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Migrant Heart: The Hidden Cost of the American Dream...

...and Healing Through Storytelling with Reyna Grande

2026-07-16 14:00:00 2026-07-16 15:00:00 America/New_York Migrant Heart: The Hidden Cost of the American Dream... In her new memoir, Migrant Heart: Essays About Things I Can?t Forget, author Reyna Grande illuminates the hidden cost of the American Dream and the journey of healing. ONLINE ONLY Rocky River Public Library -

Thursday, July 16
2:00pm - 3:00pm

Add to Calendar 2026-07-16 14:00:00 2026-07-16 15:00:00 America/New_York Migrant Heart: The Hidden Cost of the American Dream... In her new memoir, Migrant Heart: Essays About Things I Can?t Forget, author Reyna Grande illuminates the hidden cost of the American Dream and the journey of healing. ONLINE ONLY Rocky River Public Library -

In her new memoir, Migrant Heart: Essays About Things I Can?t Forget, author Reyna Grande illuminates the hidden cost of the American Dream and the journey of healing. ONLINE ONLY

In her ambitious new memoir, Migrant Heart: Essays About Things I Can’t Forget, beloved bestselling author Reyna Grande illuminates the hidden cost of the American Dream and the complex journey of healing that follows survival.

What is the true power of stories? Can they heal the jagged edges of a traumatic childhood? Is the cost of telling the story worth the price of the cure?

With her signature blend of sophistication and raw honesty, Grande interrogates how living between two nations, two languages, and two identities has shaped the woman, mother, and writer she has become. Moving from the legacy of violence in her hometown of Iguala, Mexico, to a bittersweet family vacation in Europe spent reconciling her own impoverished past with her children’s world of abundance, she uncovers startling truths about the nature of survival.

Whether being racially profiled in the Arizona borderlands or finding unexpected wisdom from the slugs in her garden, Grande unflinchingly asks: How do we bridge the gap between who we were and who we have become? How do we turn pain into power? When memory threatens to define us, how can we use story to heal while still honoring our boundaries?

Register today for this virtual talk if you identify as a seeker, a dreamer, or “anyone who believes in the enduring, transformative power of finding one’s voice.”

About the Author:

Reyna Grande is an award-winning author, motivational speaker, and writing teacher. As a young girl, she crossed the US–Mexico border to join her family in Los Angeles, a harrowing journey chronicled in The Distance Between Us, a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. Her other books include the novels A Ballad of Love and Glory, Across a Hundred Mountains, and Dancing with Butterflies, the memoirs Migrant Heart, The Distance Between Us: Young Readers Edition, and A Dream Called Home, and the anthology Somewhere We Are Human: Authentic Voices on Migration, Survival, and New Beginnings. She lives in Woodland, California, with her husband and two children. Visit ReynaGrande.com for more information.

REGISTER HERE: https://libraryc.org/rrpl/177394/register

OR WATCH LATER HERE: https://libraryc.org/rrpl/archive

AGE GROUP: | Adults |

EVENT TYPE: | Books and Authors |

TAGS: | AGE 19+ |

Rocky River Public Library

Phone: 440-333-7610

Hours
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Mon, Jun 15 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Tue, Jun 16 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Wed, Jun 17 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Thu, Jun 18 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Fri, Jun 19 9:00AM to 6:00PM
Sat, Jun 20 9:00AM to 6:00PM
Sun, Jun 21 1:00PM to 5:00PM
Mon, Jun 15 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Tue, Jun 16 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Wed, Jun 17 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Thu, Jun 18 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Fri, Jun 19 9:00AM to 6:00PM
Sat, Jun 20 9:00AM to 6:00PM
Sun, Jun 21 1:00PM to 5:00PM

About the branch

Rocky River Public Library is an independent public library and partcipating member of the CLEVNET consortium.  The library has been serving the community of Rocky River since 1928.  

Upcoming Events

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Tue, Jun 16, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Rocky River Public Library - Auditorium
Join us for to compete both individually and as teams to complete a series of challenges designed to test your wit, problem-solving skills, creativity, and ingenuity.

Cancelled
Tue, Jun 16, 4:30pm - 5:30pm
Rocky River Public Library
Join us to compete both individually and as teams to complete a series of challenges designed to test your wit, problem-solving skills, creativity, and ingenuity.

Tue, Jun 16, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Rocky River Public Library - Auditorium (expanded)
Celebrate Juneteenth! On June 19,1865, enslaved people in Texas finally heard that they were free. Our guest, Jackkia the Storyteller, will present unique storytelling and music.

Wed, Jun 17, 6:00pm - 8:30pm
Rocky River Public Library - Grand Reading Room
Receive a punch card at the Reference desk at your first visit to a Silent Summer Reading session. Grab a snack from the the Grand Reading Room and find a spot in the library to read. Return for more!

Thu, Jun 18, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Rocky River Public Library
Join us in virtual conversation with storyteller and popular blogger Ted Page as we chat about his book Good Grandpa: Stories from the Heart of Grandfatherhood. ONLINE ONLY
Register

Thu, Jun 18, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Rocky River Public Library - Auditorium
Join Art Me Party to create your own painting project. All supplies will be provided, but painting clothes are recommended. Afterwards, get a picture of your art with your friends in the photo booth!

Thu, Jun 18, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Rocky River Public Library - Green Room
Join us for our English as a Second Language group classes at the Library led by an ESL trainer. Each class will be themed-based and designed for the groups level. Registration required.

Thu, Jun 18, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Rocky River Public Library - Auditorium
Come and test your knowledge! Teams of up to six people admitted. Registration required.

Sat, Jun 20, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Rocky River Public Library - Training Room
Create a pinwheel using the Cricut for the 250th anniversary of our country this year!
This event is full

Sat, Jun 20, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Rocky River Public Library - Auditorium
Celebrate National Ice Cream Soda day while you learn to make your own soda pop!
This event is full

Mon, Jun 22, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Rocky River Public Library - Auditorium
Are you new to genealogy? In this class, you'll learn some basic first steps and how to use genealogy resources in libraries.

Tue, Jun 23, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Rocky River Public Library
Join us to chat about The Diaspora Spice Co. Cookbook, which celebrates beautiful, simple, and seasonal cooking with recipes adapted from India and Sri Lanka?s family spice farms. ONLINE ONLY
Register

Wed, Jun 24, 6:00pm - 8:30pm
Rocky River Public Library - Grand Reading Room
Receive a punch card at the Reference desk at your first visit to a Silent Summer Reading session. Grab a snack from the the Grand Reading Room and find a spot in the library to read. Return for more!

Fri, Jun 26, 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Rocky River Public Library - Auditorium
Our movie matinees feature a recently released film, shown in the auditorium. Monthly selections are updated as soon as possible.

Mon, Jun 29, All day
Rocky River Public Library
Take a brief survey about your reading interests and we will select 1, 2, or 3 titles for you.

Tue, Jun 30, 2:30pm - 3:15pm
Rocky River Public Library - Auditorium (expanded)
Learn about dinosaurs and how they lived and walked the Earth. Listen to the story, then discuss dinosaur traits and create your own clay dinosaur! Registration required.
This event is full

Tue, Jun 30, 6:30pm - 7:15pm
Rocky River Public Library - Auditorium (expanded)
Learn about dinosaurs and how they lived and walked the Earth. Listen to the story, then discuss dinosaur traits and create your own clay dinosaur! Registration required.
This event is full

Wed, Jul 01, 3:00pm - 5:25pm
Rocky River Public Library - Auditorium
Join us to watch Zootopia 2. No registration required for the movie.

Wed, Jul 01, 6:00pm - 8:30pm
Rocky River Public Library - Grand Reading Room
Receive a punch card at the Reference desk at your first visit to a Silent Summer Reading session. Grab a snack from the the Grand Reading Room and find a spot in the library to read. Return for more!

Thu, Jul 02, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Rocky River Public Library - Green Room
Join us for our English as a Second Language group classes at the Library led by an ESL trainer. Each class will be themed-based and designed for the groups level. Registration required.

Thu, Jul 02, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Rocky River Public Library - Auditorium
Your are invited to a Birthday Party for the USA. Celebrate with games, books, music, crafts, and refreshments. Sing along to a traditional mountain dulcimer and take a turn learning to play it.

Mon, Jul 06, 9:00am - 9:00pm
Rocky River Public Library
Spice up your life!

Mon, Jul 06, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Rocky River Public Library - Training Room,Zoom B
Discover how AI tools can help plan trips, find deals, suggest activities, create itineraries, and offer real?time travel assistance?making every journey easier and more personalized.

Wed, Jul 08, 6:00pm - 8:30pm
Rocky River Public Library - Grand Reading Room
Receive a punch card at the Reference desk at your first visit to a Silent Summer Reading session. Grab a snack from the the Grand Reading Room and find a spot in the library to read. Return for more!

Sat, Jul 11, 11:00am - 11:45am
Rocky River Public Library - Purple Room
Children with varying learning styles and abilities learn together in a supportive environment. This storytime is designed for children who may not be successful in a typical storytime experience.
Register

Mon, Jul 13, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Rocky River Public Library - Auditorium
Join us for an independent or foreign film.

Tue, Jul 14, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Rocky River Public Library
Join us for a thrilling evening with acclaimed author Karin Slaughter as we chat about her North Falls series and her upcoming sequel, The Secrets We Hide. ONLINE ONLY
Register

Wed, Jul 15, 10:00am - 11:30am
Rocky River Public Library - Auditorium,Zoom B
Discover how AI tools can help plan trips, find deals, suggest activities, create itineraries, and offer real-time travel assistance, making every journey easier and more personalized.

Wed, Jul 15, 6:00pm - 8:30pm
Rocky River Public Library - Grand Reading Room
Receive a punch card at the Reference desk at your first visit to a Silent Summer Reading session. Grab a snack from the the Grand Reading Room and find a spot in the library to read. Return for more!

Wed, Jul 15, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Rocky River Public Library - Community Room
Each meeting, we explore a different true crime topic through book discussions, lectures, and other activities.

Thu, Jul 16, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Rocky River Public Library - Library Lawn
Come dig up and craft your very own fossils!

Thu, Jul 16, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Rocky River Public Library
In her new memoir, Migrant Heart: Essays About Things I Can?t Forget, author Reyna Grande illuminates the hidden cost of the American Dream and the journey of healing. ONLINE ONLY
Register

Thu, Jul 16, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Rocky River Public Library - Green Room
Join us for our English as a Second Language group classes at the Library led by an ESL trainer. Each class will be themed-based and designed for the groups level. Registration required.