converge: Amadeo’s mother, Yolanda, reeling from a recent discovery; Angel’s mother, Marissa, whom Angel isn’t speaking to; and disapproving Tíve, Yolanda’s uncle and keeper of the family’s history. Each brings expectations that Amadeo, who often solves his problems with a beer in his hand, doesn’t think he can live up to.

 

About the Author: Kirstin Valdez Quade is the author of THE FIVE WOUNDS, which won the 2021 Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize and won the 2022 Rosenthal Family Foundation Award. Her story collection, NIGHT AT THE FIESTAS, won the John Leonard Prize from the National Book Critics Circle, the Sue Kaufma Prize for First Fiction from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a “5 Under 35” award from the National Book Foundation, and was a finalist for the New York Public Library Young Lions Award.  Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Best American Short Stories, The New York Times and elsewhere.  She is an assistant professor at Princeton.

 

MY LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK ABOUT FRIDA KAHLO

by Silvia Lopez

Golden Books / Random House

 

Summary:  This Little Golden Book captures the essence of Frida Kahlo for the youngest readers. From overcoming illness, to being one of only a handful of girls at her school in Mexico, to having her paintings hanging in museums, this is an inspiring read for future trailblazers and their parents! Features informative text and colorful illustrations inspired by Frida's own artwork.

 

About the Author:  A Cuba native, Silvia Lopez arrived in Miami in 1960 with one suitcase and no English. She became a National Board Certified media specialist with degrees in English and Educational Technology and a Masters in Library Science. For nearly four decades, Silvia served hundreds of children as librarian in schools and public libraries in Miami-Dade County. Silvia became a published author in March 2018 with the release of her first hard-cover picture book JUST RIGHT FAMILY: AN ADOPTION STORY by Albert Whitman Co., which went on to receive the 2019 Florida Book Award. Silvia’s work also includes an award-winning children's bilingual biography as well as six bilingual eBooks. One of these, ZUNZUNCITO: UN CUENTO DEL PÁJARO ABEJA CUBANO received the International Latino Book Award as Best Children’s Picture eBook of 2017. All her eBooks are free and accessible on her website.

 

 

SAVE THE DATE!  Our next Book Club Zoom Teleconference will be Monday, April  25, 5pm PT/ 6pm MT/ 7pm CT/ 8pm ET and Puerto Rico.  

Sign up today and you may win a FREE BOOK.  Register here:  https://latinolit.com/join-teleconference/

 

TO JOIN THE BOOK CLUB:  sign up here and invite your friends:  https://latinolit.com/join-book-club/

 

VISIT OUR BOOK SHOP HERE:   https://bookshop.org/shop/lascomadresbookclub

 

 

Happy Reading!  and, always Read Latino Lit!

 

LAS COMADRES CELEBRATE MEMBER ACCOMPLISHMENTS -- MARCH 2022

Greetings, Comadres. 

 Join us in Congratulating these Comadres on their Accomplishments. We have job anniversaries, promotions, appointments, new jobs, graduations, certifications, marathon winners, etc.  

To share your accomplishments for next month, register here: https://forms.gle/gXjeZMreitTT6XDt7 

NOTE: these listings are for congratulatory purposes only. We are not endorsing any products, services or candidates for public office.

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 COMADRES! We celebrate Your Accomplishments!

Guadalupe Aguilar from Los Angeles, CA, completed her 9th marathon on Sunday, March 20. She raised funds and awareness for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention AFSP, a non-profit organization dedicated to research and providing educational tools on suicide prevention. Guadalupe lost two brothers to suicide. She shares her story on social media platforms to start the conversation. She chooses to share her story in the hope that someone who is struggling and feels they are all alone, will see that there is hope and services available to help them. Guadalupe states: “As a Latina, I know that mental health is not a topic that is talked about in the Latino community. By sharing what my family has endured, I am breaking the cycle of silence and breaking the stigma that surrounds suicide, mental health conversations.” 

 Maggie Cabezas from San Antonio, TX, opened her new travel agency. 

 Tili Capistran from Houston, TX, was awarded the 2021 Executive’s Circle Award from her company for her production last year. 

 Beatriz Fritschler from New York, NY, successfully launched the “Move with Bea” campaign to raise brain aneurysm awareness in March 2022. 

 Glenda Galvan-Garcia from Garden Grove, CA, has found a literary agent after 20 years! She’s beyond excited to find a home for her kid’s Mexican history / cookbook, THE WHOLE ENCHILADA.

 Clara Galvano Rivera from New York, NY, had an article published on the PRIDA.org (Puerto Rican Institute for the Development of Arts) website. 

 Jazmin Goodall from San Antonio, TX, graduated in December 2021 with a Master’s degree in Communication Science. Plus, Jazmin started a new job this March providing bilingual speech therapy services at the TLC Kids Therapy clinic in San Antonio. 

 Elvira Gonzalez from New York, NY, received a six-figure, pre-empt deal from Roaring Brook Press (MacMillan Publishers) for her first book - YA non-fiction. Currently the only six-figure YA non-fiction deal since March 2021. 

Comadres Board President Teresa Lara from Los Angeles, CA, completed her first Los Angeles Marathon. 

 Christy Martinez from Lubbock, TX, filed to run as City Council District 1 Representative. 

 Teresa Martinez from Austin, TX, is celebrating the first business anniversary. She is a Redox Educator and started a Molecular Therapy & Cellular Fitness business. 

 Norma Quiroga from Livermore, CA, celebrates her 15-year job anniversary at Principal. 

 Gina Isabel Rodriguez from Springfield, MA, is the 2022 Fellow with LitUp by Reese's Book Club.

 Regina Maria Rodriguez from Lakewood, CO, was promoted to Director of Equity Initiatives & System Innovations for NASDDDS. 

 Lydia Rosa from Massapequa, received a Certificate of Completion from the IFS Institute for Level 2 Intensive training Program (802) IFS, Addictions and Eating Disorders in Internal Family Systems Psychotherapy. 

 Susana Sandoval from Colorado celebrates her fifth year of service as a Human Rights Commissioner within the United Nations Permanent Forum for Indigenous Peoples. 

 Darlene Tenes from San Jose, CA, is excited to be moderating the City of San Jose's Mayoral Debate on May 4, 2022. It will really be more of a job interview to determine who is best to fill the position.

 Lixandra Urresta from New York, NY, debuted Season 2 of her Career Switch Podcast on March 15. This is a passion project that lets Lixandra pay it forward after she had to switch industries and make a career change. 

 Patricia Vazquez Topete from Fresno, CA, has a new job as Vice President and Community Relations Market Manager with Citibank. 

  Congratulations to all!

LAS COMADRES CELEBRATE MEMBER ACCOMPLISHMENTS -- FEBRUARY 2022

 To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.

Greetings, Comadres.  You shared your job anniversaries, promotions, appointments, new jobs, graduations, certifications, etc.  Thank you and Congratulations!   

To share your accomplishments for next month, register here:  https://forms.gle/oNqPaiyNTzzwEpZz9
 
NOTE:  these listings are for congratulatory purposes only. We are not endorsing any products, services or candidates for public office.

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CONGRATULATIONS, COMADRES!

Maria Cardes from Albany, NY -- I'm so excited that after years with my business, Maria de Socorro Fashions, and the help of a cool women's group "It's Never Too Late", on February 18, I finally created my own logo and I'm so proud of it and myself!
 

Martha Cotera from Austin, TX --Her essay, "El Florecimiento Cultural del Pueblo Mexicano /Chicano En Estados Unidos,"  was just published in El Gran México: Las Culturas Mexicanas Más Allá de las Fronteras.  This anthology includes many prominent Latino/a scholars and was edited by José Manuel Valenzuela Arce, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, publisher.  Martha also presented on the "Texas/Chicana Feminist Legacy" at the Texas Historical Association Conference on February 24, in Austin.


Jeannie Diaz from New York, NY -- Graduated from a 200-hr Meditation Teacher Training program in December 2021, from the Three Jewels (Enlightenment studio) , NYC.  Jeannie now adds Meditation techniques to her weekly yoga classes.

Eris Garriga from New York, NY -- Her four (4!) cookbooks have received recognition.  Most recently, Homestyle Puerto Rican Cooking was the 2020 International Book Awards, 11th Annual Awards sponsored by American Book Fest.  She also received a trophy in 2021 for the Author of the Year Award from the Promote Your Book Group.  Eris' Green Kitchen was the 2017 runner-up in the New York Book Festival's cookbooks category. Eris was also awarded the Educational Award from the Instituto de Puerto Rico in New York in 2014, and was recognized by the National Puerto Rican Associate Preserving Heritage & Culture, LLC for preserving our culture through her literary works.
 

Congratulations to all!