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THE NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER.

I AM NOT YOUR PERFECT MEXICAN DAUGHTER.

IT'S CONSIDERED ONE OF TIMES MAGAZINE'S TOP 100 BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOKS OF ALL TIME.

AND NOW THE NOVEL, NOVEL IS SET FOR A BIG-SCREEN DEBUT WITH ACTRESS AMERICA.

PUT IT ON TOP TO DIRECT.

JOINING NOW WITH MORE IS THE BOOK'S ERIKA IS I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE WITH.

WE HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS.

BUT FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH YOUR NOVEL, CAN YOU GIVE US A BRIEF LITTLE BREAKDOWN?

SURE.

FIRST, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

THIS IS SUCH AN HONOR FOR ME BECAUSE I GREW UP WATCHING >> BUT THE STORY IS ABOUT A YOUNG WOMAN IT'S A COMING OF AGE STORY.

>> SUFFERING FROM MENTAL ILLNESS AND THE LOSS OF HER SISTER.

SHE'S GRAPPLING WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT ADOLESCENCE >> AND SHE IS JUST TRYING TO FIND HERSELF AND UNDERSTAND THE WORLD.

>> AND SO I WANT TO GIVE TOO MUCH ALREADY.

IT'S SO THERE'S A LOT VERY EXCITING.

>> YEAH, HAHA, IT'S REALLY COOL.

AND OBVIOUSLY A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE YOU PUBLISHED HIS BOOK IN 2017, THERE HAS BEEN THEATER INTERPRETATIONS AND NOW A FEATURE FILM IS ON THE DECK.

HOW ARE FEELING ABOUT ALL THESE CHANGES?

>> I'M FEELING REALLY OVERWHELM REALLY HAPPY AND GRATEFUL.

AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH ON MY ANCESTORS AND I'M THINKING A LOT ABOUT WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH AND WHERE YOU COME FROM AND HOW AMAZING IT IS THAT I GET TO DO THIS.

AND SO I JUST FEEL REALLY, REALLY LUCKY.

AND I'M SO EXCITED MAKE THINGS A BROWN GIRLS AND BROWN WOMEN CAN CONNECT TO.

>> AND WHEN DID YOU FIND OUT THAT THERE WAS AN INTEREST IN ATTACKING YOUR NOVEL AS THE FILM?

>> WELL, ACTUALLY, IT WAS RIGHT AS SOON AS THE BOOK CAME OUT, WE STARTED TALKING TO SOME PRODUCERS AND IT'S BEEN A LONG HERE WE ORIGINALLY IT WAS GOING TO BE WITH ONE STUDIO HOUR WITH ANOTHER.

AND SO.

IT'S BEEN.

COMPLICATED.

I THINK WE'RE IN A REALLY GOOD SPOT THAT SO MANY SO MANY FACES TO LIKE THE HOLLYWOOD WORLD.

YEAH, IT'S A WORLD REALLY, THOUGH.

AND STARTING TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES.

TALKING ABOUT THAT.

WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE TO WORKING WITH WHAT IS JOURNEY BEEN LIKE I THINK YOU MENTIONED THAT SHE ACTUALLY CAME TO VISIT.

SPENT SOME TIME WITH WALK ME THROUGH THAT A LITTLE BIT.

YEAH, I MEAN, YOU AND LINDA CHAVEZ WHO WROTE THE SCREENPLAY, THEY CAME AND WE SPENT A FEW DAYS TOGETHER AND >> WE WENT AROUND CHICAGO AND I SHOW THEM ALL THE SITES THAT ARE IN THE BOOK AND WE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AND IT WAS REALLY WONDERFUL.

AND >> YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL EARLY IN THE PROCESS.

WE HAVEN'T STARTED FILMING OR ANYTHING.

THE SCRIPT IS REALLY THE MAJOR SEEING RIGHT NOW TO COMPLETE.

AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO CASTING AFTER THAT.

I AM.

>> I THINK AND THINK LINDA'S GREAT AND THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SOMETHING RELATIONSHIP.

I MEAN, SHE'S ALSO AN ACCOMPLISHED GREEN WRITER.

YES, THIS A LATINO POWER AND IT'S ALL AT POWER.

IT SEEMS LIKE.

>> IT IS.

AND IT'S SORT HE'S LETTING DO UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN RARE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN.

AND SO >> THE FACT THAT WE'RE COMING TOGETHER AND MAKE THIS REALLY IS IT FEELS LIKE A MIRACLE.

>> THAT'S SO COOL.

AND WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE FOR YOU?

GROWING UP AS A FIRST GENERATION MEXICAN AMERICAN HERE IN CHICAGO?

WHAT A >> IT'S BEEN BEAUTIFUL.

IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN TERRIBLE.

IT'S EVERYTHING IN >> YOU KNOW, BEING FIRST AND THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT YOU ENCOUNTER AND YOU DON'T HAVE ANY GUIDANCE, YOU KNOW, LIKE GOING TO COLLEGE, FOR THERE'S LITTLE SUPPORT I MEAN, TYPICALLY KNOW WHEN YOUR FAMILY IS GOING TO UNDERSTAND.

>> WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH AND BEING A WOMAN TO IT AND WANTING TO BE INDEPENDENT AND FREE.

AND, YOU KNOW, >> I'M PUSHING AGAINST ALL OF THESE IDEALS THAT WE GROW UP WITH SMALLER, CETERA.

>> I MEAN, IT IS REALLY TOUGH.

>> WHAT WHAT, YOU WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE AWAY FROM THOSE WHO READ YOUR BOOK, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY YOU'RE MOST EXCITED ABOUT CREATING THIS FILM AND BRING IT TO LIFE.

>> OH, MY GOD.

NO ONE'S ASKED ME THAT PARTICULAR I THINK WHAT I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT IS ALL THE YOUNG WOMEN WHO WILL WATCH FEEL LIKE FINALLY SOMEONE SEASON BECAUSE I I NEVER REALLY HAD THAT UNTIL I WATCHED A REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES WITH GO CHANGE OR A DOZEN WAS.

THIS YOU KNOW, SO WANT TO IRONIC, BUT COMES FULL CIRCLE OF THE FACT THAT WE'RE NOW WORKING ON THIS FILM AND MY BOOK WAS VERY INFLUENCED BY THAT MOVIE.

DID YOU GROW UP HERE IN CHICAGO CICERO?

>> A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TAKING THE TRAIN TO THE CITY.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE SO MUCH OF A CHICAGO?

IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL.

AESTHETIC LE LATE.

>> OR BUILDINGS OR ART.

SUMMERTIME BY THE BLACK PARTIES.

I JUST THINK IT'S SO FUN AND I HAVE A LOT OF LOVE FOR IT.

IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED, PLEASE.

YES, I I REALLY AM.

I REALLY LOVE IT.

AND THAT'S WHY I CAME BACK.

>> AND SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR ROLE.

YOU'RE THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, CORRECT?

THAT'S EXCITING.

IT IS GOING TO TO YOUR LIST.

IT'S A NICE LIST AT THIS POINT.

I JUST I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE IT LIKE, WOW, I'M GOING REALLY DO THIS IT'S REALLY WONDERFUL A COUPLE WORDS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO TELL TO THE YOUNG GENERATION WHEN IT COMES TO JUST GROWING UP AS A FIRST GENERATION.

YOU DESERVE GOOD THINGS YOU DESERVE YOU SHOULD.

>> LOVE YOUR SONG.

YOU KNOW, LIFT UP YOUR COMMUNITY AS MUCH AS YOU CAN YEAH, IT'S DON'T FEEL GUILTY FOR DOING SO BECAUSE A LOT OF CARRY SO MUCH GUILT AND LOOK WHERE IT CAN TAKE YOU.

HOME MOVING IT'S AMAZING THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I'M SO I'M SO LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THE FILM COMING TO.

>> COME INTO ACTION.

THANK