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How to Be a Chicana Role Model
From the award-winning author of Chicana Falsa comes a humorous new novel about a young Chicana writer who is struggling to find a way to embrace two very different cultures without losing touch with her own true identity.
240 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2000
13 people are currently reading
655 people want to read
About the author
Michele Serros
11 books43 followersNamed by Newsweek as "A Woman to Watch for in the New Century," Michele Serros is the author of Chicana Falsa and other stories of death, identity and Oxnard, How to be a Chicana Role Model, Honey Blonde Chica, and ¡Scandalosa!
A former staff writer for "The George Lopez Show," Serros has written for the Los Angeles Times, Ms. Magazine, Marie Claire, CosmoGirl, and The Washington Post and contributes satirical commentaries regularly for National Public Radio. An award-winning spoken word artist, she has read her poems to stadium crowds as a national touring "Road Poet" for Lollapalooza, recorded "Selected Stories from Chicana Falsa" for Mercury Records, and was selected by the Poetry Society of America to place her poetry on MTA buses throughout Los Angeles County.
Serros attended Ventura College before moving to Venice, Calif. and enrolling at Santa Monica College. She transferred to the University of California, Los Angeles where she graduated with a degree in Chicana/o Studies cum laude in 1996. "With the so many years I spent in college," Ms. Serros has been known to joke, "I should have three Ph.Ds by now."
via http://www.miralamichele.com/
A former staff writer for "The George Lopez Show," Serros has written for the Los Angeles Times, Ms. Magazine, Marie Claire, CosmoGirl, and The Washington Post and contributes satirical commentaries regularly for National Public Radio. An award-winning spoken word artist, she has read her poems to stadium crowds as a national touring "Road Poet" for Lollapalooza, recorded "Selected Stories from Chicana Falsa" for Mercury Records, and was selected by the Poetry Society of America to place her poetry on MTA buses throughout Los Angeles County.
Serros attended Ventura College before moving to Venice, Calif. and enrolling at Santa Monica College. She transferred to the University of California, Los Angeles where she graduated with a degree in Chicana/o Studies cum laude in 1996. "With the so many years I spent in college," Ms. Serros has been known to joke, "I should have three Ph.Ds by now."
via http://www.miralamichele.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
October 26, 2016
Oh, Michele, you left us too soon. In your brief life, though, you were a terrific writer and a Chicana role model.
These vignettes are entertaining and funny, though some (e.g. Role Model Rule Number 11) are slighter than others. Of course I can relate to so much of what she writes about. Aside from the cultural issues, I also appreciate her commentary on performing for audiences as an author. Very funny.
These vignettes are entertaining and funny, though some (e.g. Role Model Rule Number 11) are slighter than others. Of course I can relate to so much of what she writes about. Aside from the cultural issues, I also appreciate her commentary on performing for audiences as an author. Very funny.
February 18, 2015
Reviewed by: Sandra
A Latina Book Club
Review: This is a collection of fiction from a strong, witty, and intelligent chicana writer. In these rules, Michele Serros writes about being a “chicana role model” based on tales and experiences.
Rule #1: “Never Give up an Opportunity to Eat for Free” because, if you do, you never know who you might meet, like a publisher maybe.
With her cynical humor, Serros reminds you “of how detoured a career can go and what a waste a college degree could be [because] everyone knows you’re around just to separate Sweet n’ Low from sugar, take phone messages, or tape off seats in the studio audience.” (27) However, for Serros, “writing granted [her] freedom…it gave voice to all the opinions [she] was too afraid to say out loud for fear of sounding unladylike or babyish by family members, classmates, or stupid neighbor[s].” (41)
I loved this book! This was a true road map for the frustrated and relentless author. Written in a diary-entry format, Serros relives her days as a young aspiring writer from the days she sold books out of her garage to the numerous times she called regarding an honorarium for a gig—a real inspiration for many of us!
As her father used to say, “you know…all the Latinos in this country, heading political offices and creating careers with dishwater hands, but you never hear our stories, see our lives on the big screen.” (71) “Being Mexican, [we grow] up to understand that missing work is bad. Very bad. A Mexican without a strong work ethic? Come on!” (94) Serros’ book is a humorous testament to the hard-working Latinos, the largest minority in the U.S.
Rule #8: “Reclaim your Right as a Citizen of Here, Here”
I saw a lot of myself in this book. Michele’s study abroad experience reminded me of my own. Getting lost on the way to a live reading has never been unusual for me. Been there, done that, still doing it!
This book is just an open and honest account from the Mexican-American writer with the Indian-looking nose. A must read!
A Latina Book Club
Review: This is a collection of fiction from a strong, witty, and intelligent chicana writer. In these rules, Michele Serros writes about being a “chicana role model” based on tales and experiences.
Rule #1: “Never Give up an Opportunity to Eat for Free” because, if you do, you never know who you might meet, like a publisher maybe.
With her cynical humor, Serros reminds you “of how detoured a career can go and what a waste a college degree could be [because] everyone knows you’re around just to separate Sweet n’ Low from sugar, take phone messages, or tape off seats in the studio audience.” (27) However, for Serros, “writing granted [her] freedom…it gave voice to all the opinions [she] was too afraid to say out loud for fear of sounding unladylike or babyish by family members, classmates, or stupid neighbor[s].” (41)
I loved this book! This was a true road map for the frustrated and relentless author. Written in a diary-entry format, Serros relives her days as a young aspiring writer from the days she sold books out of her garage to the numerous times she called regarding an honorarium for a gig—a real inspiration for many of us!
As her father used to say, “you know…all the Latinos in this country, heading political offices and creating careers with dishwater hands, but you never hear our stories, see our lives on the big screen.” (71) “Being Mexican, [we grow] up to understand that missing work is bad. Very bad. A Mexican without a strong work ethic? Come on!” (94) Serros’ book is a humorous testament to the hard-working Latinos, the largest minority in the U.S.
Rule #8: “Reclaim your Right as a Citizen of Here, Here”
I saw a lot of myself in this book. Michele’s study abroad experience reminded me of my own. Getting lost on the way to a live reading has never been unusual for me. Been there, done that, still doing it!
This book is just an open and honest account from the Mexican-American writer with the Indian-looking nose. A must read!
April 27, 2013
I liked the beginning of this book a lot--I smiled a lot, I laughed out loud several times, and sometimes I just had to cry with Michele.
The second half got kind of boring to me--I guess because it wasn't like "omg, I can totally relate!" anymore, and I know that's petty to say, but I rate books by how much I enjoy them and not really "merit" or "how outstanding they are," or form or whatever. It seemed a little dated sometimes (I feel awful saying that, but it just made me not enjoy it).
I guess that's it: I liked a lot of parts, loved some, loved some more, and some made me go "Ugh, do I really have to read this? What happened to this book?"
Can you only enjoy this book if you can relate to it? I wonder. Anyway, I'd definitely use some of her essays in my classroom!
Note: I think that if I was a struggling poet/writer, I would have liked the whole book--I guess this means that I just feel awful saying that I don't love all of it :) Okay, I get it, I guess many parts just didn't appeal to me! There, I said it! I'd recommend this book if you select what you read and don't feel obligated to read all of it--I always have to finish a book from beginning to end because I feel like a cheat not doing so!
The second half got kind of boring to me--I guess because it wasn't like "omg, I can totally relate!" anymore, and I know that's petty to say, but I rate books by how much I enjoy them and not really "merit" or "how outstanding they are," or form or whatever. It seemed a little dated sometimes (I feel awful saying that, but it just made me not enjoy it).
I guess that's it: I liked a lot of parts, loved some, loved some more, and some made me go "Ugh, do I really have to read this? What happened to this book?"
Can you only enjoy this book if you can relate to it? I wonder. Anyway, I'd definitely use some of her essays in my classroom!
Note: I think that if I was a struggling poet/writer, I would have liked the whole book--I guess this means that I just feel awful saying that I don't love all of it :) Okay, I get it, I guess many parts just didn't appeal to me! There, I said it! I'd recommend this book if you select what you read and don't feel obligated to read all of it--I always have to finish a book from beginning to end because I feel like a cheat not doing so!
January 13, 2022
This novel is a piece of fiction, but it definitely feels as if it draws heavily from Michele Serros’ real life. The protagonist, also Michele Serros, shares a series of events and experiences from her life that are loosely tied together by her hopes of becoming a successful writer and a Chicana role model.
I really enjoyed Serros’ writing, which was usually humorous and quick witted. Most of the book was funny and that made for a pleasurable read. Even when dealing with some heavier topics such as racism, poverty, anxiety, and self-doubt, Serros maintained a fun banter which helped the book speed along at an enjoyable pace. I should however say that Serros did a good job finding other emotional levels, at times such as when she discussed the loss of her mother. That chapter is a tear-jerker.
As a Mexican-American myself, I found a lot of her anecdotes either relatable directly or through the experiences my parents and their generation have shared with me. As I’ve become older, I’ve done more to try and find representation in some more of what I read and watch, so it was great to add a worthy book to the list.
I won’t say How to Be a Chicana Role Model is a must read novel, but if you’re ever looking for a quick, fun, light read, it should fill that role (model) nicely.
I really enjoyed Serros’ writing, which was usually humorous and quick witted. Most of the book was funny and that made for a pleasurable read. Even when dealing with some heavier topics such as racism, poverty, anxiety, and self-doubt, Serros maintained a fun banter which helped the book speed along at an enjoyable pace. I should however say that Serros did a good job finding other emotional levels, at times such as when she discussed the loss of her mother. That chapter is a tear-jerker.
As a Mexican-American myself, I found a lot of her anecdotes either relatable directly or through the experiences my parents and their generation have shared with me. As I’ve become older, I’ve done more to try and find representation in some more of what I read and watch, so it was great to add a worthy book to the list.
I won’t say How to Be a Chicana Role Model is a must read novel, but if you’re ever looking for a quick, fun, light read, it should fill that role (model) nicely.
May 14, 2019
3.5 stars.
How To Be a Chicana Role Model is categorized as a novel, though I wouldn't blame you if you couldn't detect that. Michele Serros's protagonist bears her name and faces life events often taken directly out of her own life. Through a series of vignettes, Serros details her life, and two noticeable themes predominantly stick out: 1) Who is she as a writer? and 2) What does it mean to be Chicana?
I felt like this book should have stood out to me more because it worked on almost every level for me - I think it just had something lacking to tie everything together. It was an unusual experience to go through vignettes that were loosely tied together through references to subject matter or chapter titles, but it still didn't feel connected in a sense.
Still, this was a quick, easy, and very funny read. The first half of this book was the standout for me, and the "Let's Go Mexico!" chapter really hit home for me. If nothing else, Michele Serros will forever have a place in my heart for acutely capturing the feelings of Latinas who are not secure in their Spanish (especially the times when you should be).
How To Be a Chicana Role Model is categorized as a novel, though I wouldn't blame you if you couldn't detect that. Michele Serros's protagonist bears her name and faces life events often taken directly out of her own life. Through a series of vignettes, Serros details her life, and two noticeable themes predominantly stick out: 1) Who is she as a writer? and 2) What does it mean to be Chicana?
I felt like this book should have stood out to me more because it worked on almost every level for me - I think it just had something lacking to tie everything together. It was an unusual experience to go through vignettes that were loosely tied together through references to subject matter or chapter titles, but it still didn't feel connected in a sense.
Still, this was a quick, easy, and very funny read. The first half of this book was the standout for me, and the "Let's Go Mexico!" chapter really hit home for me. If nothing else, Michele Serros will forever have a place in my heart for acutely capturing the feelings of Latinas who are not secure in their Spanish (especially the times when you should be).
February 12, 2012
How to Be a Chicana Role Model is full of biting wit, humor, and wonderful stories that really paint a picture of the character's life. It's not a traditional read in the sense of "here's the plot. Here's the rising action and the climax. Here's the conclusion." No, it's not that kind of read, so if you're looking for that--go elsewhere. This is more like an informal letter where you, the reader, feel like you're privy to this character's thoughts. You get some gossip. You get some cold hard facts about what it means to be Latina in a world where color lines are more visible than they should be. You also get a beautiful picture of this character as a human being--where you the reader are able to connect regardless of the color of your skin, because when you're reading it you recognize the character as beautifully human--full of flaws, ego, and capable of great things.
This is a delightful book and a quick read. I definitely recommend it
This is a delightful book and a quick read. I definitely recommend it
March 13, 2017
I'm not sure I've ever used the phrase, "A delight to read" about any book besides a kid's book, but for some reason it comes to mind after finishing this book.
Which doesn't really make sense, since this novel tackles a lot of serious issues. The issue of asking someone where they're from and not accepting, "Here," as an answer just because they're not white, or falling into a certain stereotype or career because of their skin color. There's also a lot of great stuff about trying to make it as writer, which honestly is what made me the most sympathetic and interested in the story.
But there's so much humor throughout, and Michele Serros definitely seems like someone I would like (but also be intimidated by).
Which doesn't really make sense, since this novel tackles a lot of serious issues. The issue of asking someone where they're from and not accepting, "Here," as an answer just because they're not white, or falling into a certain stereotype or career because of their skin color. There's also a lot of great stuff about trying to make it as writer, which honestly is what made me the most sympathetic and interested in the story.
But there's so much humor throughout, and Michele Serros definitely seems like someone I would like (but also be intimidated by).
October 1, 2011
I really wanted to like this book, especially after a friend recommended it so highly, but I just found it painfully boring, dated, and uninspired. Serros does write in an authentic Chicana voice, but the prose is constantly interrupted by the clumsy and unnecessary addition of "concrete details". I can hear her college creative writing professor drilling Strunk & White's Elements of Style into her head ("Don't just say you stopped for coffee: tell us where you stopped and what you ordered!") Ugh. It's an easy read though, didn't take up too much of my time.
November 14, 2011
Serros' book is a refreshing retelling of the Mexican American's story and cultural struggle in America. She attacks the subject with her fervor of humor and enlightens the audience on what it takes to be a Role Model for Chicanos everywhere, while vehemently emphasizing that she's human too and quite capable of making many mistakes along the way.
I'm definitely grabbing a copy of my own soon. And would love to read more of her work.
I'm definitely grabbing a copy of my own soon. And would love to read more of her work.
January 8, 2010
The author recalls different snapshots of her life to identify what it takes to be a Chicana Role Model. Some of the stories are humorous but I expected more. Coincidentally, the author grew up in the same area as my husband so I was familiar with her reference to different parts of the city.
August 30, 2017
Este libro no se me hizo la gran cosa, no me sorprendió y hasta me aburrió en algunos capítulos pero tampoco fue taaaan malo
Para mi es un libro que puedes leer en un domingo aburrido o si simplemente ya no tienes nada que leer, este libro es perfecto para esa situación.
Para mi es un libro que puedes leer en un domingo aburrido o si simplemente ya no tienes nada que leer, este libro es perfecto para esa situación.
December 19, 2008
all's i have to say is 'respect the 1%.'
June 27, 2007
this is too funny; makes you feel good when you are feeling blue.
November 20, 2007
this is a humorous book relaying experiences of a Chicana woman.
February 23, 2008
This book was really funny. Especially the stories of when she was an assistant to the fly girls from "in living color", one of who ended up being Jennifer Lopez. Priceless!
March 18, 2008
funny and fast read
June 20, 2008
This book was hilarious. I love her writing style and the stories she tells mimic stories from my own childhood and teen years.
August 4, 2008
Michele Serros, a leader in Chicana Lit! I really enjoyed this book, as a hispanic woman, it's one I can really relate to.
June 28, 2009
hilariously raw
August 31, 2011
I didn't love it.
July 1, 2013
I love Michelle Serros...witty, truth teller and for me, I could relate to it all. Thank you Michelle!
September 15, 2017
I found this book's semi-erratic jumps in time hard to follow. But it offers such a distinct look at that slam poetry period in the 90s that it was a joy to read. Quick.
February 27, 2018
Really funny and still incredibly relevant. We lost an authentic voice. RIP Michele.
September 20, 2018
Hilarious and heart warming
November 8, 2018
Easy and entertaining read. Had it’s share of humorous and emotional moments. The author has a great voice.
July 22, 2021
I picked this up at a used bookstore because the woman on the cover looks like a dEliA*s model. Reading it was like opening a little time capsule from the year 2000 and also it was hilarious.
March 26, 2022
I have stronger memories of some of the poetry in Chicana Falsa, but this is my favorite Serros book--more unified and engaging. Can't wait to teach it in the coming years!
July 26, 2023
I thought Serros was witty and funny. I really enjoyed her stories.
June 29, 2025
so good, depressed it’s out of print
January 7, 2017
Book was disjointed-- not a clear point made-- random stories-- many funny and interesting to read-- but the book lacked overall coherence.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews