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Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books™️
Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez, MY SIDE OF THE RIVER: A Memoir
Zibby speaks with debut author Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez about MY SIDE OF THE RIVER, a tender memoir about her experience as the daughter of Mexican immigrants and what happened when her parents were kicked out of the United States when she was just fifteen years old, leaving her to raise her little brother by herself. Elizabeth talks about her childhood in Southern Arizona and then delves into the heart of her story, touching on themes of separation, generational trauma, resilience, and the toll of the American dream. She also reflects on the memoir-writing process, the discomfort of re-sharing painful memories, her TED Talk experience, and her best advice for aspiring authors.
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(Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact allie.gallo@acast.com.)
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