Author Javier Zamora to headline Ventura County Celebration of Books
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Javier Zamora's latest book about his journey from El Salvador to the United States at the age of 9 stands apart from other memoirs.
With 2022's "Solito: A Memoir," Zamora has created a lasting legacy, said Raul Moreno Campos, a CSU Channel Islands professor of Chicano Studies.
"This is the first time we have an account by a Salvadorian of his migration to the United States, the first time in history,” said Moreno Campos, who immigrated to the U.S. from El Salvador when he was 11. “This memoir gathered national attention and it's not only important for that reason, but also for understanding the broader context of Javier's migration to the United States."
At 2 p.m. Saturday, Zamora will discuss his book as part of the Ventura County Celebration of Books event at CSU Channel Islands. The book is part of Ventura County Library's One County, One Book community reading program.
In its sixth year, the program aims to unite the community to spark interest about a selected book, said Ventura County Library Director Nancy Schram.
“Solito: A Memoir” is a New York Times bestseller and can provoke conversations around different topics, Schram said. Anybody can get a library card for free to check out a copy of the book, which comes in English, Spanish and electronic formats, she said.
Zamora’s experience as a poet comes through in his use of descriptions and imagery, Schram said.
"There's a lot of literary merit to this book as well, and it’s enjoyable to read," she said.
The memoir describes how complete strangers protected Zamora on a treacherous journey, Schram said.
"We have migrant workers in our agricultural economy that are just so vital here in Ventura County,” she said. “This is the story of others right here in our county who had no choice but to leave home. It's a way, through Javier Zamora's story, we can learn."
Zamora will take part in a conversation with Ventura County Star reporter Brian J. Varela on Saturday with Spanish translation.
The 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday event will also feature storytime for children and discussions about Oxnard farm laborers and Salvadorean politics. It will take place inside the Grand Salon event space in the North Quad of CSU Channel Islands, 1 University Drive, Camarillo.
Local authors, businesses, government agencies and nonprofit representatives will also be at the event.
Campos will discuss Salvadorean politics from 11:15 a.m.-noon.
"I hope that the biggest takeaway of the talk is that people walk away with more nuance of Central American migration to the United States, especially Salvadorean," Moreno Campos said.
Oxnard native Frank Barajas, one of the original faculty members of CSU Channel Islands, will discuss Oxnard farm laborers from 10:15-11 a.m. His presentation will include the Chicano movement that began in the late 1960s to the present, farmworker housing, Cesar Chavez and the labor union United Farm Workers in Ventura County.
"My talk is going to show how the Chicano movement really inspired young and middle-aged activists at the time to carry on and commit to serve the underserved in relationship to health and in relationship to housing and education," Barajas said.
In addition, Barajas, also an author, said he'll highlight what has happened since 1975 with the movement and discuss nonprofit organizations that have emerged in Ventura County.
Zamora will sign books from noon to 1:45 p.m. at a session with music, food and drink during a $75 Ventura County Library Foundation event titled “A Taste of Central America." The signing event will help offset the foundation's sponsorship cost for the celebration, Schram said.
For more information, contact Ventura County Library Director Nancy Schram at 805-677-7158 or visit vencolibrary.org. For more information on the foundation event, visit vclibraryfoundation.org
Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at wesley.woodsii@vcstar.com, 805-437-0262 or @JournoWes.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Author Javier Zamora to headline Ventura County Celebration of Books
