<club-desc-paragraph>Noé Álvarez grows up in Yakima, Washington, a small town in a farming region known for its apples, wine, and hops. His parents, both immigrants from Mexico, work in agriculture, and Noé spends summers helping his mother at an apple-packing plant. It’s grueling work, and as Noé observes the toll it takes on his family, he knows he has to escape–and, one day, free his mother from the “assault” of the industry.<club-desc-paragraph>
<club-desc-paragraph>As a “way out” and a means of helping his parents, Noé accepts a scholarship. But the first year of college is lonely, and he soon feels disconnected from his family and his past. In an effort to renew these bonds, he drops out to join a group of Indigenous people for a marathon run known as Peace and Dignity Journeys (PDJ). The four-month-long trek from Canada to Guatemala pushes Noé to his limits as he forges a new relationship with the land, shares the stories of fellow Indigenous people, and reimagines how his own path might unfold.<club-desc-paragraph>
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<club-landing-h3>Background<club-landing-h3>
<club-landing-paragraph>Author Noé Álvarez shares his background as the son of working-class Mexican immigrants. He also explains his decision to leave college at nineteen to run a marathon from Canada to Guatemala.<club-landing-paragraph>
<club-landing-h3>I Am The Land & The Land Is Me<club-landing-h3>
<club-landing-paragraph>Noé delves into his relationship with the land he traversed, along with his connection to the various communities he encountered along the way.<club-landing-paragraph>
<club-landing-h3>From Runner to Writer<club-landing-h3>
<club-landing-paragraph>Noé discusses how he became a writer and shares how communing with nature plays a significant role in his craft.<club-landing-paragraph>
<club-landing-h3>Pushing Through, Fighting Against<club-landing-h3>
<club-landing-paragraph>Noé talks about the harsh working conditions faced by many in the Latinx community. Inspired by the liberating power of words, he also praises the lyricism and poetry of their everyday language.<club-landing-paragraph>
<club-landing-h3>Reclaiming Your Story<club-landing-h3>
<club-landing-paragraph>Noé discusses reclaiming a story of migration and heritage, as well as the benefits of being an outsider.<club-landing-paragraph>
<club-landing-h3>Connecting to Indigenous Roots<club-landing-h3>
<club-landing-paragraph>Noé shares his memories of connecting with other runners on the Peace and Dignity journey, his appreciation for Raymond Carver’s work, and his relationship to running.<club-landing-paragraph>