Estela, Undrowning

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In Estela, Undrowning, Estela comes to better understand that creating change takes more than just speaking up—it also requires listening, working with others, and building community. Talk with students about ways to bring communities together around a common goal. In their own experiences, what has worked? How can creative expression be a part of that work?

Invite students to think about issues that matter to them. How do those issues matter to others? Get them talking and listening to each other about things they are passionate and concerned about. Encourage them to share stories and experiences, not just feelings or opinions. As they listen and hear what their classmates have to say, have them note words, phrases, and ideas that stand out. Then ask them to weave those words with their own into a poem that transforms individual experiences into a united voice for action and change. Have students share their completed poems so everyone can hear the strength of their voices coming together.

Questions for Discussion or Reflective Writing

• Why does Estela choose poetry to express herself? What are some ways you feel most comfortable expressing yourself?
• After the winners of the Latiné Heritage Poetry Contest are announced, people disagree about what is fair, who belongs, and whose voices should be heard. What do you think about the controversy? How would you answer the questions Estela is asked by the school paper: “Who should be able to win money? Should identity really determine that?” (p. 141).
• Where do Estela’s ideas about success and fairness come from? What makes someone question a belief they have held for a long time?
• Why do you think Estela has trouble seeing the harm in some of the things she says about her friends and classmates? How does her understanding of the experiences of her friends and fellow students change throughout the novel?
• How does Estela’s anxiety affect the way she responds to the challenges at school, at home, and in her relationships? What do you think people around her understand—and misunderstand—about what she is experiencing?
• What does it mean to “undrown”? Do you think Estela is successful in undrowning herself? Why or why not?

Related Resources

Estela, Undrowning Teaching Guide from HarperStacks

“Poetry Is Not a Luxury” by Audrey Lorde