THE STORY OF MY ANGER

Texas high schooler Yulieta Lopez learns to channel her anger into activism.

Yuli, a Black, second-generation Dominican American junior, experiences racism in her school’s drama program. Her beloved Ethnic Studies teacher, Mr. Gonzalez, who’s Mexican American, faces censorship of his curriculum and classroom library. Yuli often feels that her rage is impossible to contain. Although initially unsure about speaking out—“I’m an actor…not an activist…”—she’s angered by the injustices she endures and witnesses and is further galvanized by her family’s revolutionary spirit and past. Encouraged by her brother, Yunior, who reminds her that “Art IS activism,” Yuli organizes guerilla theater resistance protests with her friends, supported by Mr. G., who becomes the faculty sponsor for their club, A.C.T. NOW, or “Activism. Collaboration. Transformation. Now!” Although they face setbacks, Yuli’s story demonstrates the power of persistence and tapping into your passion to make change. Mendez fluidly and creatively tells Yuli’s story through a variety of formats, including a play script, group text chats, and verse. A powerful love letter to finding and using your voice, this story will resonate deeply with those who struggle to feel seen and nurtured, particularly young women of color. Fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Amber McBride will devour and delight in Mendez’s latest, which centers on a racially diverse cast and explores timely topics like racism, book banning, and censorship in schools.

A compelling drama with a firecracker protagonist that stuns with its strikingly beautiful writing.