SEASON 1 EPISODE 1 of THE READ TO HEAL PODCAST
GUEST: Eluney Gonzalez
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Amber Brown
HOSTS: Harnoor + Christina
What does it mean to be American? What does it mean to find home and belonging? Eluney Gonzalez, high school senior and member of Novelly’s Rising Voices Collective, joined our Youth Ambassadors for a courageous conversation about his novella, “When We Get There,” and to elaborate on his personal connections to the main character. In this story, Eluney thoughtfully captures the physical and emotional journey of an Argentine teen immigrating to San Francisco in the early 2000s.
STORY SYNOPSIS: Ignacio Rodriguez has lived his entire life in a small Argentine pueblo—until his parents' hope for more educational opportunities in America has Ignacio packing his bags with only enough space to carry the memories of his grandparents, school, and friends with him. Ignacio is lifted from his comfortable life in the country and forced into the city of San Francisco. The journey to America is far from linear, and the layovers have him thinking about how different these new worlds are and how much he misses his own. But with Argentina's economic crisis deepening, the chance to return home is slimming. Will Ignacio adapt to his new surroundings? Or will Ignacio and his parents pay the price for the American dream?
Novelly is a non-profit publisher building the largest digital library of literature by underrepresented youth, so that every student can feel seen and empowered by what they read.
Eluney Gonzalez | Read to Heal Podcast Episode 1