Meet Award-Winning Author Dennis Garcia: Las Madres, a Story of Inspiration and Hope

Award-winning author Dennis Garcia will return to Kansas on September 26 for the Kansas Book Festival

TOPEKA, KS, UNITED STATES, September 8, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Award-winning author Dennis Garcia will return to Kansas on September 26 for the Kansas Book Festival at Washburn University, where he will share the family history and research behind Las Madres: Latinas in the Heartland Who Led Their Family to Success. Garcia will participate in the 2 p.m. Family Research and Remembrance panel and will also meet readers and sign copies of the book throughout the festival.

Las Madres is based on a true story centered on three generations of women who, despite poverty, racism, and hardship, built an extended family enriched by culture, hard work, faith, and education. The book traces their lives against a historical backdrop stretching from the Mexican Revolution to the experiences of Mexican American railroad families across the Midwest. It is an empowering story of hope and perseverance, told through everyday lives that required extraordinary character.

Las Madres was named a 2025 Kansas Notable Book by the State Library of Kansas. It also received three International Latino Book Awards: the Dolores Huerta Gold Medal for Best Culture & Community Themed Book, the Mimi Lozano Gold Medal for Best Family History Book, and a Bronze Medal for Most Inspirational Nonfiction Book.

“Returning to Kansas with Las Madres is especially meaningful because so much of my family’s history is rooted there,” Garcia said. “The book grew out of family memories, conversations, photographs, and records that helped me better understand the lives of the women who came before me. I’m looking forward to sharing some of that process and talking about why preserving family history matters.”

Event Details
What: 15th Annual Kansas Book Festival
Where: Family Research and Remembrance Author Panel, Room 120, Washburn Library, Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas
When: 2:00 p.m., September 26, 2026

Book Details
Title: Las Madres: Latinas in the Heartland Who Led Their Family to Success
Author: Dennis R. Garcia
Order Now:
🔗 University Press of Kansas
🔗 Your favorite online bookstore
Available in ebook, paperback, and hardback formats: ISBN-13:9780700637980

About the Author
Dennis Raphael Garcia, AWA, is a retired attorney, educator, and an acclaimed storyteller. With degrees from the University of New Mexico and the University of Kansas School of Law, Garcia’s legal practice included civil and criminal law, and serving as a Judge Pro Tem. His writing captures the spirit of immigrant life in America, with Las Madres highlighting his family’s incredible journey and paying tribute to Latina resilience.

For more information about Garcia, his books, and tour dates, visit www.dennisraphaelgarcia.com. Garcia is available for interviews and speaking engagements.

Veronica V Sopher
VV Sopher LLC
veronica@veronicavsopher.com