I’m happy to announce the completion of the first Tomemos un Cafecito memory book!
From the beginning of my contact and collaboration with Let’s Talk Story, this day felt like it was so far away. From translations to outreach, the process of creating Tomemos un Cafecito was much more complex and time-consuming than I originally thought. Regardless, though, I loved every minute of it. Every step I took in developing and perfecting the book felt like one step closer to the release and printing of TUC. As I’ve drafted and edited my book, I’ve realized my own personal growth through the research and thought behind the book.
I find so much beauty in personal discovery and acknowledging that everyone has room for growth. While creating TUC, I wanted to research and understand my own identity even more introspectively in order to make a product I felt personally connected to. In fact, I even took a Mexican-American course this year in order to learn more about my own roots and how history has impacted my ever-evolving identity as a Mexican-American. Taking that class opened my eyes: so many stories and histories have been hidden, and learning about them first-hand helped reinforce my aspiration to learn more.
Now, having finished the final draft of TUC, it was time to test it myself. In retrospect, I owe all of the values I live by thanks to my Grandmother, my Nana; She practically raised me alongside my parents. Whenever I was remotely alone, she was always a few feet away, my safety net and shield from the world. At the age of 5, however, she decided to move back to Mexico. At first, I was very shocked and heartbroken; someone I was so close to now lived thousands of miles away. But, as I grew up, I realized the importance of her move: it created a basis for independence and self-reliance, two values I find vital.
Even with her move, I wanted to maintain the connection we’d built. So, thanks to the amazing internet, I loved FaceTiming her and talking about all sorts of things. The moments I’d spend with her made me so happy and allowed me to grow by myself while still knowing she wouldn’t be relatively far away. Filling out the book with her, I felt as if everything had gone full circle: I was finally able to learn about my Nana, not as my grandmother, but as a person, someone who lived a life before my birth. Finishing the book with her, it brings me hope for the memories this book can bring to so many others besides myself. I’m now even more steadfast in my efforts to plan workshops and spread the importance of fostering connection between seniors and youth.
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