New York City, New York Apr 9, 2026 (Issuewire.com) - Rodney Eric López, educator, speaker, and cultural leader, announces that his book, I Don’t Speak Spanish, But I Understand Everything When I’m Dancing!, has become a #1 Amazon bestseller, resonating with readers for its powerful exploration of identity, language, and belonging.
In this compelling social memoir, López shares his experience growing up as a second-generation Puerto Rican in the Bronx, where language became a source of shame rather than connection. What felt like a personal shortcoming—being unable to fully speak Spanish—was, in reality, shaped by larger systems of assimilation and cultural pressure.
Through a blend of personal narrative and cultural analysis, López reframes the “No Sabo” experience, showing that language barriers are not personal failures but structural outcomes. He reveals how Salsa, a cultural art form rooted in the Caribbean diaspora, became his pathway to reclaim identity—serving as a powerful non-verbal language that reconnects him to his heritage.
“This book is for anyone who has ever felt ‘not enough,’” says López. “Your culture is already within you—you just have to learn how to feel it, move with it, and trust it.”
I Don’t Speak Spanish, But I Understand Everything When I’m Dancing! is now available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GV3WKB8V
About the Author
Rodney Eric López is a leader, educator, and speaker with over 25 years of experience in arts, communications, and nonprofit leadership. A Bronx native of Puerto Rican descent, he has held roles in corporate communications, served as Executive Director of Dancing Classrooms, and spent 16 years as Director of the Latin Dance Program at Dance Manhattan.
An NYU graduate and Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholar, López is also the CEO of REL Enterprises and a featured teaching artist in the documentary Mad Hot Ballroom. Through his work, he helps individuals reconnect with identity, culture, and purpose through movement and resilient joy.
Media Contact
Rodney Lopez rodneyericlopez@gmail.com
