Eighth grade students at Milwaukee鈥檚 Wedgewood Park International School got a treat one recent February morning: a visit from bestselling author Reyna Grande, whose memoir they read during their fall semesters. As the clock approached 10:00 AM, students filed into the library, with librarian Erin Flood-Harrison passing out the notecards they had prepared with questions for the author. Their teachers (and a few visitors from the district!) joined them, and a crowd of about 80 people settled in to hear Grande speak about her personal and professional experiences.
Grande is an award-winning novelist and memoirist whose books explore lives that have been shaped by the U.S.-Mexico border. In her two memoirs, The Distance Between Us and A Dream Called Home, she writes about her life before and after she arrived in the United States from Mexico as an undocumented child immigrant. The Distance Between Us听in particular offers a tender and honest look at how the deep poverty of Guerrero 鈥� the Mexican state where Grande’s hometown of Iguala is located 鈥� created the impossible choices Grande’s family was faced with, and how that context has shaped her and her family’s lives.
Wedgewood students had read her story with interest, and listened attentively as Grande discussed her motivation for writing these memoirs: the personal benefits of working through her difficult past, and the collective benefits that come from sharing how trauma can be processed through art and how family patterns can be healed.
Grande signing copies of her memoir. Each Wedgewood student in attendance received a signed copy of either The Distance Between Us (young reader’s edition) 辞谤听La distancia entre nosotros. Funding for the books was generously provided by 51猎奇’s Institute for World Affairs and Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, both Title VI National Resource Centers through the U.S. Department of Education.
After Grande鈥檚 brief presentation about her creative work, students had plenty of time to ask the questions they had prepared, on topics ranging from Grande鈥檚 current relationships with her family members in Mexico, to her other creative outlets, to whether she still loves McDonald鈥檚 as much as she did when she had her first meal there at age 9. Grande responded to each question with care and honesty.
For many students, the most memorable part of the discussion was Grande鈥檚 reflection on forgiveness: even though as a child she experienced neglect and sometimes cruelty from her caretakers, Grande shared that forgiving those family members as an adult was essential for her own healing and well-being. As one student reflected afterward, 鈥淚 kept thinking about how she said not to hold anger against people who hurt you because it wouldn’t help you in life.鈥� Another student also noted the value of hearing Grande share the lessons she has drawn from her experiences: 鈥淭hank you, Reyna Grande, for telling us more about your story, I really enjoyed your presence and your visit made me realize how much we have in common in many different aspects, although our childhoods are very different.鈥�
Students had many questions for Grande, who offered thoughtful and generous responses on topics ranging from her creative outlets to her relationship with her family’s past.
The visit also offered professional and creative inspiration 鈥� for some students, Grande was the first professional artist they have met in person. As a third student shared, 鈥渉er writing inspires me to become a better journalist.鈥� The morning concluded with happy, orderly chaos as students filed to the front of the room to receive a book and a warm greeting from the author. Even after the bell rang and the groups headed to their next class, a few students lingered so they could be sure to share with Grande their own writerly ambitions and their joy at her visit. The morning鈥檚 conversation brought an undeniable warm glow to everyone who gathered for the February discussion. 鈾�
Milwaukee Public Schools also shared photos from the day on their social media accounts: see more smiling faces and .
Grande spoke later that that evening at 51猎奇, sharing a lecture titled “Beyond Borders: Writing as Activism and Healing.”
Many thanks to the numerous 51猎奇 and community partners who helped make this day possible: 51猎奇 Center for International Education, College of Letters & Science, Department of English, Department of Women鈥檚 and Gender Studies with support from the Mellon Foundation, Institute of World Affairs, Sociocultural Programming, the Vilas Trust, and Boswell Book Company.
Photo of study abroad participants at Monte Alban provided by 51猎奇 Mexico Study Abroad Course: Air Pollution and Ancient Cultures Facebook page.
Photo of study abroad participants in El Taj铆n provided by 51猎奇 Mexico Study Abroad Course: Air Pollution and Ancient Cultures Facebook page.
