Böcker utgivna av Conocimientos Press, LLC

In the first story of this trilogy, we follow the life of Quetzalí, a girl living in Tactic, Guatemala, a place where Poqomchi' is spoken. She grows up helping her family in the market and working on her kemb'al, a backstrap loom. On weekends, they visit the Biotopo of the Quetzal, where they learn about the importance of this bird and the monja blanca orchid, both endangered. One day, soldiers deliver documents to her father that force them to leave their home. Devastated, Quetzalí prepares for a long and difficult journey north, leaving behind her house and her town. Before leaving, she decides to take the monja blanca orchid, hoping it survives the journey, symbolizing the beauty and hope she carries with her in search of a new life."Memory manifests in many forms, is stored in many ways, and needs to be cherished. But there is a memory we seldom talk about, our memory with nature, the one held by plants, birds, and the land. This book is about that connection with life, a memory and poetry of journeys. A brief story of Latin America, of migration and resistance, told from a mountainous Guatemala by a girl and her orchid."-Julio Serrano Echeverría, Author of Balam, Lluvia y la casa / Balam and Lluvia's House"Such a radiant and beautiful story of courage. It opens with an evocative setting and then the sudden struggle, but the family stays positive reflecting the resilience of nature-a great message for how we need to default to nature instead of war."-Kerry Madden-Lunsford, Author of Ernestine's Milky Way

"Verónica Castillo, a fourth-generation ceramic artist from the state of Puebla, Mexico, is a national and international treasure. She inherited oneof the most important lineages of Mexican popular art, and she has continued, extended, and revivified the distinguished traditions that were developed by her ancestors. Rooted in Clay: Verónica Castillo y su arte treats her personal artistic journey, from her childhood in Mexico to her engagement with contemporary issues in the present-day United States. Verónica's story is told with love and insight by Dr. Josie Méndez-Negrete."Ruben C. Cordova, PhDArt Historian & CuratorAuthor of Con Safo: The Chicano Art Group and the Politics of South Texas "Dr. Josie Méndez-Negrete brings us closer to Veronica's life and legacy. We learn of Castillo's artistic and political influences throughout her life-from growing up as a fourth-generation artist in a family of ceramicists, to her activism with native movements, and her migration to theUnited States where she dared to step outside la tradición to capture political themes that denounce oppression in all its forms. Rooted in Clay provides a deep appreciation of Castillo's unmatched creations and her political commitment to social change."Lilliana Patricia Saldaña, PhDAssociate Professor of Mexican American StudiesUniversity of Texas at San Antonio"Dr. Josie Méndez-Negrete documents the life and work of world-renowned ceramicist Veronica Castillo, unearthing what it means to be an artist that hungers for justice, from the family taller to the community cooperative, from the Zapatistas to the women of Juárez. The artist is both influencedby tradition and must break tradition to create a body of work that reflects her vision of the world. Castillo crafts and molds a way of life that honors the Earth by building spaces of collective care and radical imagination. Rooted, grounded, embedded, deep." Virginia Grise, MFAAward-winning Interdisciplinary Artist & Playwright

"This is a beautifully written story that is all-to-familiar to countless children who live in fear that the monster La Migra will deport their parents. No child deserves to live in this nightmare. Love and Monsters in Sofia''s Life reminds us to be vigilant in our support for our immigrant neighbors and the call for immigration reform to end family separation."Bill HingProfessor of Law and Migration Studies, University of San Francisco  "Sofia''s painful yet powerful story reminds us of the monster that takes our collective breath away. Her warm cobija or blanket comforts us, as we bear witness to the ways in which she resists and protects herself with amor de familia┬¡-a family''s love. As I read through Sofia''s story, I thought, ''Yo tambi├⌐n tengo miedo; I am also afraid.'' This book is a must read for those who stand in solidarity against the monstruo in our historical and present memory."  Daniela Dominguez, Psy.D.Assistant Professor of in Counseling Psychology, University of San Francisco***"Esta hermosa historia nos cuenta sobre aquellas inagotables narrativas no habladas por ni├▒os que viven con miedo que el monstruo La Migra deporte a sus padres. Ning├║n ni├▒o merece vivir con esa pesadilla. Amor y Monstruos en la Vida de Sof├¡a nos inspira dar nuestro apoyo a vecinos inmigrantes y a estar alertos a la llamada de reforma migratoria y la separaci├│n familiar."Bill Hing Profesor de leyes y estudios migratorios, Universidad de San Francisco"La poderosa y a├║n dolorosa historia de Sof├¡a nos recuerda de el monstruo que se lleva nuestro sentir colectivo. Su cobija nos aviva y da desahogo, al ser testigos de el modo que ella resiste y se protege con amor de familia. Leyendo la historia de Sof├¡a, yo pens├⌐. ;Yo tambi├⌐n tengo miedo." Este libro debe ser le├¡do por aquellos que son solidarios contra los monstruos de nuestra hist├│rica y presente memoria.''-Daniela Dominguez Psy.D. asistente profesora de consejeria psicol├│gica, Universidad de San Francisco

This is a beautifully written story that is all-to-familiar to countless children who live in fear that the monster La Migra will deport their parents. No child deserves to live in this nightmare. Love and Monsters in Sofia''s Life reminds us to be vigilant in our support for our immigrant neighbors and the call for immigration reform to end family separation.Bill HingProfessor of Law and Migration Studies, University of San Francisco Sofia''s story is one of many voices that remain silent because of the fear of losing her loved ones. As she confronts the "monster" and deals with her worries about family separation, Sofia displays strength. When she finally voices her distress, she taps into the knowledge she carries from abuelita, her parents, and those in the community who provide resources. This book serves as a model for personal and academic empowerment. It can be used as a therapeutic instrument for bibliotherapy and counseling groups.Julio Valenzuela, Marriage and Family TherapistSanta Clara University Sofia''s painful yet powerful story reminds us of the monster that takes our collective breath away. Her warm cobija or blanket comforts us, as we bear witness to the ways in which she resists and protects herself with amor de familia┬¡-a family''s love. As I read through Sofia''s story, I thought, "Yo tambi├⌐n tengo miedo; I am also afraid." This book is a must read for those who stand in solidarity against the monstruo in our historical and present memory.  Daniela Dominguez, Psy.D.Assistant Professor of in Counseling Psychology, University of San Francisco