They Thought They Buried Us: An Interview with Author NoNieqa Ramos
In They Thought They Buried Us Yuiza knows every horror movie trope and plotline. But when they receive a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school they must uncover the school’s sinister secrets and try to get out alive.
Today author NoNieqa Ramos joins us to discuss the first spark of this story, genre fiction, and more! Continue reading to download the free discussion guide!
What inspired you to write They Thought They Buried Us?
From a personal perspective, I was inspired to write the novel based on some of my own family history. Dear relatives of mine were subjected to abuse as children while in the care of a Catholic children’s shelter.
From a social justice perspective, I was inspired to write when the scandal of Hollywood actors Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman filled the headlines. Rich parents like them paid to get their children into top-tier schools with fake athletic credentials and entrance exam scores.
Work ethic is so intricately tied to the American dream, especially in marginalized families like mine. Pursuing higher education is viewed as the key to opportunity, success, and the ability to uplift our families and communities. Seeing yet another example of abuse of an already broken system, in a political climate where affirmative action is being attacked, really affected me as a writer, a parent, and an educator. A free, quality education from preschool through higher learning is an essential part of reparations to Black and brown communities, and absolutely essential to equity, democracy, and prosperity for all.
With these perspectives in mind, I wanted to help readers explore these topics through the journey of Yuiza and the other characters—kids trying to navigate a rigged system—and come out the other side of that conversation with a call to imagine and dream a future where education is a human right.
Can you discuss your unique approach to genre?
The book starts out as contemporary realistic fiction. Yuiza is an aspiring horror movie director creating scripts with her friends, when they aren’t navigating their complicated family life. I want readers to enjoy the simmer of family secrets slowly revealed, the tension between best friends separated by opportunity and circumstances, and the relentless love and dedication of Yuiza’s loved ones against all odds.
Gradually, elements of magic realism, dystopia, and horror seep into the story. I want readers to be just as surprised as Yuiza when they realize the real test at Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy is whether they will survive. And the true horror of it all is that the systemic racism described in the book is 100 percent real and continues to plague us in real time.
Kids need optimism and hope. Where is it in your novel?
Yuiza’s mother struggles with mental illness, and the entire family suffers from generational trauma. These are heavy weights. But still they climb, sometimes carrying each other. My novel validates and celebrates the fraught experience many marginalized people have trying to survive and aspiring to thrive in a society built on the foundations of racism.
Where is the hope? Yuiza will come to learn that her constant is the love of her family and true friends. Yuiza’s personal connections are their lifelines. The novel is a call for readers, above all else, to take care of each other.
The most powerful surge of hope comes through the alternative endings. Which ending do readers believe? Can Yuiza and their people recreate their worlds—our world—anew?
Free Educator Resource
This YA novel is filled with unique themes and storytelling techniques. Take a closer look with this discussion guide designed to help readers critically think about Yuiza’s story. Find the guide below or on the Lerner website.
Praise for They Thought They Buried Us
“Fans of horror movies in particular will appreciate this creepy story that centers survival for queer, BIPOC characters in the face of white supremacy.” — Booklist
“[A] messy and heartfelt novel that asks readers to see the world in the eyes of its protagonist to understand them as a person, and to see how the society built around them fails them and others like them every day.” — The Coachella Review
“NoNieqa Ramos crafts a mesmerizing, razor-sharp horror story, spinning an intricate web of secrets, betrayals, biting humor and exacting truth. They Thought They Buried Us will challenge readers and devour hearts.” — Alexandra Villasante, author of The Grief Keeper
“A riveting horror story. . . that reads like a Jordan Peele movie. . . the perfect choice for readers searching for purposeful horror that lingers long after the last page.” — Sandra Proudman, editor of Relit: 16 Latinx Remixes of Classic Stories
Connect with NoNieqa
Raised in the Boogie Down Bronx, NoNieqa Ramos is an educator and literary activist. Their work includes the young adult novels The Disturbed Girl’s Dictionary and The Truth Is, as well as the picture book Hair Story. They believe Halloween is a lifestyle, not a holiday. If you’re in Virginia, you might catch NoNieqa getting motorcycle lessons from their soulmate Michael or going indie bookstore hopping with their preciosos Jandi and Langston. Connect with their works on http://www.nonieqaramos.com or on the Latinx collective http://www.lasmusasbooks.com.
Photo Credit: Joe Fitzgerald
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