In Conversation: Eugene Rodriguez and Robert Mailer Anderson

Join writers Eugene Rodriguez and Robert Mailer Anderson for an evening of conversation and music in Mechanics’ Institute’s historic library space. The discussion will be followed by audience Q&A and book signing.

Praise for Bird of Four Hundred Voices: A Mexican American Memoir of Music and Belonging:

“I wish I had studied with Eugene Rodrigeuz when I was growing up. Read this beautifully written book about culture, identity and resilience, and you will know why.” — Linda Ronstadt

Praise for My Fairy Godfather:

"Beautiful, wickedly funny, and, above all, joyous...destined to become a classic!" — Andrew Sean Greer, 2018 Pulitzer Prize winner for Less

About the Speakers

Eugene Rodriguez is founder and executive director of Los Cenzontles Cultural Arts Academy, a nonprofit based in San Pablo, California. Rodriguez has produced over thirty albums and numerous films for Los Cenzontles, and he has collaborated with Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, Los Lobos, Lalo Guerrero, Ry Cooder, the Chieftains, and Taj Mahal. His work has been featured in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and NPR. He is the author of Bird of Four Hundred Voices: A Mexican American Memoir of Music and Belonging. Photo credit Mike Melnyk

Robert Mailer Anderson is a writer, producer, activist, father of four, and 9th generation Californio. He was born in San Francisco and graduated high school in Boonville. His latest graphic novel, My Fairy Godfather (2004 Fantagraphics) is dedicated to The Castro Theater. He is also the author of the novel Boonville, co-writer/producer of the films Windows on the World (also a graphic novel) and the cult horror classic Pig Hunt. He was appointed by Governor Newsom to the California Humanities Board in 2020, is a board member of PEN Oakland, and on the advisory board of Los Cenzontles. As a music producer, he has been nominated for three Grammy Awards and won two NAACP Image Awards.