Children learn from and are inspired by stories. But what if there isn’t a story that represents you? How do you navigate growing up in a community whose traditions don’t include you? A University of Oregon professor is changing the landscape for queer children growing up in Latinx communities by providing them with a story about a tradition that embraces them.

Ernesto Javier Martínez, associate professor and department head of Indigenous, Race, and Ethnic Studies (IRES) in the College of Arts and Sciences is interested in how people value queer kids and what they do to provide them with information about who they are and who they can be. This passion drove Martínez to create a children’s book one where a queer boy’s innocent crush is honored and represented positively—something he wishes he had read as a child. In addition to the book, he and film director Adelina Anthony created a short film for families to watch together and to spark conversation.

Cuando Amamos Cantamos

The idea of a children’s book for queer Latinx kids came from Martínez’s experience in organizing with queer Latinx communities.

“We started to hold workshops where queer adults could start thinking about their pasts and the complexities of what it was like to grow up queer and Latinx,” Martínez said. “We touched down on that pain, but we didn’t want to reproduce that for youth. Rather we wanted to transform it through storytelling.”

Creating a children’s book about a Latino boy who loves another boy required some processing and healing by Martínez too.

“I was a childhood singer who stopped singing because I started to fear the homophobia around me,” he said. “It made it very difficult to sing, so I stopped singing in resistance. But at the same time, I feel like I hurt myself in the process.”

“When We Love Someone We Sing To Them” provides queer Latinx children with something Martínez didn’t have growing up: a story that could link his identity to a vibrant tradition. Martínez has received immensely positive feedback, through multiple book awards and library adoptions, but also from both children and parents.

“Parents are showing me videos of kids enjoying the book,” said Martínez. “There is a section of the book where there are no words, and the kids think that’s the place where they should sing. So they just start singing.”

Children enjoy the book for the beautiful pictures – illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez – the lovely story, and the songs. However, parents can appreciate the depth of the story and the message of acceptance within.

The book is full of powerful messages about love and family, but Martínez hopes that one specific message is apparent as people engage with the story.

“Oftentimes for queer kids growing up in Latinx communities, the framework for thinking about how to be a healthy queer kid is to go to queer communities,” said Martínez. “We’re saying, ‘You have a love tradition that you can tap into and it’s ancient.’” The book reinterprets ancient Mexica culture and includes the figure Xochipilli, the prince of flowers, the god of creativity and song. “So we are saying let’s reframe Latinx communities as having resources for queer children. Let’s encourage our queer youth to find empowerment through our cultural traditions.”

First a Book, Then a Film

But Martínez wasn’t done telling his story, and the book had only scratched the surface. He wanted to bring depth into the story, and it felt only right to create a film parents and children could watch together.

“We wanted to make a less child-like story that framed some of the challenges that parents face.”

Martínez felt inspired by the success of the 2019 short film, La Serenata, winner of multiple best film awards and licensed by HBO Max. Knowing there was more story to tell, he and his team decided to take on a full-length, feature film. Martínez and Adelina Anthony co-wrote a longer, 80-minute script of the story, earning awards in 2022 from Outfest Screenwriting Lab and the National Association for Latino Independent Producers. They’re currently in pre-production and include some of the same actors from the short film.  

Taking on the enormous task of creating a feature film has many challenges, one of which is finding the funding for production. To raise money, Martínez and his team are launching a crowdfunding campaign in October.

“It’ll be a 30-day campaign with opportunities for tax-deductible donations in multiple categories” said Martínez. More than just raise money, however, the team wants to solidify a sense of community, a continuous theme from the beginning. “A grassroots fundraising mentality is always grounded in the idea: Don't follow the money, follow the people power,” said Martínez.

Alongside the money the team raises from the community, the University of Oregon is contributing to the final budget in a variety of ways.

“What an enormous gift,” said Martínez. “I just feel like if this happens it sets up an unprecedented idea that a university, partnering with communities, almost in total funds a feature film. It might set a model for how universities can help fund socially just feature films that have a strong community backing.”

Martínez has already received generous gifts from departments and centers around the campus. Some of the funders include IRES, the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation the Center for Latino/a and Latin American Studies, and the Center for the Study of Women in Society

People can also support Martínez’s work by engaging with the work. An easy way is sharing the short film with others.

“Right now, people are caring, which is really beautiful,” said Martínez. “I count my blessings around that. That the children’s book mattered to people. That the short film mattered to people.”

While Martínez didn’t expect his career would include writing children’s books and creating films, he is grateful for the path that he’s taken.

“My hope is that students will see my journey and understand that they can be multiple things,” Martínez said. “That it takes a little bit of courage, but more than courage it takes company. You need people around you and anybody can cultivate that.”

— By Lauren Hodges, Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation