The Latino Diaspora Is a Dystopia: U.S
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The Latino Diaspora Is a Dystopia: U.S. Chicano and Latinx Experiences of Intersectional Oppression in Fiction - an Introductory Essay and an Original Short Story Collection: Good Burritos Don’t Fall Apart and Other Stories The Harvard community has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters Citable link http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:37945113 Terms of Use This article was downloaded from Harvard University’s DASH repository, and is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Other Posted Material, as set forth at http:// nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of- use#LAA The Latino Diaspora is a Dystopia: U.S. Chicano and Latinx Experiences of Intersectional Oppression in Fiction An Introductory Essay and an Original Short Story Collection: Good Burritos Don’t Fall Apart and Other Stories Noah Enrique Toledo A Thesis in the Field of Literature and Creative Writing for the Degree of Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies Harvard University May 2018 ©2018 Noah Enrique Toledo Abstract The introductory essay of this thesis looks at U.S. Latino and Chicano writers such as Junot Díaz and Sandra Cisneros, their craft, inspiration on my own work, and contribution to Latinx literary fiction. I argue that all fiction reflecting the authentic experiences of Chicanos and Latinx in the United States is, by definition, dystopian. I also take a look at a few non-Latinx authors of other oppressed identities, such as U.S. Afro-futurist Octavia Butler, and Canadian Margaret Atwood, whose dystopias describe socially and politically disenfranchised characters as well. Like the Latinx protagonists of my own work, their characters experience multi-layered oppression, including misogyny, systemic racism, economic and educational inequities, political terror, sexual abuse/assault, and other traumas. The only way to guarantee authentic narratives of the lived Latinx/Chicano experience, even fictionalized, is for us to write them ourselves. In that spirit, I have written an original collection of my own socially dystopian short stories, with major and minor Latinx characters of varying intersectional identities. Among them are first-generation college students, immigrants, queer and transgender Latinx, and men from working-class backgrounds. As a whole, these characters paint a diverse portrait of the U.S. Latinx diaspora. The setting of the collection is the current cultural and political landscape, where economic, educational, and social inequities are symptomatic of American policy, systemic racism, and capitalism. The parents of most of these protagonists grew up in Latin-American countries, resulting in fiction that reflects a very real inter-generational dystopian experience. “The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it.” –Karl Marx “A map of the world that does not include Utopia is not worth even glancing at, for it leaves out the one country at which Humanity is always landing. And when Humanity lands there, it looks out, and, seeing a better country, sets sail. Progress is the realization of Utopias.” –Oscar Wilde “Wherever you go, there you are.” –Buddhist truism, attributed to Confucius, used in Alcoholics Anonymous, title of book by Jon Kabat-Zinn “We do this because the world we live in is a house on fire and the people we love are burning.” –Sandra Cisneros Para mis padres. Grampa Henry, Ashly, Vero, Susan, thank you for inspiring me. Rest in power and peace. Acknowledgements Eric: you are my precious baby brother, but spiritually, you’re my big brother. I look up to you. When we go on our sibling movie dates, play games at Dave and Busters, or just watch TV together when I’m home, you inspire me. Do you know what it means to inspire someone? Your joy in the little things reminds me to “Enjoy life,” as you say. When you laugh, it makes my heart sing. You remember everyone’s names and birthdays, and make everyone who knows you feel special. You make me want to follow your example. That’s what it means to inspire someone. You are a special boy, and you have such a good brain, like Mom says. I know a lot of smart people, but you are wiser, because you are smart at love. I know what unconditional love is because I can be my whole self with you and not be afraid that you’re ever going to stop loving me. I am so grateful for you, little buddy. You are my best friend and I love you. To my family and friends who have supported me in both my academic and gender journey: mil gracias for the support, the care packages, books, hugs, company, and all of the love. The “Family and Friends” tattoo on my chest is for you. Los primos: Sarah Lazarus, A.B. and David Maki, Caleb Turner, Devin Vindas, Zoey Flores, Harrison and Gia Lazarus, the Gorham cousins, especially Alan, Laura, Marta, Raul and baby Sebastian, Irma and your precious girls; and Abel Macias. Thank you. Love to: Brandon Brinson, Rita Tilson Vasak, Maggie McCarty, Toya Miller, Angelyne Sewell, A.J. and Chasity Tarin, Korina Marcano, Elizabeth Eakin, Liz Sweigart, Jessica Lacey, Liz Harmon, Jessica Lopez, Kateri Collins, Chase Parker, Owen Campbell, Greta Dedmon, Shelby Lou, Heather Bechtold, Chastity Suquett, Erin Patterson, Erica Charis, Dee Dee Edmonson, Julie Barnes, Kai Coggin, Lesley Bannatyne, Jennifer Cox, Godha Bapuji, Michelle Gherardi, Stephanie Martins, Georgi Gold, Teri Nolan-Range, and all the “Harvard Chix.” Big love to: Brandon Hall, Mickey Luna, Tracy Moon, Troy Goodrich, Selina Maldonado, Angela McCutcheon, Rachel Hansbro, Madison Whitaker, Kera Washington, and all my other former bandmates and musical partners. Laura Petracca, Kiyomi McCloskey of Hunter Valentine, Phanie Diaz of FEA/Girl in a Coma, Miriam K, Cassandra Quirk, and the babes of Giant Kitty, and, Lucas Silveira—thank you for your friendship and inspiration. Special thanks to the folks at Guitar Center in Houston and Boston, my friends at Berklee College of Music, Merissa Magdael-Lauron, Alicia Ortiz, and the entire congregation of Unity in the City for the inspiration for GBDFA. Lenny Stallworth, rest in ultimate peace. Extra special thanks to: Kerry Garvin, a truly kindred spirit. I love you. Jerry Weinstein, Lee Ruelas, and Paul Phillips, thank you for being role models of the kind of man I want to be. The entire Harvard Latinx community: you have been my rock. Special thanks to Erika Carlsen, Cassandra Fradera, Norma Torres Mendoza, Edward Rocha, and too many more to name; to the Harvard Latinx Student Association, and the entire staff at the Harvard Kennedy School Journal of Hispanic Policy, gracias por su Amistad y su inspiración, mi gente. Adelante! My teachers, professors, and mentors: Talaya Delaney, Lindsay Mitchell, Michael Patrick McDonald, Robert Kiely, and Francis Abiola Irele for enriching my Harvard experience. Jose Aranda and Krista Comer at Rice University, for your mentorship, and encouraging my pursuit of graduate studies. Delonn McCall and Carol Ann Shipp for inspiring me to major in English. Coach Anne Marie Franz, for teaching me to never ASSUME. Rafael Castañet, one day, we’ll take Manhattan, then we’ll take Berlin. Ms. Garcia, for inspiring me to become an educator, without knowing it. Ms. Upshaw, thank you for gifting me A Wrinkle in Time in 5th grade. That book changed my life. All of my former coworkers at YES Prep Southwest, and mostly, my “babies”—I still believe I learned more from you than you learned from me. I am so damn proud of all of you. My therapists, past and present, especially Laura Cotton, and Meaghan Ross. To all my roommates, past and present, thanks for not judging my strange hours and living habits as I finished this work. Quinn and Willow, thanks for the character inspirations. The folks in the service industry who allowed me to take up space and write for hours: Aubrey, Anne Marie, and the staff at Brownstone; Mondo, Morgan, Tom, Fabio, and staff at John Harvard’s Brewery; Tricia and the staff at Costello’s; Heri and April, and staff at Tasty Burger Harvard Square; Enid, and all staff at Trident Booksellers; the late night staff at El Jefe’s Taquería; the staff at Grafton Street, Charlie’s Kitchen, and Noir. Thank you to Helen and the rest of the overnight janitorial staff working at Lamont Library. You are underappreciated. To the city of Houston, TX: you are my forever home, wherever I go. Houston Strong, por siempre. Huge thank you to Maria, and the entire staff at Agora for providing me a writing home when I’m in town. Shout out to all my people in Montrose, The Heights, East End, Magnolia Park, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, and Independence Heights. To every queer and trans person, especially QTPOC, who will read this collection: I am blessed to be part of this family. Our existence is resistance. Al, Michael, John, and the rest of the homeless of Harvard Square: I see you. I love you. Table of Contents Dedication ..................................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgments ……………………………….………………………………………………. v I. The Latino Diaspora is a Dystopia: U.S. Chicano and Latinx Experiences of Intersectional Oppression in Fiction ………..………………………………..……… 1 Introduction: Another Brick in the Wall …………………………………………….. 1 Defining the Latinx Dystopia: The Future Was Yesterday …………………………. 2 A New Genre: Who Would Have Thought It? …………...…………………………. 3 From Pessimism to Activism: The Work of Junot Díaz……………………………... 6 Las Chingonas: Cisneros, de la Peña, and Viramontes …………………………….. 15 Make America Change Again: Butler’s Afro-Futurism …………………………… 23 Apocalypse, Now? …………………………………………………………………. 27 Works Cited ….…………………………………………………………………….. 29 Appendix …………………………………………………………………………… 31 II. Original Short Story Collection, Good Burritos Don’t Fall Apart and Other Stories ………………………………………………………………………………………. 34 Good Burritos Don’t Fall Apart …………………………………………………… 35 How To Solve a Rubik’s Cube ……………………………………………………..