*PDF EBOOK* Inland Empire by Leah Huizar

The collection invokes the ways in which collective memory and the force of mythmaking shape cultural and personal identity. The book trajectory develops in a series of poems examining origins: the Mesoamerican creation of humanity from cornmeal, the medieval Spanish legend of the mythical island of California, the missional trail of Saint-named cities dotting the western coastline, the birth of the speaker. The second section builds from its depictions of west coast heritage and Latinx narratives to reflect on how these forces shape understanding of gendered and racial injustices.