Some Thoughts on American Dirt, Cultural Identity, Cultural Appropriation and other Assorted Nonsense in My Life
I guess there's a book out called American Dirt which is getting criticized because it was written by a white woman about a Mexican woman fleeing Mexico because she's getting chased by someone involved in drugs or something. I haven't read the book; I'm just going on what I've seen online so far. Apparently, Sandra Cisneros endorsed the book, which really pissed off Alisa Valdes Rodriguez. Read the brilliant blog post, “Auntie Sandra's Cabin: Why No One Should be Surprised Sandra Cisneros Endorsed American Dirt .” It's a fascinating read, and parts of it made me think, “right on.” It's also sort of summed up why the so-called “voices of their people” quasi-academics/writers have never really appealed to me. I can't identify with them. I grew up in the Midwest the daughter of a government worker and a restaurant employee. I grew up wanting take figure skating, gymnastics and ballet lessons, which I never did as a kid. I was able to finagle horse