In November, we had a gathering of the minds & souls to discuss Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass. We talked about confronting the ego, the impact of language, reciprocity, and what aspect of nature fills our minds, bodies, emotions, and spirits. We then contemplated on ways to express gratitude & how we could create ripples in our own communities to see the culture we wanted be displayed in society.

In October, and in honor of all things spooky, we got together to discuss The Haunting of Alejandra. We’re so grateful for the recommendation from Penguin Random House. This book takes on a slightly different approach to the classic take of La Llorona and puts it into perspective of a line of women who must battle an entity to prevent becoming “La Llorona” and succumbing to the darkness. It’s a tale of strength, overcoming odds, and breaking family curses- which is something that many Mijxs related to. So many times we hear about generational curses but in this book, we are reminded of generational strength.

In September, for Hispanic Heritage month, we read Quiara Alegría Hudes’ memoir and found ourselves relating to many of the topics she covered- from her spirituality to being a mixture of cultures and languages. We admired the beautiful way she expressed herself yet still kept it direct & honest. The way she wove her spiritual journey throughout her life’s story and the challenges she faced was stirring. It was incredible to be able to get insight to the woman behind the musical “In The Heights” and the movie “Vivo”.

In August we discussed the many ways to find pleasure in our lives, while healing from trauma, in our work, sexual lives, relationships, and even in parenting. We analyzed where we could add more pleasure in our lives and how we were naturally transitioning to become pleasure activists. We were truly enlightened about a subject we thought we knew about- digging deeper into how pleasure can enhance & transform our lives.

In July, we discussed the empowering trend of Young Adult books, shared recipes with one another, and talked about the importance of food not just on a physical level but a spiritual one. We also talked about how to create kitchen altars to access our ancestors when cooking, veganizing family recipes, and about food that brings us to life.

In May, we were transported by the sensual & spiritual words of Natalie Diaz’s “Postcolonial Love Poem”. She captures humor, history, sacredness, grief, resistance, & passion all at once. Her carefully chosen and rich words left us in deep thought with a desire to unpack what it means to be Brown & Indigenous in the United States.

In April we had the honor & pleasure of Dr. Breeze Harper joining us to read from her book “Potato Chips & Wine: a 90’s Queer Teen Love Story” which threw us back to when we were younger and navigating the world. She also discussed her upcoming book “Seeds of Sankofa” which has an Afrofuturist theme.

In March we covered “You Sound Like A White Girl” by: Julissa Arce where we talked about our experiences growing up Latine and surrounded by the lies of English, whiteness, and success and how we must examine our roles in white supremacy in order to combat the violence it brings to our people. We also talked about what it means to reclaim our culture, identity, and history, as well as important conversations that should be occurring within Latinidad and how we can find a way to include all and take action.

In February we read Aphro-ism by sisters Aph Ko & Syl Ko and discussed speciesism, racism, and their connecting to white supremacy. There were many crucial arguments & theories on the binary of “human” and “animal” and how we should be dismantling the hierarchy.

In January, we read Fresh Banana Leaves by: Jessica Hernandez, Ph.D. which focused on centering Indigenous voices in environmental movements & policies. Being of Maya Ch’orti descent, she talks about displacement, as well as her personal experience & horrors her family has faced.