In this conversation, I interview Margarita Longoria about her book 'Living Beyond Borders: Growing Up Mexican in America'. Margarita shares her journey of growing up in a border town, her love for books, and her passion for writing. She explains how the book came to life as a response to the damaging rhetoric and biased images about Mexicans and Mexican Americans. The book features a collection of stories from a diverse group of writers, representing different ages and experiences. The conversation also touches on the themes of identity, language, and the resilience of Mexican American culture. The conversation with Margarita focuses on her book 'Living Beyond Borders' and the importance of diverse literature. Margarita wanted to create a book that mirrored life and showcased the happiness and struggles of people of color, rather than just focusing on their hardships. She shares the inspiration behind some of the stories in the book, including a true story about Quinceañeras for girls who can't afford them. Margarita also discusses the importance of representation in libraries and the need for diverse books for all readers. She expresses her frustration with book bans and censorship, emphasizing the importance of allowing children to read books that reflect their experiences and identities.

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Welcome to the debut episode of "You Don't Look Mexican"! I'm thrilled to kick off this journey with our first guest, Isaiah Archuleta, where we dive deep into Isaiah's unique perspective as a fifth-generation American whose identity straddles the line between cultures. We'll explore the complexities of feeling "not American enough" for the U.S. while simultaneously feeling disconnected from his Mexican roots. This episode promises to be a poignant exploration of what it means to be caught between two worlds, neither fully American nor Mexican, but a beautiful blend of both.

In this episode, I reference Isaiah's family potentially living in Texas when it was still Mexico.  I have included some historical notes below:
In the early 19th century, vast territories in what is now the southwestern United States were part of Mexico. This included present-day California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and parts of Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, and Oklahoma. The region was initially part of New Spain, then Mexico after its independence in 1821. However, tensions between American settlers and the Mexican government, combined with the desire for territorial expansion, led to conflict. The annexation of Texas in 1845 and the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) resulted in the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848.

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Continue the conversation on social media by following us on Instagram and TikTok @udontlookmexican.
Your engagement helps us amplify diverse voices and foster meaningful dialogue. Until next time, gracias for listening!