Notes and Links to Jason De León’s Work

Jason De León is Director of the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, Loyd E. Cotsen Endowed Chair of Archaeology, Professor of Anthropology and Chicana/o and Central American Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles.

De León is Executive Director of the Undocumented Migration Project (UMP) Inc. a 501(c)(3) research, arts, and education collective that seeks to raise awareness about migration issues globally.

He is the author of two award winning books: “The Land of Open Graves: Living and Dying on the Migrant Trail” (featuring photos by Michael Wells) and “Soldiers and Kings.” Soldiers and Kings won the 2024 National Book Award for Nonfiction. De León is 2017 MacArthur Foundation Fellow.

In addition to his scholarly pursuits, Jason is an active musician who sang and played guitar with the Long Beach based hardcore-punk-reggae band Youth in Asia in the mid to late 1990’s and the Americana band The Wilcox Hotel based out of State College, PA between 2005 and 2008. He currently plays bass in The War Pigs and is involved in various musical projects including periodic reunions with The Wilcox Hotel.

Buy Jason's Books

Jason Website

Jason’s National Book Award Receipt: Video

Book Review: Soldiers and Kings New York Times Review

Jason on CBS Sunday Morning: Video

At about 2:50, Jason helps Pete get over some Lakers/Kings traumas

At about 6:15, Jason talks about the experience of winning the National Book Award

At about 8:45, Jason shouts out indie bookstores like Literati, Village Well, Powell’s as places to buy his book

At about 10:05, Jason gives background on his early relationship with language and story, and how this reading was shaped by his childhood

At about 11:10, Jason talks about ups and downs of reading and writing for joy, and how “story” has been an interest

At about 13:20, Jason talks about how multilingualism was part of his childhood and the ways in which speaking foreign languages

At about 14:50, Jason responds to Pete’s question about writers who challenge and inspire him, including Ernest Gaines, Lus Alberto Urrea, Willie Vaultin, and Jesmyn Ward

At about 17:00, Jason cites songwriters like John Prine, Jason Isbell, and Bruce Springsteen as inspirational

At about 19:20, Jason gives background on the protocol and timing and embedding done in his research for Soldiers and Kings

At about 20:30, Pete is highly complimentary of Jason’s balance of first person and third person and his skilled objectivity; Jason responds to Pete’s questions about any “vertigo” that came with intense fieldwork and academia and family life

At about 24:15, Jason speaks to the significance of the book’s epigraph from Jason Isbell

At about 27:50, Jason discusses the difference between “smuggling” and “trafficking” and their implications in the book and beyond

At about 29:15, Jason and Pete reflect on the titles for the people represented on the book, and Jason responds to Pete’s question about how he wrote to avoid generalization

At about 32:30, Jason recounts a story from his first book that is emblematic of fully-drawn characters

At about 34:30, Pete asks about ethical concerns in research for the book

At about 36:05, Jason outlines how childhood experiences and exposure to violence may have helped him connect more with the main characters of the book

At about 38:50, Jason reflects on how he proved himself trustworthy in his research and how and why the characters are “good judges of characters”

At about 41:00, The two discuss Honduras and its importance in migration in the last decade or so, as well as how its emblematic of the global and natural forces

At about 45:45, the two reflect on youth and its importance in the book and how privilege, or lack thereof, connect to ideas of redemption and traumas

At about 49:35, Pete cites a telling quote from Father Greg Boyle in reference to the high number of adverse experiences that so many migrants have had to carry; Jason discusses ideas of hope

At about 52:15, Pete highlights a resonant poem by Warsan Shire that leads Jason to talk about the “sharks” that put people on the migrant route

At about 55:25, Jason responds to Pete’s question about the infamous “La Bestia”

At about 57:20, Jason explains the term “clavo” and its implications to “stateless” people

At about 58:55, Pete notes that the book deals so successfully with

At about 1:01:00, “The Future Belongs to Those Who Dream,” a chapter title, and its implications for optimism and hope is discussed

At about 1:04:55, Pete cites the book’s wondrous last page, as well as the book’s long future “shelf life”

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Please tune in for Episode 271 with Alejandro Heredia, a queer Afro-Dominican writer from The Bronx and winner of the Gold Line Press Fiction Chapbook Contest. His writing has been featured in Teen Vogue, Lambda Literary Review, and elsewhere; His resonant debut novel LOCA has its Pub Day on Feb 11, the day on which the episode airs.

Episode 270 with Jason De León, Author of Soldiers and Kings: 2024's National Book Award for Nonfiction, and Relentless Researcher, Attuned Listener, and Master Storyteller

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