Good morning! This week we have Clarissa Riojas who started Beyond Borders Book Club @beyondbordersbookclub. I met Clarissa at the start of a LUPE traveling exhibition. Seeing them begin and continue with their book club is great to see! I'll be sure to join in soon :) I look forward to the tools Clarissa provides and the books she chooses to provoke thoughts and questions to her readers/participants.
Before we begin I start by asking Clarissa what they have been enjoying as of recently? "Adventuring around the RGV! Last week, I drove out to the Roma bluffs for the first time and got a stunning view of our Rio Grande." I remember going to Roma and climbing the hill where the Jesus statue is. It was pretty cool to see the trail created and just getting to see a view in the morning, incredible.
Clarissa continues by also giving out a shout out "Shoutout to the Young Center who will be collaborating with us! Be on the lookout for details. 👀"
What is the purpose of the Beyond borders book club? // Does your club have a mission statement? From bell hooks to James Baldwin to Tricia Hersey to Gloria Anzaldua– what we’ve learned about social justice is due in large part to prolific and revolutionary writers and thinkers.
The Beyond Borders Book Club is a community of readers who are passionate about inspiring action through the power of literature. We aim to explore the diversity and complexity of the human experience, elevating narratives that examine complex societal issues and challenge dominant social binaries. We envision a space where critical thinking, empathy, and dialogue serve as catalysts
for personal growth and social change.
I think UTRGV is also having their yearly Gloria Anzaldua based events with speakers, readings and sessions. I remember being in school and it wasn't until we were tasked to read Borderlands: La Frontera. It gave me high school nostalgia of my English teacher to would recommend us to read it. Read books like Don Quixote, but I never understood why until I got older. Reading Gloria Anzaldua's book really paved the way for me, to learn more. With book clubs, the aim to show, teach, and provide the tools necessary to even place your foot in the right place is great! Especially if it involves others. I will be on the look out for the next book to participate! I've been meaning to join a book club for awhile, perhaps this is what I need.
In your bio you state "books as tools for social change" could you elaborate on this statement? Is this also what you wish to push with the book club? Could you use some book examples as well that have been "tools for social change" // How was the first event on the book My Boy Will Die Of Sorrow which also included the author. What were your thoughts? Any feed received as well that stuck with you? We like to believe that stories can make us more human. When we read, we give ourselves permission to interpret the world in a way that may be different from that of our lived experience. We’ve read many books that have shaped and expanded the way that we think about particular issues as they relate to injustice and inequity.
Y'know yesterday on 9/15 we held an event for work at the Rio Grande City, Kelsey Bass Museum. I got 2 speakers and one of them was a master historian/ex-teacher. The way he told his story, the way he made us feel like we WERE there was fascinating. The way it CREATED group discussion and sharing of stories from those around me was what I enjoy. There's stories hidden, stories to be told, folks who want to speak, folks who wish for a space to be heard and to share. Reading creates connections, stories shared "can make us more human" by understanding and seeing a different perspective that we may not have known. I wonder what's shared within the discussion groups at the book club? I'm curious now. Last month, our book club read “My Boy Will Die of Sorrow” by the Rio Grande Valley’s very own Efrén Olivares. The book paints a deeply personal account of Efrén’s own immigration story as well as his experience working as a civil rights attorney under the 2018 family separation policies. Our first discussion brought together a diverse group of readers, including an immigration attorney, border patrol agent, mental health counselor, educators, among others. We were moved at how gentle and open the group was to receiving each other.
That's a very diverse set of folks and that's what's needed. Different folks in different professions who are also carrying different perspectives, thoughts, feelings and ect.
The next book club is on September 23rd, on "How we show up" could you tell us why you chose this book?
Recently, we have been reflecting on what it means to build community here in the RGV. As we begin our journey with Beyond Borders, we are looking forward to exploring what community means to others. Mia Birdsong’s “How We Show Up” challenges us to consider how our individualistic pursuit of the American dream threatens our ability to connect with others.
We invite anyone who is interested in joining our discussion to come out to our September 23rd meet up!
What are some books that have stuck with you? Any that you would recommend?
One of my favorites is The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. I first read it as a high school student, but I've developed a deeper appreciation for the book as I’ve grown older. It is an intergenerational family drama that asks us to reflect on what is lost and what is left behind when our families immigrate to the United States.
For those who can't come out to events like this, what are some ways you'd recommend them to create social change for themselves?
One of the reasons that we started Beyond Borders is to create ongoing dialogue with others. We have to learn how to have conversations about the issues that we care about. Sometimes that means speaking across differences, holding space for others, or confronting our own biases and worldviews.
I may not be a big reader as I used to, but the way I hold these conversations is through art and the story told. Art exhibitions/events. My perspective and theirs. I conversation I crave especially if it's a themed show, but everyone piece is their own of course, but each story is also different. Clarissa will be the reason I put down my horror comics and pick up How We Show Up or the next book (if im too late).
What plans do you have for the future of the book club?
We hope that Beyond Borders can facilitate meaningful conversations and attract a community of passionate, curious readers. Additionally, we hope that we can bring in more authors to talk about their work!
I like that you're bringing in local authors which is neat! Bringing folks to others can certainly relate to with the issues we have here at the border or how certain issues affect those we care about. Who else to hear from it other than someone from here if that makes sense?
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