Growing Up Jewish and Arab in Colombia: Sonia Daccarett

In this episode , we speak with author Sonia Daccarret about her memoir The Roots of a Guava Tree — a deeply personal exploration of childhood, identity, memory, and belonging .

Growing up in Colombia in the 1980s, Sonia reflects on a life shaped by cultural hybridity, political change, and family history — with a Jewish mother and a Christian Palestinian father, and no single religious label to claim . She shares what it meant to come of age during a time of violence and transformation, and how revisiting her past through writing brought clarity, empathy, and peace .

We explore the symbolism of the guava tree, the ethics of writing memoir, the power of inherited stories, and why preserving personal history matters — not just for writers, but for anyone seeking to better understand where they come from .

This is a conversation about roots, memory, migration, and the quiet forces that shape our lives beneath the surface.

In This Episode

• Growing up in Cali during Colombia’s era of change
• Navigating identity across cultures and faiths
• Writing memoir with honesty and ethical care
• The meaning behind The Roots of a Guava Tree
• Why telling family stories preserves legacy and connection

Guest
Sonia Daccarret — Author of The Roots of a Guava Tree
Website: https://www.soniadaccarett.com/

Listen If You Enjoy

• Literary memoir
• Identity, migration, and belonging
• Family stories and cultural history
• Reflective, story-driven conversations

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