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#108: Acclaimed Author Reyna Grande on Voice, Resilience and Belonging
Manage episode 516558508 series 3662923
Reyna Grande is a Mexican‑American novelist and memoirist whose work brings raw clarity to the immigrant experience, family separation, and the pursuit of belonging. Born in Iguala, Guerrero, Mexico, and having crossed into the U.S. as an undocumented child, Grande earned her BA and MFA in creative writing, and is a recipient of multiple awards including the American Book Award, the International Latino Book Award and the El Premio Aztlán Literary Award.
Grande’s major works include:
• Across a Hundred Mountains (2006) – a novel rooted in her own journey from Mexico to the U.S. as a child.
• Dancing with Butterflies (2009) – a novel exploring identity, trauma, and cultural memory.
• The Distance Between Us (2012) – a powerful memoir of her life before and after immigrating, which was also adapted into a young‑reader edition.
• A Dream Called Home (2018) – the sequel memoir continuing her story of striving, belonging and returning.
• A Ballad of Love and Glory (2022) – a sweeping historical novel set during the Mexican‑American War.
Exploring themes of immigration, identity, language, and the power of storytelling, Grande’s voice is profound and deeply human.
Learn more at reynagrande.com
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Chapters
1. Meet Raina Grande And Her Work (00:00:00)
2. Origins In Guerrero And Separation (00:03:36)
3. Crossing At Nine And Language Shock (00:06:24)
4. Monarchs, Dandelions, And Migration Symbols (00:10:05)
5. Subtractive Bilingualism And Healing Spanish (00:13:55)
6. A Student’s Question On Loving Parents (00:19:31)
7. Grandmothers, Harm, And Inherited Trauma (00:22:08)
8. Writing What We Wish To Forget (00:26:40)
9. Rejection, Publishing, And First Breakthrough (00:29:58)
10. Arrival, Identity, And Staying Humble (00:34:50)
11. Advice To Her Nine-Year-Old Self (00:38:00)
12. Myths Of America And Harsh Realities (00:41:00)
13. Fighting For Space And Representation (00:47:15)
14. The Billboard Message: Don’t Give Up (00:51:10)
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