“My responsibility as a Mexican-American writer is not to invariably cast Mexican-American characters in a positive light because that simply exchanges one kind of stereotype for another. My responsibility is to move beyond stereotypes entirely and to depict our complex humanity. We are not a simple race of maids and gardeners or gang bangers and spitfires. We are a people who have suffered and persevered, wounded but enduring. I am honored by my heritage and as a literary artist I seek to honor it in return.”
—MICHAEL NAVA
Every year from September 15 to October 15, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month to celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans.
Today, we’re spotlighting Michael Nava, an attorney and the author of the award-winning mystery series starring Henry Rios, a gay Latino public defender in California.
Nava grew up in Gardenland, a working-class Mexican neighborhood in Sacramento, California, which he describes as “not an American suburb, but rather . . . a Mexican village.” Through books, Nava explored the world outside his community, becoming a voracious reader and dedicated writer at a young age.
As the first member of his family to attend college, Nava earned his law degree at Stanford University and worked at the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office. In 1999, he joined the staff of the California Supreme Court, where he worked on cases for LGBT and minority rights.
The Henry Rios Mysteries are based on his experience in the legal field. “Rios is a gay man, he’s Latino, and he’s not a character you see very much in any kind of American fiction,” Nava says in an interview with Open Road. Throughout the seven-book series, Rios fights for the dispossessed, people similar to the author and his family growing up. “We were poor. My interest in social justice isn’t abstract—it’s quite personal.”
The novels have received critical acclaim and earned six Lambda Literary Awards. Marilyn Stasio of the New York Times writes, “An exceptional series . . . Nava writes in a cool idiom whose clarity and precision contain the heat of the inflammatory social issues and take the edge off the characters’ emotional pain. . . . Nava is one of the best.”
This Hispanic Heritage Month, dive into literature that takes pride in America’s diversity and gives a voice to those seldom listened to. To learn more about the Henry Rios Mysteries or to watch our video of the author speaking about his history and his writing, check out Nava’s author page.
Already read the Henry Rios Mysteries—or looking for something a little different? Find your next read with our Literary Guide to National Hispanic Heritage Month, a flowchart spotlighting great poetry, fiction, memoir, and more.