The LéaLA – Spanish Book Fair & Literary Festival | September 19 – 22

Organized by the University of Guadalajara Foundation USA, the Book Fair will take place from September 19 to 22, continuing its tradition of fostering a vibrant space for literature, intellectual dialogue, gastronomy, film, poetry, and children’s workshops.

The LéaLA – Spanish Book Fair & Literary Festival organizing committee has revealed details of the upcoming event, which will cap off the summer of 2024. Under the theme Building Peace Together, LéaLA fosters pride in the Spanish language and our shared cultures, positioning books and reading as allies in promoting dialogue and harmony. As the most ambitious program for promoting Spanish-language books and reading in the United States, LéaLA returns with a renewed focus on its role as a book fair. This year’s edition will feature exhibition areas showcasing various publishers of Spanish-language titles, reaching audiences across Los Angeles.
A press conference for California partners and institutions was held at the Mark Taper Auditorium of the Los Angeles Public Library, a strategic partner of the event since its inception in 2011. LéaLA 2024 will take place the weekend following Mexican Independence Day celebrations, during Hispanic Heritage Month.

As in previous years, LéaLA will bring together writers and creators from Mexico, the United States, and other Ibero-American countries to engage in discussions with the community over four dynamic days. The event will feature free activities, including discussions on literature, contemporary thought, cinema, gastronomy, comedy, and music. This year’s offerings also include an extensive literary and editorial program, highlighting poetry and literature from authors on both sides of the border, along with academic conferences and children’s workshops. The book fair and literary festival, organized by the University of Guadalajara Foundation USA with support from the Phyrrha Gladys Grodman Legacy, will be held from Thursday, September 19 to Sunday, September 22, at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, located adjacent to the iconic Olvera Street in the heart of Latino LA.

“We invite everyone to join LéaLA and help fulfill its mission of celebrating our Latin roots, which creates a stronger bond among us, uniting us under one banner: Spanish,” said Marisol Schulz Manaut, Executive Director of LéaLA. “The support and presence of the Latino community at this cultural event have allowed LéaLA, in less than 15 years, to help cultivate new audiences that value and seek to defend our language,” she stated during an event for special guests and media, providing an overview of the upcoming fair.

“The Spanish Book Fair in Los Angeles is not just a literary event; it is a celebration of the Spanish language, a bridge connecting Latino communities on both sides of the border, and a gathering place for the brightest minds of our culture to discuss literature and poetry, as well as socially relevant topics like education, employment, art, health, migration, cinema, and music,” said Gustavo Padilla, President of the University of Guadalajara Foundation USA, addressing the attendees.

The event also welcomed Karla Estrada, Deputy Superintendent of the Los Angeles School Districts, and Carlos González Gutiérrez, Consul General of Mexico in Los Angeles.

Schulz Manaut, who also directs the Guadalajara International Book Fair, the largest event of its kind in Spanish, confirmed that LéaLA will remain an open forum for ideas and reflection, with increased participation in panels addressing the context and reality of the Latino community.

The opening event on Thursday, September 19, at 4:00 PM, will feature El Mariachi, where Juan Villoro will read his story of the same name. He will be joined by writers Hernán Bravo Varela and Jorge F. Hernández, performing classic songs by José Alfredo Jiménez, Pedro Infante, Juan Gabriel, and Antonio Aguilar. Attendees will experience the story of a mariachi singer who, tired of his profession, decides to venture into independent cinema to break away from the stereotypical image of the Mexican macho. Literature and music will be powerful tools in exploring the values, prejudices, and complexities that are part of “Mexican-ness.”

On Friday, September 20, there will be a screening of A Day Without a Mexican, a film marking its 20th anniversary, which remains relevant for its sharp take on immigration. The filmmakers, Yareli Arizmendi and Sergio Arau, will be present, and they will also present the show Tocada y Fuga on Saturday, September 21. This performance ingeniously integrates famous classical melodies in Arau’s unique style, set within a story of betrayal and justice, featuring rhythms of ska, salsa, blues, and even punk.

LéaLA 2024 will also feature discussions on cinema, literature, the writing process, and the history of Mexico and its gastronomy, including a talk titled, De chile, dulce y de manteca: How Do Mexicans Eat in California? This conversation will delve into traditions, history, innovation, and adaptation.

Cristina Rivera Garza, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Invincible Summer of Liliana, will lead an emotional collective performance, highlighting passages from her book and raising awareness of gender violence and the urgent need to recognize the signs of such violence.

Comedy will also be a highlight of LéaLA, with Jalisco cartoonists Jis and Trino teaming up with Jorge F. Hernández for a unique debate titled, How Serious is Not Taking Yourself Seriously.

Other notable guests at LéaLA 2024 include Rosa Beltrán, Évolet Aceves, Benito Taibo, and Élmer Mendoza from Sinaloa. Hernán Bravo Varela will conduct a poetry workshop on Saturday, September 21. All of these writers, along with various other guests, will engage with attendees throughout this four-day celebration of the Spanish language in a completely free program.

A special section of LéaLA, called Central de Poesía, will feature Gaspar Orozco and Ilana Luna sharing the microphone to present works by poets from both sides of the border. This creative space will allow poets and the public to meet and converse.

LéaLA is also expanding its offerings for children with ten workshops in collaboration with the Letras para Volar initiative of the University of Guadalajara, a key ally of the event. This year, under the theme of Building Peace Together, children will play and learn while reinforcing fundamental values for life on our planet. There will be special talks for young people and parents, workshops with music and songs, and storytelling sessions to inspire a love of reading among the youngest attendees.

The Ideas Forum will bring together experts, academics, and specialists to discuss the use of social media among children, the role of music in Mexican identity, and other topics linking Mexico and the United States in their complex relationship. Other discussions will also be of great interest to visitors.

The complete program and list of invited personalities will be available on the event’s website, www.lea-la.com.

LéaLA has established a strong presence in the Los Angeles community through successful editions at the Los Angeles Convention Center (2011, 2012, 2013, and 2015) and more recent editions at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes in 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023. The public’s response, along with the support of educational institutions and the media, has been instrumental in the success of this unique event.

For the 2024 edition, LéaLA – Spanish Book Fair and Literary Festival will continue its close and personal interaction with authors. Books by speakers and participating writers will be available to the public, thanks to the participation of the Carlos Fuentes Bookstore of the University of Guadalajara and more than 40 publishers, offering a wide variety of Spanish-language titles at their exhibition and sales spaces.

LéaLA – Spanish Book Fair and Literary Festival 2024 is organized by the University of Guadalajara Foundation USA, with support from the Grodman Legacy and in collaboration with the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles, the University of Guadalajara Alumni Association in Los Angeles, and various public and private institutions from both sides of the border.

LéaLA – Spanish Book Fair and Literary Festival
When: September 19, 20, 21, and 22, 2024, from 9 AM to 7 PM.
Where: LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, 501 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
Website: www.lea-la.com

*All activities are free