Celebrating Latinx Writers During Latinx Heritage Month

For those readers who aren’t aware, this editor is a Latina, so the period of September 15th to October 15th is a special one for me. It’s the time of year where my culture and my heritage gets some recognition, when at last eyes can turn on us, and we can feel seen, and remind others that our culture and existence are very much a part of this world and that it matters.

I was very young when I knew I wanted to be a writer. But as I grew up, my hopes for becoming a recognized author often were thwarted by thoughts that people like me didn’t ever get there. All the most popular books seemed to be written by white writers. They all seemed to feature white characters. I had such little exposure to books with POCs that I myself wrote stories featuring white characters.

However, one day I learned of Gabriel García Márquez and everything changed. A little pin of hope punctured the darkness of my beliefs. Suddenly, the possibility existed that there could be room on some shelves for a book of mine. That my books could feature characters that looked like me. That ate arepas like me. Who listened to gaitas and celebrated noche buena like me.

This is why this time of year I like to shine a spotlight on the contributions and achievements of Hispanic and Latinx authors.

In the United States, 7.04% of authors are of Latinx and Hispanic origin. This is the largest increase among all ethnic groups since 2014. The most common ethnicity among authors is White, which makes up 75.6% of all authors.

However, Latinx and Hispanic authors still face many challenges and barriers in the publishing industry, such as lack of representation, stereotyping, and discrimination.

We lovers of books and literature can help support the Latinx and Hispanic community this month by reading and promoting their books and stories.

Here are some Latinx/Hispanic authors you may want to check out:

• Xochitl Gonzalez – Anita de Monte Laughs Last
• Angélica Lopes – The Curse of the Flores Women
• Isabel Cañas – The Hacienda
• Karla Cornejo – Catalina
• Gina María Balibrera – The Volcano Daughters
• Sylvia Moreno-Garcia – The Seventh Veil of Salome
• Natalie Caña – A Dish Best Served Hot
• Tita Ramírez – Tell It To Me Singing

You can pick up one of these books at your local bookstore or support your local library by borrowing one! If you love it, leave a review or a quick post on your favorite social media platform to help spread the word. By doing this, you can help them gain more visibility, recognition, and opportunities in the literary world. You can help ensure that the voices of minorities are never forgotten or erased.

Latinx stories are filled to the brim with imagination. They’re colorful and poignant. What I love about reading about different cultures — for example, when I myself delve into stories of Black people or those written by Asian or Pacific Islanders — is that there’s so much to learn. It’s like getting to step into the shoes of a different culture just for a little while and being able to see the world as they experience it. But even more so, we’re able to see not just the ways in which we’re different but also the ways in which we’re similar.

It’s a magical thing and I hope that more readers become interested in exploring narratives outside of their comfort zone. There’s so much to see and learn about this world and books are our easiest escape into these magnificent cultures.