My Sister: How One Sibling’s Transition Changed Us Both By Selenis & Marizol Leyva

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Published on March 03, 2021, 7:41 pm
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A powerful memoir by two sisters about transitioning, family, and the path to self-realization.

When Orange Is the New Black and Diary of a Future President star Selenis Leyva was young, her hardworking parents brought a new foster child into their warm, loving family in the Bronx. Selenis was immediately smitten; she doted on the baby, who in turn looked up to Selenis and followed her everywhere. The little boy became part of the family. But later, the siblings realized that the child was struggling with their identity. As Marizol transitioned and fought to define herself, Selenis and the family wanted to help, but didn’t always have the language to describe what Marizol was going through or the knowledge to help her thrive.

In My Sister, Selenis and Marizol narrate, in alternating chapters, their shared journey, challenges, and triumphs. They write honestly about the issues of violence, abuse, and discrimination that transgender people and women of color–and especially trans women of color–experience daily. And they are open about the messiness and confusion of fully realizing oneself and being properly affirmed by others, even those who love you.

Profoundly moving and instructive, My Sister offers insight into the lives of two siblings learning to be their authentic selves. Ultimately, theirs is a story of hope, one that will resonate with and affirm those in the process of transitioning, watching a loved one transition, and anyone taking control of their gender or sexual identities.

The discussion will take place during the course of 5 Wednesdays as follows, March 03, 10, 17, 24, & 31, 2021, between the hours of 07:00 and 08:30 p.m.

Selenis Leyva and Marizol Leyva will join the book club on March 24, 2021.

To register, please visit here.

To purchase the book, please visit here.

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About The Book Club & One Book One Bronx

Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education invites neighbors to come together and (re)spark a love of reading. The book club normally meets in its 6th floor Gallery and hosts vibrant community-focused conversations that build a love of books and reading. The Casita Maria Book Club is presented in partnership with One Book One Bronx.

One Book One Bronx is a new style book club that inspires, encourages, and delights readers. Every week, we meet to discuss books that reflect the people of the Bronx. The book club seeks to build a culture of reading and is free to join. Please visit here for information on starting a book club at your community-based organization.

Discussions are free and open to the public. By registering you are giving the hosts permission to possibly use your image on our social media platforms. Book club discussions are held in English only at this time.

One Book One Bronx is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, donations, and Citizens Committee of New York City.

Casita Maria

About Casita Maria Center For Arts & Education

Casita Maria Center For Arts & Education is the first and oldest Latino 501(c)(3) charity in NYC, founded in 1934.

The South Bronx-based community arts and educational organization presents diverse, contemporary visual and performing arts and education programming for all ages.

Casita Maria creates a safe and welcoming community, enriching and uplifting youth and families towards success, through shared cultural, art and educational experiences and programs.

Location:

Casita Maria Center For Arts & Education
928 Simpson Street
Bronx, NY 10459

Tel.: 718-589-2230

Email: info@casitamaria.org

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Jonas Bronck is the pseudonym under which we publish and manage the content and operations of The Bronx Daily.™ | Bronx.com - the largest daily news publication in the borough of "the" Bronx with over 1.5 million annual readers. Publishing under the alias Jonas Bronck is our humble way of paying tribute to the person, whose name lives on in the name of our beloved borough.