Mission High School librarian, Margarita “Margie” Longoria, has much to celebrate after receiving a publishing deal from Philomel. It all started with an idea to edit an anthology celebrating the lives of Mexican Americans. Living Beyond Borders: Stories about Growing Up Mexican in America, will feature popular Mexican American writers and their works will depict a common theme of the word "border" in all its literal and metaphorical meanings.
“I want people who read it, to get a true depiction of what it means to be Mexican American. We are unique and humble people who have been negatively stereotyped for far too long.” states Longoria. “I want this book to be a light for our young adults and I want them to know that our culture makes us beautiful and we should not be ashamed of where we come from."
This book has been in the works for a full year and Longoria couldn’t divulge any of the details until she officially signed with a publisher which her agent, negotiated with Philomel. Longoria is very excited with this endeavor and grateful that so many writers committed to this project because of how strongly they felt about the topic being brought to the forefront.
Longoria looks forward to receiving the final published copy but for now looks forward to selecting and editing the content that will be included in the book. Publication is set for Summer 2021.