Jennifer De Leon Dissects 'White Space' Through Essays on Culture, Race and Writing

In her book of essays, “White Space,” writer Jennifer De Leon explores how she became a writer — a journey inextricably linked to her parents’ migration from Guatemala to the United States. Throughout her life, De Leon carved a place for herself in spaces that felt unfamiliar:  in the private college where she didn’t feel wealthy or white enough; in Guatemala where she immersed herself in a culture and language locals expected her to already know. This is De Leon’s second book release during the pandemic — her young adult novel, “Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From,” came out last May. De Leon joins to talk about her Central American roots, her parents’ reservations about her career and writing in mostly white spaces.