The University of New Mexico’s Lobo Reading Experience, in partnership with Celebration of Student Writing in the Department of English, presents The Story of Each of Us, Defines all of Us, by Daisy Hernández, author of “A Cup of Water Under My Bed.”

“The Lobo Reading Experience (LRE) continues to have strong partnerships across campus and throughout the community,” said Jennifer Gomez-Chavez. “For example, LRE will partner with the English Department’s – Celebration of Student Writing for the fourth year to present The Story of Each of Us, Defines all of Us.”

Daisy Hernández
Daisy Hernández visits the UNM campus on March 1 & 2.

Several events are planned in conjunction with the Lobo Reading Experience. On Wednesday, March 1, a Celebration of Student Writing is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A community panel with Hernández takes place from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Both events are in the UNM SUB Ballroom.

The community panel features leaders sharing current issues impacting immigration, sexual orientation, cultural identity and financial capacity for the growing diverse populations.

“CSW is an annual event organized by Writing Across Communities and a great opportunity for undergraduate students to share writing projects with an audience of peers,” said CSW Coordinator Mariya Tseptsura. “Its mission is to encourage students to take pride in their abilities as writers and communicators and to promote writing as an instrument for social justice, activism, and social wellness.”

On Thursday, March 2, an author keynote featuring Hernández, will be held from 11 a.m. to 12 noon. The keynote, titled “Intimate Resistance: A talk on the memoir and queer Latinidad,” will be held in SUB Ballroom C.

In this lyrical, coming-of-age memoir, Hernández chronicles what the women in her Cuban-Colombian family taught her about love, money, and race. A heartfelt exploration of family, identity, and language, A Cup of Water Under My Bed is ultimately a daughter’s story of finding herself and her community, and of creating a new, queer life.

The community panel and author keynote are free and open to the public. 

A Cup of Water
" A Cup of Water" by Daisy Hernández.

Hernández’ book, “A Cup of Water Under My Bed,” is a memoir of her cultural and personal identities as they intersect with her Cuban-Colombian upbringing.  She discusses love, sexual orientation, money, race, and immigration issues that continue to inspire many in today’s world.

This book brings forth the national issues that are currently being challenged and provides an opportunity for different generations, genders, and diverse populations to have open dialogues to share and learn from each other stories and perspectives.    

In addition, the book highlights important issues regarding LGTBQ, and is collaborating with the LGTBQ Resource Center for the first time as well as with the City of Albuquerque and Nusenda that will discuss the financial aspects of the Latino community with a new Micro Lending program.    

The Lobo Reading Experience was created as a common academic reading program at the University of New Mexico (UNM) developed for all students to offer a common reading experience that fosters a sense of community.  Each year, a book is selected that represents a societal issue. 

Students, faculty, staff, and community members have the opportunity have scholarly discussions and work together to determine ways on how to individually or collectively respond or act toward that particular issue.  Incoming freshmen students are introduced to the topic by reading experts of the book before attending new student orientation.

The Lobo Reading Experience is a year-round academic that provides students an in class and out of the class experience.Several academic departments have adopted the book into course curriculum.