You Sound Like a White Girl: The Case for Rejecting Assimilation by Julissa Arce
AN INDIE BESTSELLER Most Anticipated by ELLE • Bustle • Bloomberg • Kirkus • HipLatina • SheReads • BookPage • The Millions • The Mujerista • Ms. Magazine • and more “Unflinching” ―Ms. Magazine • “Phenomenal” ―BookRiot • "An essential read" ―Kirkus, starred review • "Necessary" ―Library Journal • "Powerful" ―Joaquin Castro • "Illuminating" ―Reyna Grande • "A love letter to our people" ―José Olivarez • "I have been waiting for this book all my life" ―Paul Ortiz Bestselling author Julissa Arce calls for a celebration of our uniqueness, our origins, our heritage, and the beauty of the differences that make us Americans in this powerful polemic against the myth that assimilation leads to happiness and belonging for immigrants. “You sound like a white girl.” These were the words spoken to Julissa by a high school crush as she struggled to find her place in America. As a brown immigrant from Mexico, assimilation had been demanded of her since the moment she set foot in San Antonio, Texas, in 1994. She’d spent so much time getting rid of her accent so no one could tell English was her second language that in that moment she felt those words― you sound like a white girl ? ―were a compliment. As a child, she didn’t yet understand that assimilating to “American” culture really meant imitating “white” America―that sounding like a white girl was a racist idea meant to tame her, change her, and make her small. She ran the race, completing each stage, but never quite fit in, until she stopped running altogether. In this dual polemic and manifesto, Julissa dives into and tears apart the lie that assimilation leads to belonging. She combs through history and her own story to break down this myth, arguing that assimilation is a moving finish line designed to keep Black and brown Americans and immigrants chasing racist American ideals. She talks about the Lie of Success, the Lie of Legality, the Lie of Whiteness, and the Lie of English―each promising that if you obtain these things, you will reach acceptance and won’t be an outsider anymore. Julissa deftly argues that these demands leave her and those like her in a purgatory―neither able to secure the power and belonging within whiteness nor find it in the community and cultures whiteness demands immigrants and people of color leave behind. In You Sound Like a White Girl , Julissa offers a bold new promise: Belonging only comes through celebrating yourself, your history, your culture, and everything that makes you uniquely you. Only in turning away from the white gaze can we truly make America beautiful. An America where difference is celebrated, heritage is shared and embraced, and belonging is for everyone. Through unearthing veiled history and reclaiming her own identity, Julissa shows us how to do this. Read more
I wasn't going to read the book because I'm not a fan of the author. I don't know her personally but from what I can see on social media, she is divisive and complains more than offers solutions. And for me having context on the author enriches my reading experience. Based on my knowledge of the author, I thought it was going to be a white bashing (she usually does this on social media) manifesto where she talks about how all Latinos should reject assimilation and identify a certain way. Her way. Despite my hesitation, I purchased the book in support of a fellow Latina and because the topic is interesting. She did a great job with her writing and the first half pulled me in. All the way in. It felt as if I was reading something written by an entirely different person. Someone more open-minded, more patient, and more compassionate of ALL Latinos, from all walks of life. Her writing was infused with warmth and hope. To be honest, I was inspired as hell when I read it. The last half was not as compelling as the first half, but she did a great job with all of the historical context she provided. Overall, I was surprised to see this side of her and appreciate that she recognized that we are all different and are allowed to own our identities. Our unique identities. This is a must-read and I recommend it to all!
Publisher -> Flatiron Books (March 22, 2022) Language -> English Hardcover -> 208 pages ISBN-10 -> 1250787017 ISBN-13 -> 978-1250787019 Item Weight -> 10.3 ounces Dimensions -> 6.32 x 0.79 x 8.54 inches Best Sellers Rank: #15,217 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #7 in Hispanic American Demographic Studies #9 in Hispanic & Latin Biographies #19 in Emigration & Immigration Studies (Books)
Get eBook You Sound Like a White Girl: The Case for Rejecting Assimilation
(Get) Epub You Sound Like a White Girl: The Case for Rejecting Assimilation Full Access
(Get This Books) You Sound Like a White Girl: The Case for Rejecting Assimilation
*(D.o.w.n.l.o.a.d) K.I.N.D.L.E You Sound Like a White Girl: The Case for Rejecting Assimilation /a>
*[Get] [Epub] You Sound Like a White Girl: The Case for Rejecting Assimilation Books Full Versions
(Descargar y leer) You Sound Like a White Girl: The Case for Rejecting Assimilation
[Pdf/ePub] You Sound Like a White Girl: The Case for Rejecting Assimilation Full Online | Author #A#
[Get] (Epub) You Sound Like a White Girl: The Case for Rejecting Assimilation
[Pagkuha] [PDF] You Sound Like a White Girl: The Case for Rejecting Assimilation
Comments
Post a Comment