As a part of AL DÍA's Diverse Reads event series, author Vanessa Garcia spoke at the Philadelphia Museum of History Thursday night on cultural identity, art and the creative process.

A multidisciplinary artist with experience in play writing, journalism and creative writing, Garcia spoke on her experience writing and creating in different media as well as how she went through the loss of her father while she wrote her latest novel, "White Light." The novel was picked to be on NPR's Best books of 2015 list. She also spoke on her Cuban-American identity and how it shaped her view of the world as well as how it has shaped the way other Cuban-American see the world. 

After performing a live reading of "White Light" she took questions from those present in the audience. 

.@aldiaceo introducing @vanessathekrane at our Diverse Reads event @philahistory. #philly #diversereads pic.twitter.com/G7Fw5RIt8f

— AL DÍA News (@ALDIANews) March 17, 2016

.@vanessathekrane giving a live reading @philahistory of her book "White Light." #diversereads #philly @ALDIAEvents pic.twitter.com/JVRiU68zjp

— AL DÍA News (@ALDIANews) March 17, 2016

.@vanessathekrane on creative uncertainty: "As an artist you have to believe something is going to happen when you put your art out there."

— AL DÍA News (@ALDIANews) March 17, 2016

.@followthelede interviews @vanessathekrane about the creative process at @philahistory. #philly #diversereads pic.twitter.com/sGstVq7Ezm

— AL DÍA News (@ALDIANews) March 17, 2016

Cuban storytelling: I am from a place that for a long time we couldn't go to." All you had were stories. - @vanessathekrane #diversereads

— AL DÍA News (@ALDIANews) March 17, 2016

On writing for broad audiences: We shouldn't just be targeting Latino audiences. It becomes very limiting. - @vanessathekrane

— AL DÍA News (@ALDIANews) March 17, 2016

As a young cuban you speak Spanish at home and you learn everything there is to know about Cuban culture. - @vanessathekrane

— AL DÍA News (@ALDIANews) March 17, 2016

"The process of how you decide what you are going to write about determines how it will be told." - @vanessathekrane

— AL DÍA News (@ALDIANews) March 17, 2016