1 00:00:24,735 --> 00:00:25,885 - Going on, everybody. 2 00:00:25,915 --> 00:00:28,245 Welcome to the anos. 3 00:00:28,555 --> 00:00:31,485 This is your non monolithic look 4 00:00:31,865 --> 00:00:34,365 - At the Latina community at our rasa. 5 00:00:34,585 --> 00:00:36,645 And, uh, we're coming at you every couple of weeks 6 00:00:36,745 --> 00:00:40,405 to share stories where I just a little chito from the east 7 00:00:40,405 --> 00:00:42,045 side, uh, comes in here 8 00:00:42,185 --> 00:00:45,045 and has conversations with folks from munida 9 00:00:45,045 --> 00:00:47,765 and folks connected to the work that we do. 10 00:00:48,385 --> 00:00:51,405 Um, and to the stories that need to be uplifted. 11 00:00:51,405 --> 00:00:52,885 We're always uplifting quintos. 12 00:00:52,885 --> 00:00:55,085 And in the spirit of uplifting these quintos, 13 00:00:55,085 --> 00:00:57,885 you're gonna really like our, our guests that we have today. 14 00:00:58,145 --> 00:01:00,165 And I'll introduce her in just one second. 15 00:01:00,625 --> 00:01:03,165 Um, but if you're hearing us for the first time, um, 16 00:01:03,905 --> 00:01:06,725 the Chicano Logs is a two dope production. 17 00:01:07,105 --> 00:01:09,405 You can, uh, subscribe to us on social media 18 00:01:09,545 --> 00:01:13,085 by following at two dope teachers on Instagram, on Twitter, 19 00:01:13,465 --> 00:01:14,725 on where else are we? 20 00:01:14,725 --> 00:01:16,525 We're on Facebook. We've got a TikTok 21 00:01:16,525 --> 00:01:18,805 that we never upload anything to, but, um, 22 00:01:18,865 --> 00:01:20,525 but we're responsive to things there. 23 00:01:20,985 --> 00:01:22,965 Um, if you have show ideas, if you have feedback, 24 00:01:23,025 --> 00:01:25,365 if you would like to just get connect connected 25 00:01:25,365 --> 00:01:27,885 with Tudo Nation, you can hit us up, 26 00:01:28,125 --> 00:01:30,085 tudo teachers@gmail.com. 27 00:01:30,425 --> 00:01:33,845 And if you're excited about supporting an uplifting people 28 00:01:34,045 --> 00:01:36,445 of color created independent media, um, 29 00:01:36,505 --> 00:01:37,965 you can support us on Patreon, 30 00:01:37,965 --> 00:01:40,005 patreon.com/two dope teachers. 31 00:01:40,345 --> 00:01:42,765 Um, and then at the break we'll tell you a little bit about 32 00:01:42,785 --> 00:01:45,485 our sponsor, satter in Investors. 33 00:01:46,105 --> 00:01:48,325 So, I'm here on an unseasonably warm day 34 00:01:48,505 --> 00:01:49,605 in, uh, Denver, Colorado. 35 00:01:49,885 --> 00:01:51,685 Although my guest probably wouldn't consider this warm 36 00:01:51,685 --> 00:01:53,085 given that she's in California. 37 00:01:53,585 --> 00:01:58,165 Um, we have an amazing guest today, journalist, 38 00:01:58,595 --> 00:02:02,485 publisher award-winning author, Leticia Oras. 39 00:02:02,555 --> 00:02:04,485 Welcome to the Chica Monologues. 40 00:02:05,195 --> 00:02:07,425 - Thank you. It's so great to be here with you, ardal. 41 00:02:07,425 --> 00:02:08,905 You're an amazing person, and thank you 42 00:02:09,005 --> 00:02:10,185 for sharing my story. 43 00:02:10,685 --> 00:02:12,185 - Uh, no. You okay, . 44 00:02:12,185 --> 00:02:15,305 Um, so we, we met at the, uh, conference for the Association 45 00:02:15,305 --> 00:02:19,065 of Latino Administrators and superintendents in San Antonio, 46 00:02:19,405 --> 00:02:21,665 and just really enjoyed the conversation that we had, 47 00:02:21,765 --> 00:02:23,745 and just getting to know the work that, 48 00:02:23,745 --> 00:02:25,745 that you've been doing, that you've been hustling towards. 49 00:02:25,905 --> 00:02:28,465 I, I don't think you understand how much it inspired me 50 00:02:28,485 --> 00:02:30,465 to just, you know, continue 51 00:02:30,465 --> 00:02:31,985 to do the stuff that matters to me. 52 00:02:32,165 --> 00:02:35,425 So it was a really fun, um, you know, conversation 53 00:02:35,485 --> 00:02:38,865 and just super honored that you're here on the show. 54 00:02:39,365 --> 00:02:41,225 Um, so I wanna start off 55 00:02:41,225 --> 00:02:42,425 with just a little bit of your story. 56 00:02:42,425 --> 00:02:44,545 We're all about just kind of knowing who people are, who, 57 00:02:44,565 --> 00:02:47,905 who are the folks that show up into, um, 58 00:02:48,175 --> 00:02:49,385 into our lives and our spaces. 59 00:02:49,845 --> 00:02:52,865 Um, so how did your life experiences lead you into this 60 00:02:52,875 --> 00:02:54,465 world of storytelling? 61 00:02:54,525 --> 00:02:55,745 It seems like that's kind of the, 62 00:02:55,745 --> 00:02:57,745 that's the umbrella over the work 63 00:02:57,745 --> 00:02:59,105 that you do is telling stories. 64 00:02:59,185 --> 00:03:01,325 So as a journalist, as an author, as a publisher, 65 00:03:02,365 --> 00:03:03,365 - Absolutely. 66 00:03:03,365 --> 00:03:05,365 Or I'm an immigrant child. My parents are immigrants. 67 00:03:05,485 --> 00:03:08,445 I grew up in a small town in Northern California 68 00:03:08,745 --> 00:03:12,485 and growing up I never saw books that reflected me. 69 00:03:12,485 --> 00:03:14,245 And I think that's all how I got started 70 00:03:14,245 --> 00:03:15,605 with my publishing world 71 00:03:15,625 --> 00:03:18,565 and my desire to publish books, just not feeling 72 00:03:19,325 --> 00:03:21,085 represented like something was missing in my life. 73 00:03:21,245 --> 00:03:22,525 I really enjoyed books, 74 00:03:22,625 --> 00:03:25,125 but boy would I have loved to have seen someone 75 00:03:25,125 --> 00:03:26,845 who looked like me on the cover of a book 76 00:03:27,225 --> 00:03:28,645 as characters in books. 77 00:03:28,785 --> 00:03:30,645 So that's where it all began. 78 00:03:30,655 --> 00:03:32,805 There was a huge void in my life growing up 79 00:03:32,805 --> 00:03:35,445 because of that, you know, a lack of literacy 80 00:03:35,505 --> 00:03:37,165 and culturally relevant books. 81 00:03:37,705 --> 00:03:40,245 And then when I became a mother, I continued 82 00:03:40,245 --> 00:03:41,325 to search for those stories. 83 00:03:41,705 --> 00:03:44,365 And sadly, a lot of those stories still weren't there 84 00:03:44,385 --> 00:03:46,365 and weren't being authentically told. 85 00:03:46,505 --> 00:03:49,365 So that's when I decided to write my own stories. 86 00:03:49,705 --> 00:03:54,005 And that's how I created Alito Lindo books specifically 87 00:03:54,005 --> 00:03:57,565 because when I began submitting my story to publishers, 88 00:03:58,265 --> 00:04:01,365 one specific giant publisher said, we love your idea. 89 00:04:01,385 --> 00:04:02,565 We love your concept for Mr. 90 00:04:02,715 --> 00:04:04,805 Maca, but does it have to be in Spanish? 91 00:04:04,805 --> 00:04:06,365 Because I write bilingual books. 92 00:04:06,465 --> 00:04:08,325 So that kind of hit me hard 93 00:04:08,325 --> 00:04:10,125 because this publisher also said, 94 00:04:10,705 --> 00:04:12,525 why do you wanna market to this community? 95 00:04:12,525 --> 00:04:14,125 Because Latinos don't read? 96 00:04:14,145 --> 00:04:17,325 And I'm like, what are you talking about? Yeah. 97 00:04:17,345 --> 00:04:19,445 So that, that's when we have to create change. 98 00:04:19,585 --> 00:04:21,725 If we don't see the books out there that we want, 99 00:04:22,155 --> 00:04:24,245 then it's our responsibility to write them. 100 00:04:25,175 --> 00:04:26,725 - Let's, let's dig into that a little bit. 101 00:04:26,845 --> 00:04:28,245 'cause there are a couple of pieces I think are really 102 00:04:28,245 --> 00:04:30,605 important for the audience to hear right now. 103 00:04:31,105 --> 00:04:32,885 Um, the first is the power of representation. 104 00:04:33,195 --> 00:04:36,245 Like, I think that this is a term that 105 00:04:36,355 --> 00:04:38,925 that gets used a lot in, in public discourse, 106 00:04:39,265 --> 00:04:42,605 and yet we haven't seen significant changes in 107 00:04:42,785 --> 00:04:44,685 how our communities are represented. 108 00:04:44,745 --> 00:04:47,085 So talk a little bit about what that, what, 109 00:04:47,195 --> 00:04:50,645 what representation means in our community 110 00:04:50,645 --> 00:04:52,205 and in communities of color in general. 111 00:04:53,275 --> 00:04:54,925 - When I started writing books, I wanted 112 00:04:54,925 --> 00:04:56,005 to do it for my children. 113 00:04:56,245 --> 00:04:58,285 I said, how important would it be for them 114 00:04:58,305 --> 00:05:01,205 to grow up knowing that their culture is beautiful, 115 00:05:01,395 --> 00:05:03,445 that the color of their skin is beautiful, 116 00:05:03,445 --> 00:05:05,725 that everything about them is perfect. 117 00:05:06,505 --> 00:05:09,325 And so I began writing books with them as characters, 118 00:05:09,385 --> 00:05:12,045 my two little boys as characters, Maxton and Bronx. 119 00:05:12,425 --> 00:05:13,645 And it, it really exploded 120 00:05:13,645 --> 00:05:16,445 because, uh, when I finally published my books my Way 121 00:05:16,665 --> 00:05:19,885 and took them out to schools kids on Zoom, 122 00:05:19,885 --> 00:05:22,325 because we had to first do it through the virtual world, 123 00:05:22,345 --> 00:05:25,885 it was 2020, uh, March of 2020 when my first book came out. 124 00:05:25,985 --> 00:05:27,565 So all these plans, I had to, 125 00:05:27,865 --> 00:05:30,285 to do a nationwide book tour kind of got stomped, 126 00:05:30,385 --> 00:05:31,565 but it didn't stop my mission. 127 00:05:31,685 --> 00:05:34,325 I was able to, to reach out through social media, 128 00:05:34,585 --> 00:05:36,565 and so many people got behind my mission, 129 00:05:36,705 --> 00:05:39,285 and all of a sudden I was reading to kids nationally 130 00:05:39,505 --> 00:05:41,685 and nationwide schools were opening their doors to me, 131 00:05:41,685 --> 00:05:42,925 and I was doing zooms with them 132 00:05:42,925 --> 00:05:44,965 and doing assemblies, uh, virtually. 133 00:05:45,545 --> 00:05:48,685 And after I would present the book, I would have q and a 134 00:05:48,685 --> 00:05:52,085 and a lot of the kids would be crying like tears in their 135 00:05:52,085 --> 00:05:53,485 eyes during q and a, 136 00:05:53,485 --> 00:05:55,605 and I would ask them what, you know, 137 00:05:56,045 --> 00:05:57,090 impacted them about the book book. 138 00:05:57,145 --> 00:06:00,245 And they said that the characters looked like them. 139 00:06:00,345 --> 00:06:03,365 It said, those kids in that book look like me. 140 00:06:04,065 --> 00:06:06,205 And they were just so proud of that. 141 00:06:06,305 --> 00:06:08,205 It wasn't, it was happy tears. 142 00:06:08,305 --> 00:06:10,605 It was like finally, oh yeah, yeah, I'm being seen. 143 00:06:10,705 --> 00:06:12,925 And even them being so little, sometimes people think, oh, 144 00:06:12,925 --> 00:06:14,765 they don't notice, they notice. Right, 145 00:06:14,935 --> 00:06:15,935 - Right. 146 00:06:15,935 --> 00:06:17,405 Yeah, I know they noticed. I was just gonna say that, right? 147 00:06:17,405 --> 00:06:19,965 Because I think like there is this notion that 148 00:06:20,495 --> 00:06:22,685 young children are just kind of like 149 00:06:23,275 --> 00:06:25,165 wandering cluelessly throughout the world, 150 00:06:25,225 --> 00:06:27,965 and they don't think about things like racial identity 151 00:06:28,225 --> 00:06:30,245 or like cultural identity 152 00:06:30,245 --> 00:06:31,485 consciousness and that kind of thing. 153 00:06:31,505 --> 00:06:33,445 But what you're seeing is that 154 00:06:33,445 --> 00:06:35,325 that is absolutely the opposite. 155 00:06:35,355 --> 00:06:36,685 That that matters to them. 156 00:06:37,505 --> 00:06:39,965 - It matters to them. It matters to their parents. 157 00:06:40,065 --> 00:06:42,125 Uh, we were doing like nighttime assemblies as well, 158 00:06:42,125 --> 00:06:45,005 because I really like to get the families involved. 159 00:06:45,025 --> 00:06:46,445 So I worked with schools and I said, 160 00:06:46,625 --> 00:06:47,965 can we do a literacy night? 161 00:06:48,305 --> 00:06:49,885 Can we present to the entire family? 162 00:06:50,085 --> 00:06:53,485 I want the Atos, anyone who lives in the home 163 00:06:53,505 --> 00:06:55,205 to experience the magic of reading 164 00:06:55,665 --> 00:06:58,765 and to just generate a culture of reading in our community, 165 00:06:59,025 --> 00:07:00,645 uh, to break those stereotypes. 166 00:07:00,845 --> 00:07:04,085 I don't think that Latinos don't read, it's just that a lot 167 00:07:04,085 --> 00:07:06,925 of times families don't have these culturally relevant 168 00:07:06,935 --> 00:07:08,325 books in their home. 169 00:07:08,485 --> 00:07:11,605 I work with a lot of communities to get books into the hands 170 00:07:11,605 --> 00:07:12,965 of kids, and what we're finding is 171 00:07:12,965 --> 00:07:15,965 that sometimes this is the very first book that 172 00:07:15,965 --> 00:07:17,605 that family would've owned. 173 00:07:18,035 --> 00:07:20,125 Yeah. So it's very important to like, 174 00:07:20,515 --> 00:07:22,285 provide access to those books. 175 00:07:22,635 --> 00:07:23,765 Yeah. And even the parents 176 00:07:23,785 --> 00:07:25,965 and the grandparents will be in tears saying, you know, 177 00:07:26,005 --> 00:07:27,725 I wish I had these books growing up. 178 00:07:27,905 --> 00:07:28,925 So it's very powerful. 179 00:07:29,515 --> 00:07:32,245 - Yeah. I think as you kind of speak about that as, 180 00:07:32,305 --> 00:07:35,325 as you say that, um, for a lot of families is the first book 181 00:07:35,475 --> 00:07:36,805 that maybe the family is zoned. 182 00:07:36,805 --> 00:07:39,805 I think about my, my spouse who came here, um, 183 00:07:39,825 --> 00:07:41,245 in the late 1970s. 184 00:07:41,245 --> 00:07:43,485 They were undocumented until she was in middle school. 185 00:07:44,065 --> 00:07:47,285 And, um, and just the differences as we were getting 186 00:07:47,285 --> 00:07:49,965 to know each other between her home and my home. 187 00:07:50,165 --> 00:07:52,365 I have a white mother, very educated from 188 00:07:52,625 --> 00:07:53,805 the United States of America. 189 00:07:53,985 --> 00:07:56,885 And so, um, we always had books around, 190 00:07:57,025 --> 00:07:58,205 and for her it was good. 191 00:07:58,265 --> 00:08:00,285 And she would have these kind of like 192 00:08:01,285 --> 00:08:03,565 frustrating trigger moments in professional settings when 193 00:08:03,565 --> 00:08:04,965 it'd be like, and share 194 00:08:04,965 --> 00:08:06,845 what your favorite book was growing up. 195 00:08:06,865 --> 00:08:09,045 And if you didn't grow up with books, um, 196 00:08:09,185 --> 00:08:11,445 that's a very loaded situation to be in. 197 00:08:11,625 --> 00:08:13,405 You, you started to touch on this a little bit, 198 00:08:13,425 --> 00:08:16,325 but I'd like you to, um, kind of expand on it a little bit. 199 00:08:16,785 --> 00:08:18,325 Why do you think there's this perception 200 00:08:18,675 --> 00:08:21,485 that Latino families and children don't read? 201 00:08:23,065 --> 00:08:26,625 - I think it's because it starts with organizations 202 00:08:26,655 --> 00:08:28,425 that donate books to families. 203 00:08:28,425 --> 00:08:30,145 And I see it every day now 204 00:08:30,145 --> 00:08:31,785 that I've been in this literacy work, 205 00:08:32,135 --> 00:08:34,465 I've been in situations where it's a literacy event 206 00:08:34,525 --> 00:08:37,065 and we have say a public library handing out books, 207 00:08:37,325 --> 00:08:39,385 and then I'm there in my line handing out books. 208 00:08:39,925 --> 00:08:43,585 And oftentimes the the library line, there's not one. 209 00:08:44,095 --> 00:08:45,305 They all come to my line. 210 00:08:45,565 --> 00:08:46,825 And that's what I'm seeing is 211 00:08:46,825 --> 00:08:48,505 that organizations are not bringing 212 00:08:49,225 --> 00:08:51,025 culturally relevant books to these events. 213 00:08:51,405 --> 00:08:52,945 And sometimes they're bringing old books 214 00:08:53,005 --> 00:08:56,205 and nobody wants a torn old book. 215 00:08:56,225 --> 00:08:58,325 That's right. When you go into a community, you really have 216 00:08:58,355 --> 00:09:00,565 - Some kid colored in it, and it's, you know, 217 00:09:01,515 --> 00:09:02,515 - Yeah. 218 00:09:02,515 --> 00:09:04,245 You have to bring books that reflect that community. 219 00:09:04,245 --> 00:09:07,325 And I think oftentimes these groups that bring books 220 00:09:07,325 --> 00:09:08,725 to organizations like that 221 00:09:08,725 --> 00:09:11,605 and events they leave saying, did we really need to do this 222 00:09:11,605 --> 00:09:13,045 because nobody picked up a book, 223 00:09:13,545 --> 00:09:16,245 but they're not really looking at what they brought. 224 00:09:16,385 --> 00:09:18,805 And should they have brought those books, 225 00:09:18,855 --> 00:09:20,405 those weren't the right books Exactly. 226 00:09:20,705 --> 00:09:23,125 To bring to a black and brown community. Yeah. 227 00:09:23,185 --> 00:09:26,725 And when I see 200 people deep in line waiting to talk 228 00:09:26,725 --> 00:09:29,045 to me, waiting for my signature, waiting for a book, uh, 229 00:09:29,045 --> 00:09:31,085 that tells me that they do want these books. 230 00:09:31,115 --> 00:09:33,365 They just want the right books in their house. 231 00:09:33,635 --> 00:09:36,045 - Yeah. It's so, it's, so thank you for sharing that. 232 00:09:36,245 --> 00:09:39,525 'cause like, as I was going back and reading my copy of Mr. 233 00:09:39,655 --> 00:09:41,205 McCaw that I got, um, 234 00:09:41,625 --> 00:09:44,205 and I was kind of reflecting on my own journey. 235 00:09:44,365 --> 00:09:47,125 I, I love to read, I have, I have a reading disability, 236 00:09:47,125 --> 00:09:49,605 but I love to read and I've always loved to read, 237 00:09:49,605 --> 00:09:50,725 but I was thinking about 238 00:09:51,035 --> 00:09:52,885 what were my favorite books growing up? 239 00:09:52,965 --> 00:09:54,965 I mean, it was, it was Ferdinand the Bull, right? 240 00:09:55,035 --> 00:09:56,485 That was probably my favorite one. 241 00:09:56,705 --> 00:09:58,685 And then I used to read Encyclopedia Brown 242 00:09:58,685 --> 00:10:00,765 because I love this idea that, 243 00:10:00,915 --> 00:10:03,525 that a kid like me could solve mysteries with my mind, 244 00:10:03,665 --> 00:10:04,725 but there was always something 245 00:10:04,725 --> 00:10:07,245 that didn't feel like a strong connection in that way. 246 00:10:07,625 --> 00:10:11,885 So what you're saying is that in terms of, um, of especially 247 00:10:12,605 --> 00:10:15,765 children's literacy, it's a lot of the same issues 248 00:10:15,765 --> 00:10:20,445 that we run into in other aspects of our Latina existences, 249 00:10:20,445 --> 00:10:23,565 whether it's, you attended my session on Neurodivergence 250 00:10:23,705 --> 00:10:27,605 and how there's a perception that the cultural stigma 251 00:10:28,265 --> 00:10:31,525 is the reason that Latina children don't get special 252 00:10:31,525 --> 00:10:32,525 education services. 253 00:10:32,555 --> 00:10:35,405 They don't get neurodivergent supports, but it's 254 00:10:35,405 --> 00:10:39,445 because there's also not access to folks who are experts 255 00:10:39,545 --> 00:10:43,485 and culturally adept and informed about who we are. 256 00:10:43,485 --> 00:10:45,845 That all that plays an equal, if not bigger role. 257 00:10:46,105 --> 00:10:48,925 So you're saying it's a similar situation in literature. 258 00:10:48,995 --> 00:10:51,765 It's not that there's no interest in reading 259 00:10:51,785 --> 00:10:55,085 or literacy, it's that, that the children's pub, 260 00:10:55,365 --> 00:10:59,045 children's book industry has failed to connect 261 00:10:59,395 --> 00:11:01,205 with our children and with their families. 262 00:11:02,165 --> 00:11:04,245 - Absolutely. Then I also think that it's the school's 263 00:11:04,485 --> 00:11:06,085 responsibility to, because we can't just 264 00:11:06,085 --> 00:11:07,245 leave it You go on publishers. 265 00:11:07,345 --> 00:11:09,525 That's right. Like a lot of the times we bring these book 266 00:11:09,525 --> 00:11:11,645 fairs to our school and we keep bringing the 267 00:11:11,645 --> 00:11:12,845 same book fairs to our school. 268 00:11:12,845 --> 00:11:14,925 Yeah. So how about thinking outside the box? 269 00:11:15,245 --> 00:11:18,245 I know a friend in Los Angeles, she has miha books, 270 00:11:18,545 --> 00:11:19,925 she features my books there, as well 271 00:11:19,925 --> 00:11:21,285 as other culturally relevant books. 272 00:11:21,305 --> 00:11:23,125 And now schools in LA are starting 273 00:11:23,125 --> 00:11:24,725 to get her to come to these schools. 274 00:11:24,985 --> 00:11:27,765 And these kids are feeling so connected to the books 275 00:11:27,765 --> 00:11:29,885 that they're finding someone who looks like them, they want 276 00:11:29,885 --> 00:11:31,285 to read so bad. 277 00:11:31,665 --> 00:11:33,365 And it's really opening up the doors 278 00:11:33,745 --> 00:11:35,885 to literacy every time I visit a school 279 00:11:36,305 --> 00:11:37,725 and a school does a distribution 280 00:11:37,725 --> 00:11:39,005 where every kid's gonna get a book. 281 00:11:39,005 --> 00:11:41,485 And it doesn't matter what your income is, 282 00:11:41,485 --> 00:11:44,325 because I don't wanna go to a school and sell my books 283 00:11:44,325 --> 00:11:46,245 because I would've been that one child 284 00:11:46,665 --> 00:11:49,085 who didn't have any money for that book. 285 00:11:49,355 --> 00:11:51,405 Yeah. So when we open up the doors 286 00:11:51,505 --> 00:11:54,325 and when schools bring these culturally relevant books, 287 00:11:55,075 --> 00:11:57,645 kids wanna read that book over and over again. 288 00:11:57,645 --> 00:12:00,125 That is what I'm hearing from these families is like always, 289 00:12:00,305 --> 00:12:01,645 now I have a reader in the home. 290 00:12:02,105 --> 00:12:03,205 And it was that simple. 291 00:12:03,875 --> 00:12:06,245 It's giving someone a book they could relate to, 292 00:12:06,245 --> 00:12:08,165 they could see themselves in that's, and not only that, 293 00:12:08,345 --> 00:12:10,245 but these kids are now thinking, Hey, 294 00:12:10,945 --> 00:12:12,645 you wrote the story, you look like me. 295 00:12:12,645 --> 00:12:14,925 Guess what? Now I wanna write a story too. 296 00:12:15,345 --> 00:12:16,965 So it's opening up the doors for kids 297 00:12:16,965 --> 00:12:19,685 who are seeing themselves as authors from early on. 298 00:12:19,685 --> 00:12:20,765 Love that. I love that. 299 00:12:20,765 --> 00:12:23,205 And that's so important because when I was in school, 300 00:12:23,645 --> 00:12:25,805 I didn't even have a author visit me, so I didn't know 301 00:12:25,805 --> 00:12:28,045 that someone that looked like me could even 302 00:12:28,045 --> 00:12:29,205 be an author, could 303 00:12:29,205 --> 00:12:30,205 - Even be an author. 304 00:12:30,205 --> 00:12:32,365 Oh my gosh. Our our stories are so parallel in that way. 305 00:12:32,825 --> 00:12:33,965 Um, I remember. 306 00:12:34,425 --> 00:12:35,765 And then we'll, we'll talk a little bit about 307 00:12:35,765 --> 00:12:37,045 how you're elevating these stories 308 00:12:37,105 --> 00:12:40,165 and how there, there's that amazing, um, 309 00:12:40,265 --> 00:12:41,765 saying we lift as we climb. 310 00:12:41,765 --> 00:12:43,965 Right. And I think you really exemplify 311 00:12:43,965 --> 00:12:45,445 that idea of lifting as we climb. 312 00:12:45,465 --> 00:12:48,085 But just a quick story before we go to a break. 313 00:12:48,505 --> 00:12:51,085 Um, I, when I was a senior in high school, 314 00:12:51,565 --> 00:12:53,685 I was given an assignment. 315 00:12:53,865 --> 00:12:55,365 We were gonna do a choice reading project 316 00:12:55,505 --> 00:12:57,565 for advanced placement, um, literature. 317 00:12:57,945 --> 00:12:59,645 And so we could read any gen, we had to, 318 00:12:59,645 --> 00:13:00,805 we could read any four books. 319 00:13:00,915 --> 00:13:02,765 They had to be in the same genre. 320 00:13:03,345 --> 00:13:05,765 And this was kind of like our student choice things. 321 00:13:05,945 --> 00:13:10,565 And so I, I also don't wanna, um, bash this teacher too much 322 00:13:10,565 --> 00:13:13,925 because that was really forward thinking for the 1990s 323 00:13:13,925 --> 00:13:15,765 that you would let kids read whatever 324 00:13:15,765 --> 00:13:17,045 books they want to . 325 00:13:17,095 --> 00:13:19,605 Right? Still a little bit of a hot take in some circles. 326 00:13:19,985 --> 00:13:24,125 Um, but so I had, I had recently begun 327 00:13:24,145 --> 00:13:27,325 to be very curious about my, my heritage 328 00:13:27,385 --> 00:13:30,845 as a Mexican American, as a Chicano, as a, as a person 329 00:13:31,415 --> 00:13:34,285 who's a descendant of the original people of the Americas, 330 00:13:34,285 --> 00:13:37,085 and as a person who could be considered Latino ano. 331 00:13:37,085 --> 00:13:40,085 So I was really interested, particularly in magical realism. 332 00:13:40,545 --> 00:13:42,685 And so we were supposed to write this little proposal 333 00:13:42,745 --> 00:13:46,045 and I wrote this proposal up and um, and I, 334 00:13:46,045 --> 00:13:48,245 and I had wanted to read the death of Artemio Cruz, 335 00:13:48,555 --> 00:13:51,205 like water for chocolate, a hundred years of solitude. 336 00:13:51,205 --> 00:13:52,285 And bless me, Tima, 337 00:13:52,285 --> 00:13:54,725 like those were the magical realist books I wanted to read. 338 00:13:55,145 --> 00:13:56,605 Um, the teacher returned it to me 339 00:13:56,625 --> 00:13:58,565 and said, no, you're gonna have to do something 340 00:13:58,565 --> 00:13:59,565 that's a little bit more rigorous 341 00:13:59,865 --> 00:14:04,405 and a little bit more, uh, relevant to, um, the AP exam. 342 00:14:04,985 --> 00:14:08,045 And I just remember being so frustrated and disappointed 343 00:14:08,045 --> 00:14:10,965 because it was this very clear message to me, 344 00:14:10,965 --> 00:14:13,645 and maybe it was under the guise of AP exams 345 00:14:13,645 --> 00:14:18,405 and that kind of thing, but what I heard was the stories 346 00:14:18,405 --> 00:14:21,045 of you and your people and your heritage are not relevant. 347 00:14:21,045 --> 00:14:23,485 So I ended up doing existentialism, which was fine, 348 00:14:23,505 --> 00:14:24,805 but it was kind of disappointing. 349 00:14:25,345 --> 00:14:28,725 But from, you know, so we see how important this is even 350 00:14:29,345 --> 00:14:31,405 as kids get older, you know? 351 00:14:32,115 --> 00:14:33,845 - Yeah. That's a subliminal message right there 352 00:14:33,845 --> 00:14:35,605 that they're sending the, our stories don't matter. 353 00:14:35,625 --> 00:14:37,845 And that's what we're trying to fight. They are, yeah. 354 00:14:37,845 --> 00:14:39,125 Important. They do matter. 355 00:14:39,675 --> 00:14:40,885 - They absolutely matter. 356 00:14:41,305 --> 00:14:43,405 Um, you know what else matters is, uh, 357 00:14:43,715 --> 00:14:45,085 financial planning for the future. 358 00:14:45,705 --> 00:14:48,525 Um, so see that segue. See, I'm kind of good at this. 359 00:14:48,825 --> 00:14:53,245 Um, so, uh, we've got these great partners, um, out 360 00:14:53,245 --> 00:14:57,965 of the Pasadena area in California, sat investors, LLC, um, 361 00:14:58,385 --> 00:15:00,045 my friends Alex and Tori, 362 00:15:00,045 --> 00:15:01,165 who are actually gonna come on the podcast. 363 00:15:01,195 --> 00:15:02,765 They have some phenomenal stories. 364 00:15:03,275 --> 00:15:05,405 Alex is a super young dude. 365 00:15:05,485 --> 00:15:07,765 I know he wouldn't mind me saying that super young dude 366 00:15:08,065 --> 00:15:10,125 who didn't grow up with generational wealth 367 00:15:10,465 --> 00:15:13,645 and wanted to be able to set himself up 368 00:15:13,645 --> 00:15:16,285 and his family up for building generational wealth. 369 00:15:16,305 --> 00:15:20,325 And now that commitment has extended, um, to all people, 370 00:15:20,325 --> 00:15:21,485 especially teachers. 371 00:15:21,745 --> 00:15:23,925 So if you are a teacher and you're listening to this podcast 372 00:15:24,025 --> 00:15:25,085 and you're a brand new teacher 373 00:15:25,345 --> 00:15:27,805 and you're just trying to make ends meet, this idea 374 00:15:28,005 --> 00:15:31,085 of generational wealth may seem really like outta left 375 00:15:31,095 --> 00:15:33,845 field, you're probably thinking, oh yeah, sure. 376 00:15:34,135 --> 00:15:35,525 Build generational wealth right 377 00:15:35,525 --> 00:15:37,045 after I go to the moon, right? 378 00:15:37,425 --> 00:15:39,245 May be kind of difficult for you to think about. 379 00:15:39,245 --> 00:15:42,005 Well, Alex and Tori have come up with a model 380 00:15:42,005 --> 00:15:43,005 that will allow folks 381 00:15:43,345 --> 00:15:46,845 to build generational wealth without having to start 382 00:15:46,955 --> 00:15:48,125 with generational wealth. 383 00:15:48,585 --> 00:15:52,685 And so, um, listeners to two dope productions can go to 384 00:15:53,465 --> 00:15:57,405 www.alexandtori.satter.com 385 00:15:57,745 --> 00:16:00,165 and put in the promotional code, two dope teachers, 386 00:16:00,625 --> 00:16:01,725 oh no, two dope, just two dope. 387 00:16:02,065 --> 00:16:04,845 And, uh, get a discount on some their services. Hit 'em up. 388 00:16:05,185 --> 00:16:07,645 Uh, we've already had some listeners go to them, uh, 389 00:16:07,645 --> 00:16:08,805 particularly educators. 390 00:16:09,035 --> 00:16:11,285 Alex is super familiar with pension plans 391 00:16:11,305 --> 00:16:13,645 and retirement packages, and 4 0 3 BSS 392 00:16:13,905 --> 00:16:15,685 and all those kinds of things. 393 00:16:16,025 --> 00:16:19,285 And he can guide you into this thing. So check 'em out. 394 00:16:19,665 --> 00:16:20,885 Sta investors to, 395 00:16:20,985 --> 00:16:22,965 and Alex, proud supporters 396 00:16:23,225 --> 00:16:25,685 of Two Dope Productions, we will be right back. 397 00:16:28,625 --> 00:16:32,365 So I wanna, um, jump into this next, uh, segment, 398 00:16:32,705 --> 00:16:33,805 um, with you. 399 00:16:33,825 --> 00:16:36,325 And, and if, and if for some reason you're just tuning in, 400 00:16:36,325 --> 00:16:38,245 this isn't live, y'all go to the beginning, listen 401 00:16:38,245 --> 00:16:39,725 to the beginning of the show, what are you doing? 402 00:16:40,185 --> 00:16:43,165 Um, but I'm here with Leticia journalist, 403 00:16:43,685 --> 00:16:46,245 Emmy Award-winning journalist, buried the lead on that one, 404 00:16:46,625 --> 00:16:51,125 um, and, um, book publisher author, uh, 405 00:16:51,235 --> 00:16:54,925 founder of SLI Lindo books, uh, talking about the power 406 00:16:55,265 --> 00:16:56,525 of stories. 407 00:16:56,785 --> 00:16:59,445 So, um, I wanna talk specifically for many, 408 00:16:59,445 --> 00:17:00,805 you have a few other books, um, 409 00:17:00,825 --> 00:17:04,405 but I want to talk specifically about Mr. McCall Lost in the 410 00:17:04,405 --> 00:17:05,765 Big City or El 411 00:17:08,775 --> 00:17:12,285 There are some really important choices regarding language, 412 00:17:12,285 --> 00:17:13,885 regarding character development, 413 00:17:14,035 --> 00:17:16,485 regarding setting in every aspect of the book. 414 00:17:16,865 --> 00:17:17,925 Um, and it's, and it's funny 415 00:17:17,925 --> 00:17:20,685 because I've read the book multiple times since we met 416 00:17:20,755 --> 00:17:24,165 because, and every time I read it, I notice something else 417 00:17:24,555 --> 00:17:29,005 that is there a very subtle signal to the reader of 418 00:17:29,105 --> 00:17:32,405 who this story is about and who this story senders on. 419 00:17:32,625 --> 00:17:35,405 Can you talk about just that, just those choices 420 00:17:35,435 --> 00:17:37,045 that you made in all those areas? 421 00:17:37,415 --> 00:17:39,605 There it is. . There it is. 422 00:17:40,345 --> 00:17:42,645 And the artwork is beautiful. We talked about that before, 423 00:17:43,365 --> 00:17:44,365 - . 424 00:17:44,365 --> 00:17:44,645 Yes, thank you. Yes. 425 00:17:44,795 --> 00:17:46,885 This is, uh, one of my new favorite books. 426 00:17:47,145 --> 00:17:50,765 And yeah, it's all about, uh, 427 00:17:50,835 --> 00:17:53,045 following a magical bird's adventure. 428 00:17:53,705 --> 00:17:55,965 And it's really all about culture and family. 429 00:17:56,185 --> 00:18:00,045 And I weave in one of my favorite childhood songs, Lindo. 430 00:18:00,665 --> 00:18:02,085 - Yes. They're very popular song. 431 00:18:02,265 --> 00:18:03,405 And the song, yes, , 432 00:18:03,705 --> 00:18:05,765 - And it's about an A who is passed, 433 00:18:06,025 --> 00:18:09,125 but these boys are remembering ATO 434 00:18:09,235 --> 00:18:10,805 through their magical kite, 435 00:18:10,825 --> 00:18:13,325 and then the kite gets lost in the big city, 436 00:18:13,585 --> 00:18:17,525 and they have to follow clues that their grandfather had, 437 00:18:17,905 --> 00:18:21,605 has left them to finally reunite with their lost bird. 438 00:18:22,265 --> 00:18:25,565 But it's all about speaking how my family speaks 439 00:18:25,665 --> 00:18:27,205 and speaking how our community speaks. 440 00:18:27,305 --> 00:18:29,685 So often when you publish a book, uh, 441 00:18:29,955 --> 00:18:32,085 with a traditional publisher, sorry, moving 442 00:18:32,105 --> 00:18:34,885 - Around over here, sun is on my face language. 443 00:18:34,885 --> 00:18:35,885 Okay. 444 00:18:37,505 --> 00:18:38,505 - So often. 445 00:18:38,505 --> 00:18:41,475 Okay, go ahead. When you publish a book, sometimes you work 446 00:18:41,475 --> 00:18:42,955 with certain publishers 447 00:18:43,095 --> 00:18:45,035 and they want you to use language 448 00:18:45,035 --> 00:18:46,635 that we don't use here in the us. 449 00:18:47,295 --> 00:18:49,035 So I really, um, embrace 450 00:18:49,035 --> 00:18:51,635 that my characters are gonna speak like real people talk. 451 00:18:52,065 --> 00:18:55,715 Yeah. I remember one, uh, publisher in Spain saying, 452 00:18:55,715 --> 00:18:57,555 when you're ready to publish a real 453 00:18:57,555 --> 00:18:58,795 Spanish book, come to me. 454 00:18:58,795 --> 00:19:01,035 And I'm like, what are you talking about? I'm not, so you're 455 00:19:01,035 --> 00:19:03,875 - Getting, you are getting gate kept on both ends of it. 456 00:19:04,115 --> 00:19:06,195 . So there's a gatekeeping in the English 457 00:19:06,755 --> 00:19:09,555 children's like book publishing world, 458 00:19:09,615 --> 00:19:11,715 and then there was one in the Spanish language book. 459 00:19:11,715 --> 00:19:14,875 It's kind of like, it's a, it's a dual sort of, um, 460 00:19:15,025 --> 00:19:17,435 there's two gates that people are trying to close to you. 461 00:19:18,315 --> 00:19:19,475 - Absolutely. But they're not closing them 462 00:19:19,475 --> 00:19:20,955 because they're gonna stay open. 463 00:19:21,215 --> 00:19:24,395 I'm the publisher, so I That's right. Make these decisions. 464 00:19:24,735 --> 00:19:27,755 That's right. But, um, ultimately, like, you know, my books, 465 00:19:27,815 --> 00:19:29,755 you won't find them to be Castilian in Spanish 466 00:19:29,975 --> 00:19:34,435 as you would some generic producing of books 467 00:19:34,465 --> 00:19:36,595 that they just take what's written by, you know, 468 00:19:37,055 --> 00:19:39,595 an American author and they just translate it 469 00:19:40,015 --> 00:19:42,475 and don't really look at the authenticity, 470 00:19:42,855 --> 00:19:43,855 - The language, is that right? 471 00:19:43,855 --> 00:19:46,635 Google translate, edit. And we're good . 472 00:19:46,745 --> 00:19:47,915 - Yeah. We can't be good 473 00:19:47,915 --> 00:19:49,755 because when our families are reading these stories, 474 00:19:49,755 --> 00:19:50,755 they feel disconnected 475 00:19:50,755 --> 00:19:53,755 because they're like, that's not how I would say albo 476 00:19:53,855 --> 00:19:55,435 or, that's not how I would say this word. 477 00:19:55,435 --> 00:19:58,155 And you know, obviously it's very regional 478 00:19:58,255 --> 00:20:01,755 and different parts of Latin America say things differently. 479 00:20:01,755 --> 00:20:05,635 Totally. But I always focus on how we speak, um, Spanish, 480 00:20:05,815 --> 00:20:07,395 how my family speaks Spanish, you know, 481 00:20:07,395 --> 00:20:10,435 being a Mexican American in the US Yeah. 482 00:20:10,575 --> 00:20:12,075 So true to that. 483 00:20:12,415 --> 00:20:15,235 And you know, I just want people to connect with my stories 484 00:20:15,335 --> 00:20:17,475 and I'm not trying to be anyone that I'm not. 485 00:20:17,615 --> 00:20:21,155 So I have to speak how we talk in our community 486 00:20:21,835 --> 00:20:22,835 - . 487 00:20:22,835 --> 00:20:24,915 Yeah. And I noticed some things too in terms of settings. 488 00:20:24,935 --> 00:20:28,475 So I think that that, that always struck me as a little bit 489 00:20:29,215 --> 00:20:31,395 of an area of uncertainty for me, 490 00:20:31,395 --> 00:20:33,475 because when we talk about Spanish speaking people, 491 00:20:33,885 --> 00:20:37,595 we're talking about almost 30 countries, um, in the world 492 00:20:37,595 --> 00:20:40,475 where some version of spoken of Spanish is spoken and, 493 00:20:40,535 --> 00:20:41,955 and the, the dialects 494 00:20:41,955 --> 00:20:44,395 and the various ways of speaking it can really change. 495 00:20:44,815 --> 00:20:48,605 But it feels like you drop some little hints that also 496 00:20:49,725 --> 00:20:51,125 situated the type of Spanish 497 00:20:51,155 --> 00:20:53,965 that the children were using within a context. 498 00:20:54,265 --> 00:20:57,445 So like, I look at the buildings, I look at where they are. 499 00:20:57,465 --> 00:20:58,565 Can you speak a little on that? 500 00:20:58,595 --> 00:21:01,005 Like how, how you kind of linked those things together? 501 00:21:02,045 --> 00:21:03,725 - Absolutely. Well, this was really a love letter 502 00:21:03,865 --> 00:21:05,605 to my city, Sacramento. 503 00:21:05,825 --> 00:21:06,845 Uh, this is where I'm from. 504 00:21:06,845 --> 00:21:08,485 This is where my children are growing up. 505 00:21:08,625 --> 00:21:10,965 So I wanted to feature landmarks of my city. 506 00:21:11,125 --> 00:21:12,885 I the tower bridge, very iconic, 507 00:21:12,945 --> 00:21:15,805 bright yellow in your face kind of bridge. 508 00:21:16,105 --> 00:21:17,925 And then we have the historic old Sacramento 509 00:21:18,015 --> 00:21:20,365 where people discover it from all over the world 510 00:21:20,365 --> 00:21:23,165 because that's where the original gold mining happened in 511 00:21:23,165 --> 00:21:24,205 the capital city. 512 00:21:24,505 --> 00:21:26,765 So I just wanted to feature, um, you know, a lot 513 00:21:26,765 --> 00:21:27,965 of landmarks and, 514 00:21:28,025 --> 00:21:30,045 and places that people are familiar with, 515 00:21:30,315 --> 00:21:33,085 even if they're not necessarily from our city. 516 00:21:33,545 --> 00:21:34,805 So that was important for me. 517 00:21:35,065 --> 00:21:37,045 And the setting originally starts in Mexico 518 00:21:37,045 --> 00:21:38,365 because that's where the boys are. 519 00:21:38,365 --> 00:21:41,405 That's where they're a BTOs villages when they hop on a 520 00:21:41,405 --> 00:21:44,045 plane, come to the capital city 521 00:21:44,045 --> 00:21:46,885 and discover that their kite goes missing 522 00:21:47,705 --> 00:21:49,165 in an airport fiasco. 523 00:21:49,515 --> 00:21:50,645 - Yeah. So, cool. 524 00:21:50,945 --> 00:21:54,125 Um, we're gonna move on to, um, this other series 525 00:21:54,395 --> 00:21:56,645 that you are, are developing 526 00:21:56,645 --> 00:21:59,805 and that you've developed this series around the, uh, 527 00:21:59,805 --> 00:22:01,525 statement that could be me, 528 00:22:01,785 --> 00:22:03,525 the girl on tv, that could be me. 529 00:22:03,705 --> 00:22:07,525 And so, um, I love this because it's another, so in Mr. 530 00:22:07,735 --> 00:22:10,005 McCaw, it the big, you, 531 00:22:10,065 --> 00:22:12,405 you talk about it being a love letter to your community 532 00:22:12,405 --> 00:22:13,845 and to your culture and to your family. 533 00:22:14,345 --> 00:22:18,685 Um, talk about what, um, what that could be me 534 00:22:19,395 --> 00:22:24,005 does for representation in, um, you know, in another way. 535 00:22:25,365 --> 00:22:27,085 - Absolutely. Well, I teamed up 536 00:22:27,085 --> 00:22:29,765 with a different publisher originally to write 537 00:22:29,955 --> 00:22:32,725 that could be me, that girl on TV could be me. 538 00:22:32,725 --> 00:22:34,605 Because when I pitched the story, Mr. 539 00:22:34,695 --> 00:22:37,085 McCaw to them, they had read my bio 540 00:22:37,345 --> 00:22:40,605 and they said, your story is really neat 541 00:22:40,605 --> 00:22:41,805 and deserves to be told. 542 00:22:41,905 --> 00:22:44,485 It was a time where immigrants were being attacked, 543 00:22:44,835 --> 00:22:46,045 Latinos were being attacked. 544 00:22:46,305 --> 00:22:49,645 And you know, they needed a shining story of an example 545 00:22:49,645 --> 00:22:51,205 of immigrants who were doing good in this world. 546 00:22:51,465 --> 00:22:52,685 So when I was first approached 547 00:22:52,685 --> 00:22:55,325 to write a story about myself, uh, I thought, well, what's 548 00:22:55,325 --> 00:22:56,405 so special about my story? 549 00:22:56,805 --> 00:22:59,765 I think sometimes we undermine what we're actually doing. 550 00:22:59,905 --> 00:23:02,245 But after giving it much thought, I agree 551 00:23:02,245 --> 00:23:05,285 to write my own story about being in the news business, 552 00:23:05,295 --> 00:23:06,485 about being this little girl 553 00:23:06,825 --> 00:23:09,205 who didn't see myself represented on television 554 00:23:09,505 --> 00:23:13,005 and having this dream of being that voice for my community 555 00:23:13,305 --> 00:23:15,605 and kind of letting people know more about the news. 556 00:23:15,805 --> 00:23:18,485 'cause I think sometimes when people see the news world, 557 00:23:18,485 --> 00:23:21,885 they think of this glamorous world where, um, you know, 558 00:23:21,885 --> 00:23:23,725 someone does your hair and makeup every day 559 00:23:23,725 --> 00:23:26,885 and they don't focus on how hard, um, the hard work 560 00:23:26,885 --> 00:23:29,365 that goes behind it, the many markets that you have to move 561 00:23:29,365 --> 00:23:32,045 to, to prove yourself as a young journalist. 562 00:23:32,545 --> 00:23:35,405 And that there are still not many people 563 00:23:35,425 --> 00:23:36,525 of color in the business 564 00:23:36,625 --> 00:23:39,605 and just encouraging more Latino voices 565 00:23:39,865 --> 00:23:42,885 to join the news business, which is very challenging. 566 00:23:43,315 --> 00:23:45,525 - Yeah, no doubt. Yeah, and it's funny 567 00:23:45,525 --> 00:23:49,365 because I, you know, I think one of my, um, 568 00:23:50,305 --> 00:23:52,725 one of my early dreams was actually to go into journalism. 569 00:23:52,745 --> 00:23:54,165 And maybe that's why I started a podcast 570 00:23:54,165 --> 00:23:56,965 because it kind of gives a, a little bit of a taste of that. 571 00:23:57,685 --> 00:23:59,805 I, I, I think about all of the barriers 572 00:24:00,025 --> 00:24:01,205 and I, you know, these stories 573 00:24:01,315 --> 00:24:05,925 because of the way you tell them, um, they resonate deeply 574 00:24:05,995 --> 00:24:08,045 with me first and then I start looking at 575 00:24:08,045 --> 00:24:09,205 where they are in the rest of the world. 576 00:24:09,355 --> 00:24:11,045 It's the same reason I didn't go to theater school 577 00:24:11,195 --> 00:24:12,925 because it was gonna be really expensive 578 00:24:13,025 --> 00:24:15,725 and I would've had to really stretch to make it work. 579 00:24:16,305 --> 00:24:19,525 And really, the deal breaker ended up being, I mean, 580 00:24:19,525 --> 00:24:21,005 how many Chicano actors are there 581 00:24:21,005 --> 00:24:23,645 that are gonna really be successful is gonna be worth it? 582 00:24:24,525 --> 00:24:25,705 And so I didn't pursue that. 583 00:24:25,765 --> 00:24:30,025 And so I think, and I think with, through your experience, 584 00:24:30,285 --> 00:24:34,545 uh, what I hear you saying is that it's like you are 585 00:24:34,645 --> 00:24:36,785 so focused on doing the thing 586 00:24:37,165 --> 00:24:39,905 and you know, just you, yes, you overcame things, 587 00:24:40,605 --> 00:24:43,385 but I think you get to this point where it's like, well, 588 00:24:43,385 --> 00:24:47,065 I took care of the mundane everyday things and I did it. 589 00:24:47,165 --> 00:24:49,505 Why is that a big deal? And then you start realizing 590 00:24:49,815 --> 00:24:51,105 that it's really a big deal. 591 00:24:51,365 --> 00:24:53,865 Um, you're doing so much cool stuff. Yeah, go ahead. 592 00:24:54,245 --> 00:24:56,105 - Uh, thank you. Yeah, no, it's just a passion 593 00:24:56,205 --> 00:24:57,785 and I'm glad to be able to share that story 594 00:24:57,845 --> 00:25:00,105 and just to give people an inside look, um, 595 00:25:00,175 --> 00:25:02,545 it's the first broadcast book for children, 596 00:25:02,805 --> 00:25:05,905 so it really gives people, you know, an eye on television 597 00:25:05,925 --> 00:25:07,265 and, and so great what it's all about. 598 00:25:07,375 --> 00:25:08,785 It's so much more than glitz and glamor. 599 00:25:09,175 --> 00:25:10,865 It's about really informing our community 600 00:25:10,865 --> 00:25:11,865 and giving everyone a voice. 601 00:25:12,045 --> 00:25:14,825 And so from that, from doing the tv, I thought, 602 00:25:15,045 --> 00:25:17,265 how cool would it be just to create my own series 603 00:25:17,265 --> 00:25:19,545 of different positions in the world that people hold 604 00:25:19,685 --> 00:25:21,025 so cool in our community, 605 00:25:21,025 --> 00:25:23,225 really featuring Latino characters. 606 00:25:23,295 --> 00:25:24,385 Yeah. You know, and just, 607 00:25:24,485 --> 00:25:25,665 and just making it, you know, 608 00:25:26,135 --> 00:25:28,385 that superstar teacher could be me. Yeah. You know? 609 00:25:28,495 --> 00:25:30,505 - Yeah. Yeah. - so many different things 610 00:25:30,575 --> 00:25:32,185 that could, can happen with that series. 611 00:25:32,205 --> 00:25:34,545 And just really giving our children a 612 00:25:35,235 --> 00:25:36,815 to read an autobiography. 613 00:25:36,885 --> 00:25:38,695 Yeah. Uh, someone that they can relate to 614 00:25:39,035 --> 00:25:41,895 and aspire to be, uh, not a fictional story, uh, 615 00:25:41,995 --> 00:25:43,175 but a real life story. 616 00:25:43,175 --> 00:25:45,255 Yeah. And so I'm really passionate you're 617 00:25:45,255 --> 00:25:46,255 - Making me Yeah. 618 00:25:46,275 --> 00:25:47,455 You, and that's so clear. 619 00:25:47,715 --> 00:25:49,855 Um, you're really making me think deeply about, 620 00:25:50,105 --> 00:25:54,255 about this particular thing is particularly in, in your line 621 00:25:54,255 --> 00:25:57,055 of work, the person that we see on the news 622 00:25:57,795 --> 00:26:00,495 is often a symbol to the community as somebody 623 00:26:00,495 --> 00:26:03,135 who reflects us a friendly face we come to. 624 00:26:03,435 --> 00:26:06,135 And over the course of doing research, of course, um, I, 625 00:26:06,335 --> 00:26:08,895 I wanted to check out kind of some of some of your, 626 00:26:09,395 --> 00:26:12,375 how you maintain yourself professionally, like a as 627 00:26:12,955 --> 00:26:13,975 as a journalist. 628 00:26:14,515 --> 00:26:16,135 And it did really occur to me. 629 00:26:16,205 --> 00:26:18,575 It's like, I mean, why, especially, I mean, here in Denver, 630 00:26:18,855 --> 00:26:20,855 Colorado and the Denver Public schools where I work, 631 00:26:21,475 --> 00:26:23,015 you know, over 50% 632 00:26:23,015 --> 00:26:24,975 of our students come from Latina backgrounds, 633 00:26:24,975 --> 00:26:26,295 mostly Mexican backgrounds. 634 00:26:26,765 --> 00:26:28,695 Like, why wouldn't one of us 635 00:26:29,315 --> 00:26:31,055 be the spokesperson for our community? 636 00:26:31,075 --> 00:26:34,775 Be the friendly face that we come home to in the evening? 637 00:26:34,875 --> 00:26:36,815 And so I think that's such a powerful thing. 638 00:26:37,075 --> 00:26:40,135 Um, so many things you're doing. It's, it's beautiful. 639 00:26:40,555 --> 00:26:42,415 Um, the, the last thing I wanna get to 640 00:26:42,415 --> 00:26:46,615 before we get to, to the big important question, um, is that 641 00:26:47,235 --> 00:26:49,375 we talked a little bit about this notion of lifting 642 00:26:49,475 --> 00:26:50,695 as we climb, right? 643 00:26:50,995 --> 00:26:54,735 The idea that one pursues success not only for themselves, 644 00:26:55,035 --> 00:26:56,775 but so they can bring up other people. 645 00:26:56,925 --> 00:26:58,975 Something that is very near 646 00:26:58,995 --> 00:27:02,335 and dear to your heart is your commitment 647 00:27:02,435 --> 00:27:04,575 to elevating the voices of other creators 648 00:27:04,715 --> 00:27:05,935 and aspiring authors. 649 00:27:06,515 --> 00:27:10,335 How are you enacting that really important to the work so 650 00:27:10,335 --> 00:27:13,375 that you know that it doesn't end with Leticia , 651 00:27:13,375 --> 00:27:15,535 that it doesn't end with Lindo books? 652 00:27:15,805 --> 00:27:17,815 That, that it's only a beginning for others. 653 00:27:17,915 --> 00:27:19,175 How do you, how are you doing that? 654 00:27:20,035 --> 00:27:21,735 - Oh, what's so amazing is that 655 00:27:22,335 --> 00:27:25,455 I am letting youth see themselves as authors 656 00:27:25,475 --> 00:27:28,255 and not just talking the talk, but walking the walk. 657 00:27:28,635 --> 00:27:31,615 It was just a few months back that I published an anthology 658 00:27:31,685 --> 00:27:35,295 with 88 migrant children from Los Angeles County, 659 00:27:36,075 --> 00:27:38,335 the anthology, as we come from Greatness, 660 00:27:38,395 --> 00:27:39,775 we all came up with the title. 661 00:27:40,015 --> 00:27:41,735 I coached the kids on how to write a book. 662 00:27:42,155 --> 00:27:43,415 Uh, they all had their own story. 663 00:27:43,415 --> 00:27:47,175 They had one to two pages in this 128 page book 664 00:27:47,365 --> 00:27:48,735 that is now on Amazon. 665 00:27:48,755 --> 00:27:50,455 And all of the proceeds go back to them 666 00:27:50,555 --> 00:27:51,575 so they can go to college. 667 00:27:52,155 --> 00:27:53,215 But what's so cool is 668 00:27:53,645 --> 00:27:55,375 that they are now gonna have this on their resume. 669 00:27:56,005 --> 00:27:58,575 They can now say they are published authors. 670 00:27:59,085 --> 00:28:01,375 They told their stories when I went in there, a lot 671 00:28:01,375 --> 00:28:03,215 of them didn't know what to believe. 672 00:28:03,295 --> 00:28:04,375 I worked with their school district 673 00:28:04,375 --> 00:28:06,815 and they were thinking like, am I really gonna be an author 674 00:28:06,815 --> 00:28:08,055 when this is all said and done? 675 00:28:08,875 --> 00:28:11,015 And so they wrote their stories, we worked together. 676 00:28:11,035 --> 00:28:12,415 And when I finally delivered the book 677 00:28:12,415 --> 00:28:13,495 to them, it was so emotional. 678 00:28:13,755 --> 00:28:15,335 We held a ceremony with the parents. 679 00:28:15,335 --> 00:28:17,215 They got to read their stories out loud. 680 00:28:17,675 --> 00:28:18,855 Uh, everybody was in tears. 681 00:28:18,985 --> 00:28:20,735 Their parents could not believe 682 00:28:21,125 --> 00:28:22,655 that their children were now authors. 683 00:28:22,675 --> 00:28:25,975 And it was just like beaming pride for our community. 684 00:28:26,155 --> 00:28:28,495 And, and now we have 88 young authors out there. 685 00:28:28,715 --> 00:28:30,175 And I think it's really empowering them. 686 00:28:30,175 --> 00:28:31,215 And I don't wanna stop there. 687 00:28:31,275 --> 00:28:34,575 You know, I want, uh, my company to be the outlet for 688 00:28:34,595 --> 00:28:35,695 so many more creators. 689 00:28:36,275 --> 00:28:37,575 You know, we're all writers. 690 00:28:38,215 --> 00:28:41,735 Everyone says, I dunno how to write a book, but you do. 691 00:28:42,175 --> 00:28:44,455 Everyone has the power to write a story. 692 00:28:44,595 --> 00:28:45,975 We all have a story in us. Absolutely. 693 00:28:46,435 --> 00:28:49,215 The difference is some people actually make it happen. 694 00:28:49,215 --> 00:28:51,695 They put it in writing. We all have an idea in our head. 695 00:28:51,695 --> 00:28:54,095 And it's just so important to, to have 696 00:28:54,095 --> 00:28:56,335 that creative outlet even on scratch 697 00:28:56,335 --> 00:28:57,535 paper to type that first 698 00:28:57,535 --> 00:28:58,535 - Draft. 699 00:28:58,535 --> 00:28:59,255 Well that, and that's the thing, right? 700 00:28:59,285 --> 00:29:00,535 It's kinda like that first draft. 701 00:29:00,775 --> 00:29:02,455 I think that's what holds a lot of people back. 702 00:29:02,565 --> 00:29:04,455 It's kinda like, yeah, I mean, 703 00:29:04,455 --> 00:29:06,295 you're not a published author the first 704 00:29:06,295 --> 00:29:07,455 time you put pen to paper. 705 00:29:07,635 --> 00:29:09,215 But that's why there's editors 706 00:29:09,215 --> 00:29:11,735 and that's why they're great publishers 707 00:29:12,115 --> 00:29:15,895 who believe in your stories like Lindo books, um, 708 00:29:16,195 --> 00:29:18,175 who are going to give you the tools that you need. 709 00:29:18,415 --> 00:29:20,495 I, I'm, I'm just, I'm smiling at the notion 710 00:29:20,495 --> 00:29:23,015 that we have 88 human beings 711 00:29:23,555 --> 00:29:25,775 who will have a publication credit 712 00:29:25,775 --> 00:29:26,975 before they have a driver's license. 713 00:29:27,425 --> 00:29:30,135 Isn't that cool? And I love it. It's so beautiful. 714 00:29:30,435 --> 00:29:33,655 Um, Leticia so inspired by what you're doing. 715 00:29:33,755 --> 00:29:36,095 And you know, I think too, I always think about 716 00:29:36,095 --> 00:29:40,535 how we connect this work, the elemental spiritual substance 717 00:29:40,535 --> 00:29:41,765 of the work to other areas. 718 00:29:42,465 --> 00:29:46,885 Um, like why wouldn't I do a program that uplifts 719 00:29:46,885 --> 00:29:48,605 and develops young podcasters? 720 00:29:48,665 --> 00:29:49,845 Why wouldn't we do that? Right. 721 00:29:50,185 --> 00:29:52,125 And why wouldn't is that, why wouldn't we do this in other 722 00:29:52,235 --> 00:29:53,485 like areas, right. 723 00:29:53,545 --> 00:29:56,805 In other areas. Because at the end of the day, the solution 724 00:29:56,805 --> 00:30:00,005 to lack of re representation is to lift as we climb. 725 00:30:00,585 --> 00:30:04,045 Um, really enjoy you sharing your brilliance right now. 726 00:30:04,145 --> 00:30:08,455 So all of this representation, publication, 727 00:30:08,455 --> 00:30:11,455 telling our stories, all of this is important. 728 00:30:11,675 --> 00:30:14,695 But big question, we're gonna conclude the show with today. 729 00:30:15,815 --> 00:30:19,775 I wanna hear your top five anything. So it's anything. 730 00:30:19,795 --> 00:30:21,575 And have you had time to kind of think this through 731 00:30:21,675 --> 00:30:23,495 and see what your top five anything is gonna be? 732 00:30:24,585 --> 00:30:25,835 - Well, I haven't given it much thought, 733 00:30:25,935 --> 00:30:26,955 but I do love to travel. 734 00:30:26,955 --> 00:30:29,795 That's okay. And I do love to, to visit children 735 00:30:30,455 --> 00:30:31,955 all over the world. 736 00:30:31,975 --> 00:30:35,915 And so I would say that my top five are Puerto Rico, Mexico. 737 00:30:37,195 --> 00:30:40,715 I would also say it's Paris here at home, 738 00:30:40,955 --> 00:30:45,195 Northern California, Yosemite, and Lake Tahoe. My top five 739 00:30:45,675 --> 00:30:46,675 - . 740 00:30:46,675 --> 00:30:47,315 Yo, that was, that was good. 741 00:30:47,655 --> 00:30:50,915 And I have been to most of those places. 742 00:30:51,015 --> 00:30:52,755 You know, it's really funny. I've never been to Lake Tahoe. 743 00:30:52,755 --> 00:30:55,635 Like I've been to Paris, but not to Lake Tahoe. That's cool. 744 00:30:56,075 --> 00:30:57,675 . Um, and so are these places 745 00:30:57,885 --> 00:31:00,995 where you've taken your children or where you've just gone? 746 00:31:02,085 --> 00:31:04,425 - So four of the places my children 747 00:31:04,885 --> 00:31:05,905 are dying to go to Paris. 748 00:31:06,045 --> 00:31:07,585 We haven't done that as a family yet, 749 00:31:07,585 --> 00:31:09,985 but I think they're probably old enough now nine and 12. 750 00:31:10,445 --> 00:31:12,225 But they went with me to Puerto Rico 751 00:31:12,365 --> 00:31:14,065 and we had, uh, a literacy mission 752 00:31:14,125 --> 00:31:16,865 and we got to take our books to children impacted 753 00:31:16,965 --> 00:31:18,105 by, uh, hurricane Maria. 754 00:31:18,535 --> 00:31:22,105 Yeah. And, uh, we also go to Mexico every year 755 00:31:22,105 --> 00:31:25,305 and it used to be just a fun beach vacation, hang out, uh, 756 00:31:25,335 --> 00:31:26,425 just absorb in the culture. 757 00:31:26,645 --> 00:31:28,865 But now we visit an orphanage there 758 00:31:28,865 --> 00:31:30,745 that's really near and dear to our heart. 759 00:31:30,955 --> 00:31:32,625 We've also partnered with the Boys 760 00:31:32,625 --> 00:31:34,745 and Girls Club to bring them literacy in Mexico. 761 00:31:35,165 --> 00:31:38,825 So all of these trips that just used to be to explore are, 762 00:31:38,915 --> 00:31:40,945 we're really finding a purpose in literacy 763 00:31:40,965 --> 00:31:43,065 and giving back to our community wherever we go. 764 00:31:43,695 --> 00:31:45,865 - Love it. Expect nothing less from, 765 00:31:45,865 --> 00:31:47,105 from your top five fire. 766 00:31:47,105 --> 00:31:51,265 Top five, um, had a chance to be in Puerto Rico, um, for, 767 00:31:51,285 --> 00:31:52,865 at the last conference. 768 00:31:52,925 --> 00:31:54,785 And it was just such, I'd never been. 769 00:31:54,805 --> 00:31:58,265 And in just such a beautiful, powerful, incredible community 770 00:31:58,265 --> 00:32:01,305 of people in San Juan that, um, really enjoyed it. 771 00:32:01,725 --> 00:32:04,345 Um, so how do, um, folks 772 00:32:04,605 --> 00:32:06,705 who wanna learn more about your publications, 773 00:32:06,705 --> 00:32:08,905 about your work, about sli Lindo books, 774 00:32:09,205 --> 00:32:10,505 how do they find you? 775 00:32:10,805 --> 00:32:12,265 How do they get connected to you? 776 00:32:12,845 --> 00:32:15,385 Um, how do they get updates on everything that you're doing? 777 00:32:16,055 --> 00:32:17,905 - Wonderful. Well, the easiest way would be 778 00:32:17,905 --> 00:32:19,385 to follow me on social media. 779 00:32:20,155 --> 00:32:22,425 Lindo Books is my handle. 780 00:32:22,605 --> 00:32:26,585 You can also follow my personal account, Leticia or Daaz tv. 781 00:32:26,935 --> 00:32:29,025 That one's a pretty easy if you 782 00:32:29,025 --> 00:32:30,145 can type my name out, . 783 00:32:30,325 --> 00:32:32,945 Yep. And also@alitolindobooks.com. 784 00:32:33,005 --> 00:32:35,545 You can also send me an email if you have a story idea 785 00:32:35,545 --> 00:32:39,485 or a manuscript alito lindo books.com 786 00:32:39,505 --> 00:32:43,245 or lindo books@gmail.com. They connected. Awesome. 787 00:32:43,725 --> 00:32:45,045 - . Yes. That's amazing. 788 00:32:45,065 --> 00:32:47,245 And folks, if you have that story that you are dying 789 00:32:47,265 --> 00:32:50,565 to tell, um, you have a publisher here who's willing 790 00:32:50,565 --> 00:32:52,245 to hear it and willing to learn about it. 791 00:32:52,425 --> 00:32:54,285 And so, um, Leticia 792 00:32:54,285 --> 00:32:57,765 or thank you so much for joining the Chica Logs today. 793 00:32:58,135 --> 00:32:59,965 Can't episode in 794 00:33:03,615 --> 00:33:04,805 truly inspiration.