On Wednesday evening, poet and activist Javier Zamora discussed his New York Times bestselling and 2023 American Book Award–winning memoir Solito. Zamora dabbles in memoir writing and poetry, using both styles to tease out intimate details from his immigration to the United States.
Originally from El Salvador, Zamora left his homeland in 1999 when he was 9 years old. His departure from Central America demarcates the catalyst event for Solito.
The conversational presentation, given to a full crowd of Boston College students and community members as part of the Lowell Lecture Series, provided a rare insight into Zamora’s perilous journey and subsequent writing process. Zamora’s unbridled candor allowed listeners to get a much deeper understanding of Solito, far beyond what can be ascertained from the book’s back cover or online appraisal.
According to Zamora, crafting his memoir was a means of therapy. In a moving anecdote, Zamora stated he drafted his first collection of art and writings after crossing the U.S. border as a child, which he dubbed “Javier’s Journey.” The unpublished work sat unread for years until Zamora reached adulthood. Rereading snippets of his childhood story brought newfound inspiration for his latest and most successful memoir.
Interestingly, Zamora revealed to the audience that he had not begun writing prose until he was 18 years old. Instead, he pursued the sciences.
The draw to poetry and writing was driven by his desire to revisit the traumatic events of his past. Zamora disclosed that he used poetry to distill the trauma he had experienced and dive into them more, creatively filling in missing links that allowed him and his readers to see the entire picture.
Such liberties permitted Zamora to construct a book that is vibrantly true to himself. The memoir’s ability to capture both the tragic and the uplifting is something Zamora discussed with enthusiasm, stating that some of his favorite story elements to write were nature, food, and music. Zamora explained to the crowd that there is a shortage of non-abrasive immigration stories, but he hopes that Solito can help fill the gap by providing a tale that encapsulates the good alongside the bad.
Even for those who have not yet read the book, the extremely personal nature of Solito is evident, and Zamora’s passion behind the project is too. Throughout his time on stage, Zamora advocated for therapy, mental health, and better immigration conditions. The Solito author emphasized that his intention was not to speak for all migrants but rather to practice self-advocacy through his literature.
Perhaps more importantly, Zamora hopes that Solito can comfort those who have dealt with or are currently dealing with similar circumstances, a grace he longed for but could not receive when he was a child.
Zamora ended his lecture with a call to action, asking those in the audience to remember their roots beyond that of nationality, as doing so allows for the growth and creativity Zamora has expertly captured.
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