Made In The 956: McAllen declares 'Raspas Con Mi Grandpa' Day by Eliza Garza
Last November, Eliza Garza talked about her book, Raspas Con Mi Grandpa, and how it was inspired by her childhood memories.
The book has gotten so much positive attention since then that one Rio Grande Valley city is declaring a day later this month as Raspas Con Mi Grandpa Day.
"So the book is about a little boy in South Texas who is anticipating a raspa adventure after school with his grandfather. You get to hear a lot of the terms we have here in the Valley, slang, mia, mio, what chamayo is, where it originated from. We eat a lot of these things, but we don't even know what they are, we just know that they taste good, right? So I really wanted the child to know what they're eating too and the history of these snacks and where they're from," Eliza said.
Fast-forward to today, and Eliza's book has certainly struck a chord. So much so, the city of McAllen is declaring June 19 as Raspas Con Mi Grandpa Day.
"You know, the thing about this book is that my intention was to help implant seeds of love in the hearts of children and help them embrace who they are and just be prouder versions of themselves. And I think because that energy was brought into it from the very beginning and there was no other intention behind it, things just kind of evolved so organically and naturally and the proclamation is just something that I didn't even ask for. It just came to me because people noticed my work in the community because it really has done so much in such a short period of time. It's a little book with a profound purpose and profound message," Eliza said.
Eliza spent this past year touring schools, and she's not slowing down.
"Other schools have called from San Antonio, Houston and beyond. However, the Valley is who the book was written for. It's about the Valley, it's for the Valley. The people who brought the book to life are all from the Valley, so I want to make sure that I'm touring here first. I already have a full schedule for next year when I'll be touring more elemenataries, however it's taken a really interesting turn with me actually going to visit middle schools and high schools now because the book's message has such a deep-seeded message that I'm able to transcend elementary and actually speak into the hearts of young people and even young adults," Eliza said.
And this book certainly won't be her last.
"I do have some other books in the pipeline. They are all Spanglish stories. They will follow the same methodology of promoting connection, promoting our culture, showcasing the richness of the Valley and just who we are. It's going to be puro 956 up in these books," Eliza said.
Eliza Garza, and all her books, Made In The 956.