Stronger than Ever: Latine Representation in YA Dark Academia, a guest post by NoNieqa Ramos

What does it mean when a book like THEY THOUGHT THEY BURIED US is praised for “strong queer Puerto Rican/Latine representation”? This is a typical comment in critical reviews of my YA novels. I also see it frequently on Goodreads whether the reviewer likes the book or not. Of course, I am always thrilled and honored to hear these words. But lately, I’ve been thinking. What does this characterization mean, exactly? How do reviewers and other readers—many of whom aren’t of Puerto Rican or even Latine heritage—land on this neatly-packaged phrase? Maybe there is a secret rubric I don’t know about? A magical checklist?

If having strong Latine rep means I have created a powerful nonbinary protagonist who fights against generational trauma and fate, wepa! I think that characterizes my sixteen-year-old main character, Yuiza (they/them and she/her), and admittedly all my protagonists. Yuiza’s school has a troubling history of making BIPOC students disappear, and it’s up to Yuiza to figure out how to flip the script before they’re next.

Maybe having strong rep means my character is realistic? Yuiza doesn’t fit the stereotype of a Latine teen who takes on adult responsibilities and is forced to be mature beyond their years. They want to be a director of horror movies. Their ideas are a bit off the wall. One minute they’re dealing with their mother’s mental illness and the next they’re into what can only be characterized as shenanigans. I’ve encountered hundreds of fifteen-year-olds as an educator, author, and parent—kids who think about fitting in, how to keep up with school and family expectations, sex, what to do about an ocean full of plastic—and I can attest that they are often silly, even “childish.” Because they’re children, even when they’re dealing with intense situations. So in that sense, yes, I believe I’ve created a realistic and layered character in Yuiza.

Is Yuiza’s situation realistic? In the novel, Yuiza’s mother insists they accept a scholarship to an elite prep—a school school that has caused irreparable psychological harm to its students for decades. Is that realistic? Has a BIPOC parent ever had to send a child to an institution with a problematic history or problematic practices?

There is a reason dark academia is a genre. Look into the history of most our “prestigious” academic institutions. There are skeletons in the closet. Shallow graves in the backyard. It’s been a hot minute since the Varsity Blues scandal of 2019, in which several dozen wealthy parents schemed to fake their children’s test scores and bribe college officials to secure them admission at elite institutions. But nothing has fundamentally changed since that incident, which helped inspire my novel. So did the fact that millions of marginalized people who get accepted into institutions of higher learning get into massive debt, like Yuiza does at their fictional high school. So if “strong Puerto Rican/Latine rep” means a strong character in a realistic setting, maybe that applies to THEY THOUGHT THEY BURIED US, even though I bend the laws of space and time quite a bit in this horror novel.

I know that the surface-level definition of “strong Puerto Rican Latine/rep” (or BIPOC rep in general, for that matter) does not typically allow for experimentation, exploration, or nontraditional storytelling. THEY THOUGHT THEY BURIED US is all those things. The book often uses a screenplay-like format, reflecting Yuiza’s love of film and viscerally conveying what they’re seeing, hearing, and feeling. It symbolizes their transition from director to actor and goddess willing–to director again–should they choose to change their fate. It symbolizes the horror story they are  living in real time. The climax comes when Yuiza writes their own script. There are even alternative endings because that is, to my mind, the future teens are facing now.

The story is also built around symbolism: the pillow that transports Yuiza into the past, the earrings that provide a light in the dark, the lipstick that becomes battle armor, the cultural flags that provide protection; these are the unifying threads of the novel’s themes. As the stakes rise, the story becomes less tethered to the conventions of realism and asks readers to go deep. I often found it hard to go deep when I read books from the white canon. I had moments when I was like, this is confusing—what does this even mean? (*Throws book against wall.) I had to learn how to deconstruct a novel. And even then I didn’t always like what I read. But I definitely had moments when I thought, ohhhhh. And I learned some books are not meant for skimming. Mine isn’t.

What else might “strong queer Puerto Rican/Latine representation” encompass? I hope it includes accurate and sensitive disability rep. How about neurodiversity? Yuiza is definitely neurodivergent, as am I. And I believe neurodiversity can be represented in the style and format of a book as well as the “labeling” of a character.  But can any story capture the complexity of these often-intersecting identities and experiences? Especially when it comes to a character that is, I dunno, too many things? Neurodivergent, Puerto Rican, and queer? Is that realistic? Asking for a friend.

The conclusion? What is strong queer Puerto Rican Latine rep? The words that sing to this Boricua’s heart? If it means creating art that defies expectations, then I guess I can mark that off the magical checklist.

So, if you’d like a book written through the lens of a queer Puerto Rican neurodivergent writer and protagonist, THEY THOUGHT THEY BURIED US could be for you. If you’d like a book that explores a complex character who is, in many ways, a kid and an adult at the same time because circumstances—Yuiza may be for you. If you just want a book with sordid histories, evil nuns, and somebody being buried alive, also for you.

Meet the author

Raised in the Boogie Down Bronx, NoNieqa Ramos is an educator and literary activist. Their work includes the young adult novels The Disturbed Girl’s Dictionary and The Truth Is, as well as the picture book Hair Story. They believe Halloween is a lifestyle, not a holiday. If you’re in Virginia, you might catch NoNieqa getting motorcycle lessons from their soulmate Michael or going indie bookstore hopping with their preciosos Jandi and Langston. 

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NoNieqa Ramos’ Website:        https://nonieqaramos.com/

Discussion guide: https://lernerbooks.com/teaching_guides/891

About They Thought They Buried Us

Horror fan and aspiring film director Yuiza gets a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

As one of the few students of color at Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy, Yuiza immediately feels out of place. A brutal work-study schedule makes it impossible to keep up with the actual classes. Every expense, from textbooks to laundry, puts Yuiza into debt. And the behavior of students and faculty is… unsettling.

Yuiza starts having disturbing dreams about the school’s past and discovers clues about the fate of other scholarship students. It’ll take all Yuiza’s knowledge of the horror genre to escape from Our Lady’s grasp.

ISBN-13: 9781728492322
Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date: 09/10/2024
Age Range: 14 – 18 Years

Filed under: Guest Post