As some of you all know, I am a Young Adult Librarian trainee. Today for work we have a Mock Morris Review with the YA BPL librarians. I read the books selected. I also did research yesterday.
As I was researching, I felt the dread I always feel when ranking books. Knowing that I won't like most of these books because fantasy and sci-fi will always win for me. I was pleasantly surprised that one of the books has a Black main character and is fantasy. As I was reading, Shut Up, This is Serious I began to roll my eyes. The utter annoyance and rage was pooling up in me. I needed answers!
This is the book that triggered me.
Why are ninety percent of books for Latino teens set in California or Texas? Why are Latino books always about cholos, gangs, or surviving the ghetto?
Why are we as Latinos always type casting ourselves and then complain that people are doing this to us? If publishers would stop picking authors who write about the same boring crap or could stop making Black and Brown people stereotyping ourselves that would be amazing! Because, believe me, Black and Brown emos, goths, metalheads, punks, and other subcultures exist!
What happened to a Latino main character who grew up in the suburbs or in the country? Or a Latino gay boy who looks up to Walter Mercado. He learned to read tarot decks and is obsessed with playing matchmaker based on people's astrology. Or the trans teen who is learning spell work from their curandera/brujera abuela. Lastly, where is the book about the atheist Latino teen who is at odds with his family, thus his best friend's family adopts him.
THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO READ ABOUT!!!
Do you know how sad it is, that I could relate to White characters more than my own culture or people? This is exactly why I love books with titles, like Bad Mexican, Bad American. Or I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter. This is what appeals to me.
Not every Mexican or Latino lives in L.A for f--k's sakes. Not every Latino has friends who get pregnant when they're in high school. Not every Latino lives in a barrio and has solely Latino friends. Not every Latino is into cumbia, hip-hop, reggaetón, or rap.
Maybe, I should write a book about a goth, tomboy, Latina teen who grows up in the suburbs and her Dad covers for her. Knowing that if her Madre found out she would get a putaso and be grounded for a year. So her Da lies so her brother and her can take a Metra train into the city to see a metal or punk show.
And yes, this is autobiographical. Because I did this many times in high school with my younger brother and friends. Back then, we didn't have Uber. My brother and I would decide who would buy the train tickets before school. Then after school, we would walk to the Roselle Metra station. Hop on the train and go to the House of Blues or the Bottom Lounge. Then on our way back we would hope for the best. We would leave 5 minutes early from the show and run to Union Station. If we were lucky, we would catch a train back to the Northwest suburbs.
Or I can write a book about a Mexican hockey player who moves to Finland to be a part of the liiga. Because not all of us like soccer/futbol.
I'm tickled pink that there's so many Black authors who write fantasy, horror, and science-fiction. Now, if only, mi gente can do this. Because I'm so sick of the Latino teen trope who lives in a poverty stricken section of the city and only by getting a scholarship or becoming a teenage Mom will they find themselves. Grácias, pero no grácias. Nosotros somos más qué eso.
Maybe, one day, I'll be an author because I have a plethora of ideas.
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