Ana Shitara

Ana Shitara was born in São Paulo; she has a Bachelor of Letters and a Masters in Education from the University of São Paulo (USP). A mother, teacher, and lover of literature, she has lived surrounded by books for as long as she remembers. She used to tell her mother that they were her most patient friends because they would repeat the same story over and over again without getting tired. Today, she tells her children that books are great friends to help us understand who we are and to help us dream. And today's dream is to ensure that the voices of women of East Asian descent are heard, as they've had so little representation in the country where their ancestors arrived more than a century ago. She strives to make visible the invisible.

Updated September 2021

Stories from This Author

Nikkei Chronicles #10—Nikkei Generations: Connecting Families & Communities

Ojiichans

Sept. 14, 2021 • Ana Shitara

There was a time when we drank soft drinks out of glass bottles. Before the reckless use of disposable plastic, you went to the beverage supplier with a crate filled with empty containers and exchanged them for full bottles. My grandfather always bought the individual green bottles of guarana, leaving them in the fridge while waiting for the visit of his grandchildren. The hissing sound of the carbonation as the bottle opener removed the cap still takes me back to …