Elmont author gives away novel copies at Argo Civic Association fundraiser

Change, courage, betrayal — explore the journey of survival, pain and secrets of an immigrant in historical fiction novel “Beneath the Golden Mango Tree.”

Utricia Charles, an Elmont resident of 19 years, had her first novel “Beneath the Golden Mango Tree” published in 2009 under the pen name Trish St. Hill. The pen name originated from peers who call her Trish and her mother’s maiden name of St. Hill.

Community members will be able to grab a copy of “Beneath the Golden Mango Tree” at the book signing and meet-and-greet at the Belmont Café in Belmont Park on Nov. 11 from 1-4 p.m. As president of the Argo Civic Association, Charles will donate 120 copies of the novel.

The cost to attend the fundraiser is $25 per person, and food and drinks are included in the fee.

“We’re going to talk about the publishing and writing business, and hopefully people come out in the community and support and we get to raise some money for the civic,” Charles said.

Elmont residents can join the Argo Civic Association for $25 and receive a complimentary copy of “Beneath the Golden Mango Tree” at the fundraiser. Members already registered with the civic association will not have to pay for their copy as it is a complimentary copy with membership.

Residents can also join the civic association and purchase their membership online at ArgoCivic.com. Businesses can join the association for $40 and can have the chance to display an ad on ArgoCivic.com as a sponsor.

To support the civic associations fundraiser, anyone can donate to the association’s website and all are welcome to buy a copy of the book for $25 at the Nov. 11 event.

“The goal is to get people to join the civic and to raise funds for the civic,” Charles said.

The coming-of-age novel “Beneath the Golden Mango Tree” explores the journey of Felicia, a West Indian-born immigrant who struggles with assimilation and embracing her Garifuna heritage in the melting pot of Brooklyn. Charles herself immigrated to the United States in 1979 from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, similar to Felicia’s character.

The novel is a part of a historical fiction trilogy, with second novel “Beyond the Mango’s Shade” published in 2010 and final installation “Tears of Exile” published in 2015.

She said people often mix up the character of Felicia and herself, since some personal experiences were injected into the character, and ask if the story is autobiographical — which it is not.

“I don’t know about America before 1979, so I wrote what I know,” Charles said. “I know about coming here. I know about being a nanny. I know about working and having my friends who nanny in the area, we’re taking a bus to New Jersey — I know about that stuff because I went through it.”

There are many situations in the book that have historical context that Charles said she can relate to.

In the late 18th century, the Garifuna people were exiled from St. Vincent and the Grenadines and those who were left behind lost their language and culture, Charles said. Over the past 12 years, she has gone back to the country several times to bring people who have retained the culture and language to teach the youth.

“Now, a lot of the young people can speak conversational Garifuna,” she said.

Since 2011, Charles and the teachers have gone to St. Vincent and the Grenadines to teach the music, language, dancing and drumming to the youth here.

“That language is now, not fully back, but at least a lot of young people are going around performing, they know how to speak (conversational) Garifuna,” Charles said.

While Charles has not been able to go back to St. Vincent and the Grenadines since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, she still holds Zoom meetings for the 200 children who attend the camp to learn about the Garifuna culture.