Summerland - Tierra de Verano

Interview With Author Jacqueline Mackenzie

<1. What is your new book about? It provides answers for teachers, medical people, corporate trainers, and other instructors needing to help Spanish-speakers learn in an English-speaking environment.

<2. What inspired you to write it? Empowering Spanish Speakers, was inspired by my frustration that US public schools fail to graduate Latinos. The teaching methods do not teach Spanish speakers the way they learn; 49% fail to graduate high school. I was born in rural New Mexico, worked in food service with Latinos for 20 years, and lived on the Arizona/Sonora border in a rural area for 12 years. That blend ignited my passion to serve indigenous Mexicans.

<3. What was the writing process like for this book? Over 7 years of research went into the book. I took what I learned and compared that to over 200 research reports. My book is laid out like a college textbook but with so many stories that are fun to read.

<4. What are the rewards/challenges of writing in your genre? I have the opportunity "to be the change I want to see in the world (Gandhi)," but the USA lacks my love of Mexico and her people.

<5. What advice do you have for struggling writers? If you have the passion, put it on paper. Later, do anything it takes to sell the book.

<6. Where do you see book publishing heading? People are going to expect more from a printed book and accept less from a digital book.

In the USA for 19 days was what it took to make Empowering Spanish Speakers develop as an online assessment. Signing a contract with 240Tutoring was a major breakthrough for our nonprofit. This move will get our information out there faster. Additionally, our book was a finalist with ALL BOOKS REVIEW INTERNATIONAL. Scroll to the bottom of the page to view the award winners.

Jacqueline Zaleski Mackenzie was a featured speaker at the Consortium of State Organizations for Texas Teacher Education (CSOTTE) in Corpus Christi Oct. 24. Then on Oct. 28-29 she was on a panel at the Dallas Book Fair. In acknowledgement of 20 years of dedication and on-going charity work, she received her church’s highest honorary acknowledgement: doctor of divinity in Washington State. It was a long trip from Cajones, Guanajuato, to Dallas, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Seattle, Whidbey Island, and back, but worth the time and effort involved to get our information into the right hands to change the lives of Latino students.

In the USA for 19 days was what it took to make Empowering Spanish Speakers develop as an online assessment. Signing a contract with 240Tutoring was a major breakthrough for our nonprofit. This move will get our information out there faster. Additionally, our book was a finalist with ALL BOOKS REVIEW INTERNATIONAL. Scroll to the bottom of the page to view the award winners.

Jacqueline Zaleski Mackenzie was a featured speaker at the Consortium of State Organizations for Texas Teacher Education (CSOTTE) in Corpus Christi Oct. 24. Then on Oct. 28-29 she was on a panel at the Dallas Book Fair. In acknowledgement of 20 years of dedication and on-going charity work, she received her church’s highest honorary acknowledgement: doctor of divinity in Washington State. It was a long trip from Cajones, Guanajuato, to Dallas, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Seattle, Whidbey Island, and back, but worth the time and effort involved to get our information into the right hands to change the lives of Latino students.

We are leaving today for Cornet Bay to attend a conference on community service. We drove along these northern Washington roads yesterday and we were filled with the wonder of seeing snow covered pines.

Oct. Update - Lecture Series in USA

Husband, Don Mackenzie, joined Dr. Jacqueline Mackenzie and 450 others from around the world in Puebla, Mexico, October 12- 14th for her lecture: “Piercing the Veil of Social Class via Education.” The CONAHEC 14th North American Higher Education Conference took place at “Complejo Cultural Universitario.” The conference goal is to exchange students between Canada, USA, and Mexico for better cultural understanding and cooperation between the countries. We each received Robert Parson’s new book “The North American Idea.” It is a real eye-opener as to what is really going on in North American politics and what that “game” is costing citizens.

Leaving Mexico on October 21st, Dr. Mackenzie headed to Dallas to meet with her corporate secretary before heading to the CSOTTE (Consortium of State Organizations for Texas Teacher Education) in Corpus Christi, Texas, Oct 23-25. Her lecture there was titled: “When Teaching Latinos, Always Speak With Your Heart.” Not only was her lecture well received, but she was also able to connect with 240Tutoring. Summerland is now under contract to develop teacher assessment and study guide software related to the book, “Empowering Spanish Speakers.”

Returning to Dallas, Dr. Mackenzie, joined others friends of literacy on Friday, October 28th at the Dallas Latino Cultural Center for an opening reception for the Dallas Book Fair. On Saturday, October 29, Dr. Mackenzie joined award winning Miami, Florida, author Lucia Gonzalez and publisher Pam Fochtman of Lorito Books for workshop titled "Interaction between the Spanish speaker and the Written Word."

The next day, October 30th, Dr. Mackenzie flew to Seattle to await fellow ministers from the southeast USA for a midwinter conference on community service. Dr. Mackenzie will return to Mexico November 8th in time to attend a local quinceanera (15th birthday) on Nov 12th, Neriah’s 8th birthday on November 23rd and then head to the Guadalajara Book Fair right after a local celebration of the USA Thanksgiving Day on November 24th.

Physicians are suggesting an oil & dairy free plant-free plant based diet to cure/prevent heart disease. Boring to the eyes and taste buds is NOT necessary when eating healthy. Last night I ate a strikingly gorgeous that was nearly defined as doctor-perfect. My friend handed me a large maroon china plate. The broad center was covered with Brown Rice evenly spread out. At the North, South, East, and West quadrants was a quarter of an oven roasted Beet, then the cross quarters was a small pile of 1/2" cubes of perfectly roasted Butternut Squash. The she added a very large Portobella Mushroom, upside down in the center. It was stuffed with Spinach and Spices - then topped with the tiniest bit of Feta Cheese. The mushrooms had been slowly oven cooked in a covered dish and they were very moist, yet stiff and had to be cut like a steak.

Ahhhhh....the meal was just heavenly to my eyes, mouth, stomach, waistline, and no doubt also my heart.

Texas Educational Organizations Conference -CSOTTE- connected me with a software designer to get my teacher's of Latinos survey online. We plan a Beta test for November and total package by January.

Our country has the worst means of moving people around known to the world – of that I am certain. Why aren’t administrators in the USA making public transportation easy to understand? Busses save our environment a lot of grief over car and airplanes.

Life in the slow lane: Getting from Dallas to Corpus Christi. I tried many times to look at a schedule and compare it to the TRW – Dallas busline and there was nothing to assist me. So here I sit at the Dallas Greyhound Bus station. I am certain this experience is going to be priceless. Yes, it did cost $135.50 to make the round trip, but the adventure is like nothing else.

I arrived at the Richardson station 2:15pm, I was picked up at 4:50pm by the Greyhound Bus and taken the 20 minute ride to Dallas where I will sit until 7pm to leave for Houston. I have another 15 minute layover in Buffalo, Texas arrive in Houston at 11:25pm and will sit nearly 3 hours – 11:25 to 2:15am before going on to Corpus Christi where I arrive at 6:15am – maybe the man told me in Richardson who has worked for Greyhound for 32 years. He said the service gets worse every day and he agreed, the website makes no sense at all. So I will sit many hours because access to information and better routing is simply not available. The only other person in the station had a 8 hour layover he did not expect last week on Greyhound.

I paid $12.50 to get dropped at the McKinney station on the return trip, but I’m going to change that ticket and take a train coming back, because the ticket says I have to sit in this same station for nearly 2 hours Wednesday morning until I can get a ride back to McKinney. I can go by train right away for $3.50. That is crazy!

Keeping my Sense of Humor, J

Flawless fight from Leon, GTO, MX, yesterday (21 Oct) to Dallas to visit our corporate secretary- Leave today for Corpus Christi Teacher's Conference. Looking forward being on a panel at the conference.

The core of my lecture - Piercing the Veil of Social Class via Education - is by having volunteers offer what marginalized people need - tutoring and attention (a book to hold and a mentor) - what results is a self-confident and educated person who can rise out of the poverty. My joy at living this life is boundless.

Two nights ago, a father I so admire, came over to ask how he can help us. He so appreciates that his children have a place to go (the community center we built) every day after school to learn from different volunteers and that as soon as my book sells we will build a library. He then asked if he might approach his boss (a Canadian mining company) about us teaching English to the workers so that they can be promoted. Can you imagine how we felt? A man, born into poverty had dreams. He was telling us that we were his dreams come true and yet we felt the same way. We came to Cajones to offer what the people wanted, but first had to make sure that was appropriate. To hear that feedback from a hard-working indigenous father - that we were making a difference for his kids - was simply amazing. And to have him ask for help for him and his coworkers - well - that simply blows apart the myths about Mexicans being perpetuated in the USA.