Award-winning author Esmeralda Santiago will speak on the power of words to transform lives at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 27 in Whitley Auditorium on the Elon campus. Her presentation is free and open to the public.
The oldest of eleven children, Santiago was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She overcame the difficulties of a life of poverty and the struggle to learn English and graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University. Upon publication of her first book, the memoir “When I was Puerto Rican,” the Washington Post Book World hailed Santiago as “a welcome new voice, full of passion and authority.”
Her second memoir, “Almost a Woman,” received numerous “Best of Year” mentions, in addition to an Alex Award from the American Library Association. It has recently been adapted into a film, which premiered nationally on PBS.
She is also the author of the novel, “America’s Dream,” and most recently, “The Turkish Lover,” her third memoir.