Harlem-born Dominican/American author, Raquel Cepeda, traces the roots of her bio-genetic makeup in her latest work, Bird of Paradise: How I Became Latina. The autobiographic piece follows Cepeda's chaotic family upbringing and her yearning to literally identify who she was and where she came from. Embracing both Hip-Hop and the New York City streets of Uptown Manhattan the once "lost" child of the inner city manages to pick herself up and put together the puzzle that is her DNA and history. The book drops March 5, 2012 and can be pre-ordered here. Oh, and there's even a coupon for 10% off of an ancestral DNA kit of your choice so readers can trace their history as well!

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