Luis J. Rodriguez

This memoir, written by Luis J. Rodriguez, tells of his childhood and adolescence growing up in Los Angeles. I had read a specific excerpt multiple times in professional development settings, which detailed Luis's first days in elementary school. He arrived in his class speaking and understanding Spanish and was quickly relegated to sitting at the back of the room playing by himself during class time with little interaction with the teacher. In fact, he was so cut off that he was unable to ask to use the restroom and thus had days that he returned home with soiled clothes. While Rodriguez has said that part of his motivation for writing this was to show his son the dangers of "la vida loca," this memoir is much more than a cautionary tale. Rodriguez documents the systemic racism and oppression he and others in his community experienced. He tells of the resistance and Chicano power movement, including the Chicano Moratorium. This book includes violence, sex (and sexual violence), and drug use. It also includes action, leadership, resilience, and resistance by youth in a community that is systemically oppressed and unsupported. This book spurs thoughtful conversations about racism, oppression, activism, leadership, and social justice.… (mehr)

A fascinating memoir of growing up in a Latino neighborhood the San Gabriel Valley in the 1960s. With few jobs for teens, schools that channeled the Latino and Filipino students into the trades and the white into college-prep classes, parents that worked a lot--the predictable result was neighborhood gangs, fights, murder, jail time. Rodriguez managed to find his way out, with the encouragement of a few teachers, a few friends, a community center director, and his family's support. He is honest with how it was a battle--his wants versus community expectations, gang expectations, peer and friend pressure, and real danger--his disappointments (in himself and others), his fear, his hope.

1960s San Gabriel Valley is a place/time I know very little about.… (mehr)

From Our Land to Our Land was a bit of a roller-coaster ride. This collection of essays has luminous moments that not only help us see the challenges of our world, but that also give us a sense of what might make a difference. I would recommend this collection to anyone for these pieces.

On the other hand, there are too many pieces that read like self promotion, with long lists of names of people Rodríguez has met, places he's traveled conferences he's attended—and that never really transcend their own listiness.

My recommendation: pick this title up but trust your own judgement as you work through each essay. Stick with the ones that speak to you. Give yourself to skim over the ones that feel as if they lack a real message.… (mehr)