Stories once buried in history were brought back to life during a public reading by Tim Z. Hernandez, award-winning author.
La Sociedad para las Artes hosted the event as part of NMSU’s Nelson-Boswell reading series. On Friday, April 10, in Milton Hall, students and community members attended the opening poetry performance by graduate student Camdyn Bass, followed by Hernandez’s presentation.
During the reading, Hernandez shared excerpts from his book, “They Call You Back: A Lost History, A Search, A Memoir,” along with insights into the research and the stories behind it.
The themes of identity introduced in Hernandez’s work were echoed earlier in the evening by Bass, whose personal collection of work explored her memory and experiences.
Bass drew in the audience through her quick-paced pattern and thematic depth. The layers of meaning in her words portrayed a vivid reflection of the world she observes in her daily life.
“We are record takers of the world,” Bass said. “It is up to us to sort of keep things alive, bring things to attention.”
Hernandez’s book centers on the families of the 1948 plane crash at Los Gatos Canyon, which resulted in the death of 28 Mexican farmworkers. For decades, many of the victims were left unidentified and remained nameless, labeled as “deportees” by the media. Over the past 16 years, Hernandez has worked to uncover their names and connect with the surviving families, of whom he has reached 14.
“They had no closure,” Hernandez said. “A lot of them didn’t have any clue what happened.”
Hernandez’s work went beyond historical documentation. By tracing the lives of the victims and connecting with their loved ones, he not only restores their identities but also brings attention to the lasting impact of loss and displacement across generations.
The process of reaching out to the families was something that Hernandez said he handled with care and intention. Hernandez highlighted the emotional weight of revisiting a tragedy, and he reflected on the mindfulness it takes to approach unanswered questions.
“The offering that I could [give] the families, first and foremost, was all of the information I gathered,” Hernandez said.
The reading resonated with many students in attendance, particularly taking note of how Hernandez centers his work on others and the stories that are left untold.
“It seems like he focuses a lot of his writing, not merely on himself, but on others,” Cristian Esparza noted. “A lot of the time, especially in poetry, we can get really self-absorbed.”
The focus on amplifying the voices of others is what sets Hernandez’s work apart. His curiosity about the tragedy and the calling he felt to share the families’ stories ensure that the lives of the victims are remembered.
The reading left many audience members to reflect on the importance of literature and how poetry keeps history alive. The excerpts were eye-opening for many in the audience who may have been previously unaware of the devastation. Both Bass and Hernandez’s work emphasized the importance of reconnecting with history and creating opportunities for students to engage with diverse perspectives.
“It’s about noticing, one of the greatest attributes,” Hernandez said.
