MEET OUR BOOK BOARD
The El Taller Book Board is a space for the bookiest of community members to come together to revel in their love of reading and share this love of books to build literacy and raise consciousness in our community. We not only look for titles that bring us joy, spark conversations, and inspire us to grow, but we also prioritize titles written by people of color & queer folks, spotlighting experiences of resisting oppression and forging liberation.
The El Taller Book Board helps curate the shelves at El Taller in a way that is specific, reflective, and unique for our community in Lawrence, MA. We aspire for the books we choose and review to reflect the heritage, culture, and energy of this community.
Jessi Dimmock
pronouns: she/her
“I have loved reading ever since I can remember. I almost exclusively read nonfiction; I love to read because I love to learn! I have an affinity for books on transformative education (because I'm a middle school teacher here in Lawrence), as well as for drama as I’ve loved everything to do with theater just as long as I’ve loved to read.
Lately though, I’ve also been reading tons of new middle grade books in all genres. The books I can’t stop telling my students (and honestly, everyone else too) about right now are Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution, The Sunbearer Trials, Front Desk, and Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Vampire Hunting. ”
Heather Silva
pronouns: she/her
“Reading for me has always served two great purposes: it provides both a fun, stress-free escape and endless opportunities to learn and grow. Unfortunately, the great irony of being a high school English teacher is that I don’t have nearly enough time to read as I’d like, so I’m grateful to the Book Board for giving me an excuse to prioritize this passion! While I enjoy reading across genres, I can’t resist a good YA romance, poetry collection, or epic fantasy series. I usually challenge myself to read in a cycle: a young adult novel (so I can talk it up with my students!), then a selfish read of my choice, followed by a professional development or social justice-oriented book.
My current favorite reads include salt., The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina, Before the Coffee Gets Cold, the Legacy of Orisha trilogy (Book 3 coming in 2023!), Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, the Arc of a Scythe series, The Body is Not an Apology, and ACE.”
Justin Termini
pronouns: he/him
“I am a librarian, so my day job involves being surrounded by books. When not at work, I try to surround myself with books as well! I’m an avid reader of non-fiction, with a focus on history, political theory, and sociology. I’m fascinated with the ways in which technology affects our lives, for better or for worse. I also enjoy fiction; I’ve read lots of classics over the years but have recently been expanding my reading to focus more on science fiction, in particular novels with a focus on utopian views of future societies.”
Kassie Infante
pronouns: she/her
“I’m Kassie Infante! I use she/her pronouns and I’m a Lawrence, MA-based scholar-activist. My studies and professional work lie in advancing progressive, equitable/anti-racist policy, community/coalition organizing, and critical participatory action research as methods to disrupt and dismantle systemic racism. I try to have as much spare time as possible to read novels and anything in the genres of fantasy, historical non-fiction, or read/write poetry. I am absolutely a Potterhead and my favorite fun fact to share is that I starred as an extra in the film adaptation of one of my favorite books 'The hunger games'.”
Lesly Melendez
pronouns: she/her
“My passion for reading and writing goes as far back as I can remember. It is a wonderful way for me to disconnect, re-center and rejuvenate. I joined the book board to be able to share my love and passion for books with the visitors of El Taller and beyond and to support this amazing jewel in our city!”
Dr. Marianela Rivera
pronouns: she/ella
“I’m a special education physical therapist turned activist, advocate, and community organizer after witnessing educational injustices in my hometown of Lawrence, MA. I believe that knowledge is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world. I read mostly nonfiction books and peer reviewed journal articles to fuel my advocacy work. My favorite genres to read in my spare time are YA and Sci-fi novels.
My recent favorite reads are Unequal by Design by Dr. Wayne Au, Textured Teaching: A Framework for Culturally Sustaining Practices by Lorena Escoto Germán, and All About Love by bell hooks.”
Josselyn De León-Estrada
pronouns: she/her
“As a child, books allowed me to explore realities outside of my own. They helped me develop empathy as well as shaped my identity. They brought me comfort and joy. As I’ve gotten older, it’s gotten harder to make time and prioritize reading, but I have found that I’m always happiest in life when I do make the effort and that is not a coincidence. I joined the Book Board to be in fellowship with other book lovers and share this love with our community, hopefully inspiring others to start their own reading journey.
Current Faves list: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neal Hurston, The Body Papers by Grace Talusan, Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia”
Mabel Dominguez
pronouns: she/her
“Born in the Domincian Republic and raised in Lawrence, Ma, I have prided myself on my educational work and outreach within my community. My love for literature began when I read my first book in the Harry Potter series. Losing myself in the magical world of wizardy with Harry, Hermoine and Ron allowed me to escape some of the reality of my surroundings. I have lived a thousand lives because I have read and seen the world through different perspectives. This love for reading is what I actively try to instill in my students as the Vice Principal of my alma mater Notre Dame Cristo Rey.
Current Faves list: Tomorrow and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, Neruda on the Park by Cleyvis Natera, The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, Seven Days in June by Tia William, Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez, The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes”
Y-Bình Nguyễn
pronouns: they/she
“Reading, as a young immigrant who was new to English, was my way into different worlds. Reading had found me able to engage with parts of my experience I couldn’t put into words and eventually instead of escaping from my reality, I wanted to write about it.
Now I love reading & writing visionary fiction, Afrofuturism, queered Asian folklore, Vietnamese stories of transgenerational healing, and I am a sucker for a young adult fantasy/sci-fi series with BIPOC & Queer leads.
My current favorites are Lilith’s Brood, Light From Uncommon Stars, Drawn Together, Afterparties, The Daevabad Trilogy, Dragon Pearl, The Sunbearer Trials, Iron Widow, and Black Sun.”
Gladys Wangeci Gitau-Damaskos
pronouns: she/they
“i love reading books that tell me everything is going to be alright. as an optimist, and a romantic I love books where the protagonist come out ahead and transforms into a version of themselves they could never fathom. I love coming of age novels about black and queer characters! “
Brandon Páez
pronouns: he/him
“It has always been a part of my Mexican culture to share stories and experiences. It is in listening to others that we continue to diversify our perspective and grow as the unique beings we are. Now as a young educator who is fresh to Lawrence I have found a new passion in reading to continue learning from others. I love the one sided conversation a book offers, with my only role being the listener. From a complex memoir to sci-fi fiction, every author has opinions and perspectives we can learn from if we only humble ourselves to read and take in.
Current Faves list: The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz, Pedagogy of the Oppressed - Paulo Friere, Under the Whispering Door - TJ Klune, Inverting the Pyramid - Jonathan Wilson, El Mesquite - Elena Zamora O’Shea”
Yzalish Gomez
pronouns: she/her
“I work in the Human Resource field for a not for profit organization based out of Boston, MA which focuses on educational travel for adults. During my spare time, reading is one of my favorite hobbies! My love of reading began at a young age when beginning my studies in the United States. My first teacher in the United States, Mary Guerrero, played a crucial role in instilling a passion for reading and writing in me. I am a huge Harry Potter fan and love anything fantasy related as well as biographies!
Current Faves list: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid, and Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neal Hurston”
Julie Todd
pronouns: she/her
“I teach justice & peace studies so most of what I read is non-fiction. Biographies of lesser known civil rights leaders such as Bayard Rustin, Septima Clark, Ella Baker & Yuri Kochiyama helped me to understand that the struggle for liberation is much more complicated than I ever imagined. Reading non-fiction has humbled me with the recognition that there is a world of experience & history I do not know. More recently I have started to enjoy Afro-futurist fiction that inspires me to consider all that is possible to create a new reality beyond the bounds of what the linear, historical thinking of non-fiction provides. A book that had a big influence on me when I was a kid was Madeline L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time. Recently I fell in LOVE with the book The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus. As an astrology nerd, Chani Nicholas’ book You Were Born For This: Astrology for Radical Self-Acceptance is a must-have handbook. As a plant-lover, I think everyone living on earth should read Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Wisdom of Plants.”
Tanairi Valencia
pronouns: she/her they/them
“Some essential things about me are my love for folklore, ghost stories, and books. I am an Artist and a writer and I contribute that in large part to the books I read as a child that shaped me into adulthood. Reading became a great tool to exercise my imagination and I hope to pay it forward
and use reading as a vessel to give back to my community through my involvement with the El Taller Book Board. My favorite genre is Magical Realism, my favorite book is Frankenstien and my favorite ghost is La Llorona.”
Thank you to our past Book Board Members!
Christine Jee
pronouns: she/her
“Over the years, I have come to see reading as an opportunity for incredibly powerful learning experiences that bring together my love for storytelling, imagination, critical thinking, and design. I believe that children’s books are especially important since they introduce young audiences to new ideas and the visual language of images.”
Ana Marte
pronouns: she/her
“Talking about myself doesn’t come easy but it’s my comfort zone to just get to the gist of it so here it goes: I’m just a regular woman with too big hair that gets just as overwhelmed as you when she gets near that El Taller bookcase and has no idea where to pick. But it’s been my experience that taking a gamble and just picking randomly has brought me wonderful surprises. I hope to contribute to the surprises our readers seek and making that worthwhile. How I fell into El Taller and falling in love with reading again might’ve been for the same reasons you went in there in the first place: You came for the molletes, but you stayed for artwork and the fascinating selection of stories on the wall. My goal in being part of this board is to make you, the audience, feel happy to take a risk and be surprised by a POV you never thought to entertain, but would leave your life and thought of it more colorful in the process.”
Joslyn Strupp Allen
pronouns: she/her
“For as far back as I can remember, reading has been more than a pastime for me. Reading is breakfast; it is a hot shower; it is sleep on the perfect pillow. Sure, I could go a day without it. But why on earth would I? As an erstwhile book reviewer; a passionate advocate for inclusion, diversity, and equity; and an irredeemable bibliophile, joining El Taller's book board was a natural and thrilling step.”