The special readings and book signings will be on April 24 and 25.
SAN ANTONIO — At the corner of Guadalupe and Brazos Street lies the Guadalupe Cultural Art Center Latino Bookstore.
It’s simple, decorated with vintage black and white tiles but its really the heart and soul of the West Side Art District.
It’s only been open since October of 2021 but has turned into a haven for bookworms.
“We are here to promote, cultivate and preserve our culture through literature. So, we have a lot of indigenous, Chicano, Chicana, Latino, Afro-Latin, Caribbean authors, poets and creators that contribute a lot of their merchandise and creations here at the store,” Alma Pina, store manager said.
Pina said the Latino Bookstore also offers a monthly series called the Texas Author Series, where they highlight South Texas authors and illustrators, and a lot of local talent showcased at their community gallery, which is physically connected to the Latino Bookstore.
“There are many opportunities for a lot of authors, nationwide at big box stores but what sets us apart here at the Latino Bookstore is we are in the heart of the west side, highlighting so much talent. It’s very important to see our faces being represented on these shelves. And we are excited to announce that we have back-to-back special readings: April 24 and April 25,” Pina said.
Texas native, Norma Elia Cantú will be one of the featured authors presenting her new anthology, “¡Somos Tejanas!: Chicana Identity and Culture in Texas.”
Cantú, who is the Murchison Professor of the Humanities at Trinity University is set to discuss the book along with Jody A. Marín, and several contributing authors on Friday, April 25.
“¡Somos Tejanas!” is written as a hybrid which means it includes various works of poetry, fiction, academic essays, personal narratives and testimonials.
“The Tejana identity is very different from say, the Chicanas in California, the Chicanas in Chicago, we’re just different. And it’s not just about the language or the food, it’s about our ethos and how we see the world. And I think that comes across in the book very explicitly in the essays that deal with family, with legacy, with having a sense of history in our own personal lives, with our ancestors and the indigeneity that is a part of who we are,” Cantú said.
¡Somos Tejanas! was years in the making – beginning more than a decade ago.
In 2012, Cantú and other authors had previously gathered a collection of essays and stories in an effort to write the anthology but after Cantú retired from the University of Texas at San Antonio and moved to Missouri – the book was dropped. She eventually returned to the Alamo City in 2016 and was stopped by her former student, Marín, who was still interested in pursuing the anthology and pushed to get the book published.
“So it’s thanks to her that the book exists. And she helped tremendously, not just in gathering the artists and authors, but also in editing and keeping in touch with the press,” Cantú said.
The book, “!Somos Tejanas! gathers over 40 artists and writers – all Tejanas, each with their own story to tell.
“It’s just a really rich reflection of who Tejanas are as writers, but also it documents the Tejana experience. There’s an essay about the freeze that we had and also an essay about the pandemic. So, it’s really a well-rounded collection of different experiences being Tejanas,” she said.
The special reading on April 25 will mark the first public reading of ¡Somos Tejanas! and the official launch of the book.
Jennifer R. Nájera, an associate professor at the University of California Riverside, will host her special reading on Thursday, April 24, presenting her newest book “Learning to Lead: Undocumented Students Mobilizing Education.” She’s previously discussed her book at campuses across the country.
The Latino Bookstore will continue to host special book events like this.
For more about the bookstore and the special readings, click here.
