On this episode of The Brown Book Club Podcast, we had the honor of speaking with acclaimed author Reyna Grande about her powerful historical novel A Ballad of Love and Glory. The novel takes readers into the turbulent years of the Mexican–American War and tells the story of love, loyalty, and resistance during one of the most defining conflicts in North American history.

At the center of the novel is the story of the Saint Patrick’s Battalion, also known as the San Patricios, Irish immigrants who defected from the U.S. Army and chose to fight alongside Mexico. Reyna shared the history behind these soldiers, the moral and political struggles they faced, and how their story inspired the novel’s unforgettable characters.

Our conversation explored the overlooked histories of the borderlands, the complexity of identity and allegiance, and how storytelling can bring forgotten chapters of history back into the light. It was a thoughtful and powerful discussion about war, love, and the people whose stories continue to shape our understanding of the past.

We had the absolute honor of sitting down with Erika L. Sánchez, award-winning author, poet, and cultural force.

Best known for her groundbreaking novel I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, Sánchez has become one of the most important contemporary voices writing about identity, grief, mental health, family pressure, and what it means to grow up caught between cultures. Her work refuses stereotypes and speaks directly to the complexity of being Mexican American in the United States.

During our conversation on The Brown Book Club Podcast, Erika was honest, funny, thoughtful, and incredibly down to earth. We talked about writing through pain, navigating expectations, representation in literature, and the power of telling our own stories. She reminded us that vulnerability is not weakness, it’s courage on the page.

We had the absolute honor of welcoming Luis Alberto Urrea to The Brown Book Club Podcast and let me tell you, he is exactly who you hope he’ll be.

Urrea is the Pulitzer Prize finalist behind unforgettable books like The Devil’s Highway, a haunting account of migration and survival in the Arizona desert, and The House of Broken Angels, a tender, hilarious, and deeply human story about family, borders, and belonging. He’s also the author of Into the Beautiful North, a sharp and heartfelt novel about friendship, migration, and courage.

But what stood out most wasn’t just the awards or the résumé.

It was how grounded he was.

He showed up with humility. With humor. With that tío energy that makes you feel like you’ve known him your whole life. He spoke about grief, migration, storytelling, and love without ego — just truth. You could feel how deeply he cares about the people he writes about and the communities he comes from.

Luis Alberto Urrea didn’t just come on the podcast as an acclaimed author.

He came as a storyteller of the people.

And he reminded us why stories matter.

We had a powerful conversation with Leopoldo Gout, filmmaker, artist, and author of the haunting novel Piñata. Blending horror, history, and Mexican folklore, Piñata explores generational trauma, identity, and the spiritual echoes that follow us across borders and time. In this episode, we dive into Gout’s creative journey, the deeper cultural layers behind the story, and how horror can become a space for memory, resistance, and healing. If you’re into stories that challenge, unsettle, and honor our roots all at once, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Jesús Treviño is a Latino filmmaker, writer, and educator whose work centers Chicano and Mexican American history, culture, and political struggle. He is best known for his documentary storytelling, using film as a tool to challenge erasure, reclaim community narratives, and examine power, identity, and resistance.

Through both his films and his writing, Treviño has played an important role in preserving and amplifying Latino voices—particularly those rooted in the Chicano Movement and broader struggles for social justice—making his work essential viewing and reading for anyone interested in Latino history and representation.

In this episode of The Brown Book Club Podcast, we sit down with award-winning author, playwright, and cultural icon Denise Chávez, whose work captures the heart, humor, and struggle of life in the Southwest borderlands. We talk about her celebrated novel Loving Pedro Infante—a story that blends passion, nostalgia, and Chicana identity through the eyes of Teresina Ávila, a woman caught between the fantasy of Mexican film idol Pedro Infante and the realities of love and life in a small New Mexico town. With warmth and wit, Chávez explores how art, memory, and desire shape who we are and who we long to be.

Yasmín Ramírez is the author of ¡Ándale, Prieta!, a powerful memoir that explores family, identity, love, and resilience in the borderlands of El Paso, Texas. A writer, educator, and storyteller, Ramírez brings to life the deep bond she shared with her grandmother—while also reflecting on what it means to navigate Chicana identity, womanhood, and belonging. Her work has been praised for its honesty, heart, and ability to capture the beauty and struggle of growing up on the frontera. Beyond her writing, she is dedicated to uplifting Latinx voices through teaching and community engagement.

Today we’re honored to share a conversation with Luis J. Rodriguez, one of the most influential Chicano writers of our time. He is best known for his groundbreaking memoir Always Running: La Vida Loca, Gang Days in L.A., which has become a classic in Chicano and American literature for its raw honesty and unflinching portrayal of gang life, resilience, and redemption.

Rodriguez is not only a celebrated poet and novelist, but also a community activist, teacher, and former Poet Laureate of Los Angeles. His writing spans across memoir, poetry, fiction, and essays, always carrying a deep commitment to social justice, cultural identity, and healing through art. Over the decades, he has mentored countless young people, helping them find their voices and their paths beyond violence and despair.

In this episode, we reflect on his journey as a writer, activist, and visionary—exploring how his work continues to inspire new generations of readers, writers, and community builders.