About

When I taught English at César E. Chávez High School on the southeast side of Houston, many of my students were convinced that they hated to read and write. My goal was to help them connect to books that would change their minds. Those conversations were the first reason that I—as a white woman—became passionate about stories that center Latinx lives. Learning with them and many other amazing readers, including my sons Liam Miguel and Ethan Andrés, continues to shape my vision of what it means for Latinx readers find themselves—and their community—represented responsibly in the pages of the books they read.

All readers deserve to encounter stories that speak to their lived experience and to their imagination. I believe in writing that reckons with the uniqueness and diversity of lives lived in any given community, whatever the background of the author. I also believe in the importance of making #OwnVoices central in YA and children’s literature.  Please check out the blog Latinxs in Kid Lit, where we highlight outstanding work by Latinx authors.

What else? I grew up in East Texas near where my novel Out of Darkness takes place, but I’ve lived outside of Texas for as long as I lived there. I have been a serious student all my life. In 2014, I completed a PhD in comparative literature at Indiana University where I focused on Latin American literatures, and now I am an assistant professor teaching world literatures at The Ohio State University. I love being silly with my sons, making collages out of old print materials, taking walks while blowing bubbles, baking, and playing word games like Puns of Anarchy.

For event or author visit inquiries, use the form below to contact the wonderful team at How Now Booking. You can also reach out about other topics using the form, and I will see your message.

If you are a student working on a project, please look for the many interviews I have done, most of them available online or through your library. I love to interact with readers, but it’s not a good use of my time to answer questions that I’ve already answered somewhere else. Thank you for understanding!

Here are some awesome schools, programs, and organizations that have shaped my path: Bard College at Simon’s RockThe University of Texas at AustinIndiana University BloomingtonACE (an Americorps program), and The National Writing Project. These days, I am especially grateful for the advocacy of PEN America (a literary free speech organization), the National Coalition Against Censorship, EveryLibrary, and the American Civil Liberties Union.

Head shot of author Ashley Hope Pérez

 

 

Twitter Facebook Goodreads RSS
All materials © 2024 Ashley Hope Pérez. Author website by Websy Daisy.