Luis J. Rodriguez shared his new book, 'From Our Land to Our Land,' with the Los Angeles Times Book Club
and his career using creative writing to explore identity and push for change.
Rodriguez said he continues to visit prisons in California and around the world to serve as a mentor and teacher. He described the “buffed” men, their faces tattooed, sometimes 30 deep, waiting for him to come in.” In his collection of essays, Rodriguez says everything, including identity, is up for reexamination. The author appends a note at the beginning, alerting readers that both “Chicano” and “Xicanx” terms find a home in his book.
On Saturday, Rodriguez also dived into politics, expressing support for Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders, and discussed the controversy surrounding the Mexico-based novelRodriguez said he hasn’t read the novel, which some have complained is riddled with stereotypes and cultural appropriation. But Rodriguez didn’t mince words about the publishing industry. “I’ve yet to see the kind of money that they offered, that they gave Jeanine Cummins,” he said. “It’s only because she’s white.
“If you’re going to write about other people, you better take a lot of responsibility,” he said. “We’ve been written about by others and the responsibility has not been there.” He then fired off the names of Latino authors, like Javier Zamora, Hector Tobar, and Claudia Rodriguez, as examples of those who have been writing their experiences authentically.
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