Las historias son para ti: An Anthology of Roma, Texas

Abstract

The Rio Grande Valley has been in recent years the attention of media outlets, literature, and art. And while not all that is portrayed is accurate, the depictions of the Valley are created from stereotypes and its people are merely caricatures, such as in novels like Jeanine Cummins’ American Dirt. This creative artifact challenges the assumptions on how border culture is known to shape the expression of individuals of the Valley within and away from its geographical constraints as well as simply highlighting the real stories within border communities. Roma, Texas is the quintessential bordertown and backdrop in which I hope to address these issues. Las historias son para ti will rely heavily on the individual points of view of fictional Roma residents to explore everyday life and collectively build a more holistic cultural view of life on the border. The reoccurring protagonist, Magdalena Castillo, will be seen at various stages of her life, in and outside of Roma, and the Valley at large, to give the audience a chance to see her actions dictated by the environment in which she was raised. These characters will span different age groups, genders, and sexualities to break the homogenous typecast of what Mexicans and Chicanos living on the border look and act like as well as what they believe. This creative thesis will explore culture by looking at its nuances, through a cultural rather than historical framework.