Joaquin Zihuatanejo Books

The collection features a unique blend of poetry and short stories, showcasing Joaquin Zihuatanejo's versatility as a writer. The poetry section, "Fight," presents new works that delve into familiar themes through innovative forms, including interconnected couplets and free verse. Notably, the poem "Archetypes" is highlighted as Zihuatanejo's most personal and best piece. The "Flight" section shifts to short stories, focusing on Latino protagonists facing various struggles, reflecting the author's roots and experiences. This collection is a rich tapestry of emotion and identity.

The book offers a comprehensive guide to writing scholarship essays and navigating the scholarship process, emphasizing the transition from high school to college. Through his personal journey from a barrio boy to a celebrated teacher and author, Joaquin Zihuatanejo provides insights and inspiration for students facing similar challenges. His experiences highlight the importance of perseverance and the transformative power of education.

Occupy Whiteness is a collection of hybrid erasure poems from inaugural Dallas Poet Laureate and multi-world slam competition winner Joaquín Zihuatanejo. Using long-form works of literature by white, male, straight authors, Zihuatanejo occupies these works by erasing words and pages of these works, leaving only a handful of each work. The white space that remains becomes colonized Brown verse. Occupy Whiteness is an act of rebellion that reclaims spaces and highlights a history of erasure of Brown life. These poems are also haunted and blessed by the image of abuelos who brave the river and desert into border states for the opportunity of freedom. Ultimately these poems are meant to agitate and create uneasiness that makes the reader realize that Zihuatanejo and immigrant children are not Other. These poems strive to depict this equally beautiful and brutal place we call home.