{"product_id":"i-dont-speak-spanish-but-rodney-eric-lopez-9798895762110","title":"I Don't Speak Spanish, But I Understand Everything When I'm Dancing!","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen Rodney Eric López was a child, he overheard his mother say, \"Hable en español para que él no entienda\" (\"Speak in Spanish so he won't understand\").\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat single moment crystallized a lifetime of feeling inadequate. Raised in the Bronx, he was taught to navigate the world speaking English, but left feeling like the son who was \"never enough,\" constantly battling the fear that he could not fully connect with his own lineage.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRodney's story is the untold experience of millions: the Latinos grappling with the crushing pressures to perform a \"perfect\" identity. This book reframes their struggle, arguing that language failure is not a personal deficit, but a structural outcome of xenophobic policies that created a \"zero-sum relationship\" between Spanish and success.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn this brilliant social memoir, López blends vulnerable narrative with an authoritative investigation into the politics of language, race, and identity. He transforms personal isolation into powerful cultural critique, giving voice to a generation feeling culturally unmoored.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRodney's path to freedom came through Salsa, a culturally relevant art form born from the Caribbean diaspora. He shows how social dance is a powerful, non-verbal language-a conversation of history and resilience-that is spoken with the body. Becoming a \"native Salsa dancer\" allowed him to bypass the shame of grammar and connect directly to his heritage.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf you have ever felt \"less than,\" this book proves that the rich culture you seek is already encoded within you. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eLet's dance!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Rodney Eric Lopez\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798895762110\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Authors on Mission\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 04\/09\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 278\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.83lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.63d","brand":"Rodney Eric Lopez","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48517251531007,"sku":"9798895762110","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_6e859263-def6-4e5e-952f-07a35ece6836.jpg?v=1778730923","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/i-dont-speak-spanish-but-rodney-eric-lopez-9798895762110","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}