Jennifer De Leon’s YA debut novel, Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From, takes us on an empowering journey between cultural worlds through the eyes of Guatemalan-Salvadoran American Liliana Cruz. The story is set in Boston during Liliana’s sophomore year of high school, as she explores friendship, love, racism, discrimination, and her own cultural roots. Never does De Leon fail to surprise readers, as she skillfully addresses segregation, immigration, and social activism in one narrative.
As her sophomore year begins, Liliana is given the opportunity to join the competitive METCO program, founded to give Boston students from underperforming school districts the chance to attend a high-performing school and increase their educational and professional possibilities. METCO places her at Westburg High School, a majority-white school where Liliana feels that she’s entered an entirely different sphere.
Liliana’s parents submitted her application to the METCO program when Liliana was just a kid, and this story could raise awareness for numerous families about the possibilities available for their own kids, no matter their socioeconomic status. However, the METCO program itself is also a platform for De Leon to discuss school segregation; its existence highlights how for many low-resourced families, a higher educational opportunity is only possible if the student is accepted to a special program.
As a METCO student at Westburg, Liliana is not easily welcomed by other students, or even teachers. Genesis, Liliana’s METCO buddy, tries to mentor her by stating, “It’s actually an advantage to be different. . . . Work it. Raise your hand in class. Speak up. . . . Make the system work for you. You won’t remember these fools twenty years from now when they’re calling you up trying to get internships for their kids at the TV station you’re working at” (100-101). It’s a wake-up call for Liliana. Even though some class discussions make her uncomfortable, like when a classmate comments, “but [immigrants] should come educated,” she realizes she needs to stay at Westburg. Liliana begins discovering her voice by learning that she doesn’t have to answer people’s uncomfortable questions—like “where are you from?”—the way that people want her to. When she asks Genesis for advice on how to answer that particular question, Genesis delivers a satisfying response: “Say ‘I’m from my mother’.”
That’s just one example of how De Leon seamlessly delivers humor throughout the book, even while presenting serious situations and questioning our social conditioning. With such a sassy and strong main character in Liliana, there’s no way you won’t laugh out loud from time to time. Another funny moment is De Leon’s warm acknowledgment of the facts of cooking for many Latinx people: Liliana talks about how her parents never follow recipes, just eyeball amounts, but when she tried to do the same, she ended up with rice soup. The next time she tried to cook, she “measured and stirred,” and added onions, tomatoes, and bouillon, among other key ingredients. Liliana is also very observant and notices the machismo (toxic masculinity) that goes on in the family. She brings out her sass when Tío R. criticizes everything she cooks, telling readers, “well, I thought, if boys weren’t supposed to be in the kitchen, then why was he there?” (152). De Leon gives readers that necessary humorous touch to Liliana’s empowerment.
Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From is also a valuable read for its explanation of Latinx history and Liliana’s cultural heritage. During a meeting between METCO students, there’s an essential discussion about the difference between being Spanish and Latinx, and about the term ‘Latinx’:
Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
“Spanish conquistadors bombarded most of Latin America at various points in history. . . . That doesn’t mean that everyone in Latin America suddenly became Spanish. They had their own cultures and traditions and everything already in place. . . . [‘Latinx’ is] meant to be inclusive of all people of Latin American origin or descent, no matter what gender” (228).
Besides this brief yet comprehensive explanation of general Latinx heritage, De Leon also gives specific details about Guatemala and El Salvador through a conversation between Liliana and her aunt. Tía Laura explains to Liliana that Guatemala and El Salvador had a civil war that lasted for 36 years, and that a Guatemalan general named Ríos Montt wanted to get rid of indigenous communities because he was afraid they’d join those revolting against the government. Liliana’s tía also reveals that some of their relatives were killed, and that many people in Guatemala and El Salvador are still struggling even today because of the war’s aftereffects. Liliana comes to an understanding of why many people leave and try to cross the US border. This relates to another important plot point; Liliana’s father has been deported and is trying to get across the border back to them, and Liliana realizes more than ever that she must help her family by going through with being a METCO student, no matter how difficult it seems.
This book is so essential for classrooms and local libraries and bookstores. As Jennifer De Leon said in an interview, this is the kind of book that she “craved as a young person. It’s the book as a teacher I wished I had to pass on to my students.” When Liliana is initially hesitant to attend Westburg, her school counselor, Ms. Jackson, tells her, “What you do now—or don’t do now—can really affect your future, and the choices you have in the future.” The line is so powerful, and could be something that a lot of teen readers out there need to hear. It also raises the issue that not all schools teach youngsters what they should know, such as the extreme importance of networking and building career skills. Liliana’s story has immense potential to speak to students unaware of the professional opportunities available for them, and to spark crucial and much-needed conversations between teens and their parents or teachers.
De Leon also emphasizes the need to build camaraderie between everyone, no matter their background. Racial tensions do arise between students at Westburg High School, and Jennifer De Leon presents three questions in the story that many schools could use to begin important and respectful conversations, and build rapport between students: 1. What is it that you want us to know about you in terms of race and culture? 2. What is it that you never want to hear again? 3. How can we be allies and assist you?
In another powerful moment, Liliana uses the book’s title as her six-word autobiography in creative writing class: “Don’t ask me where I’m from.” Her goal is to highlight that it shouldn’t matter where she’s born or what languages she speaks. Liliana’s story also emphasizes that no single person’s experience represents others’ experiences. In Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From, Jennifer De Leon delivers a worthy, timeless Own Voices book. Here’s to a story that sticks with you, and gives you hope for a future where there are no barriers between cultures.
Yvonne Tapia is a Latina professional from East Harlem, New York. She earned a BA in Media Studies and Psychology from Hunter College. Additionally, she has worked in the educational and media fields through various outlets. With a long-term enthusiasm for children’s books, she has been involved at Housing Works Bookstore and Latinx in Publishing. She currently works on the Marketing and Publicity team at Levine Querido. Yvonne is excited and dedicated to engage book visibility in marginalized communities, welcoming all readers while making them feel seen and empowered.
