Xochitl Gonzalez Explores a Changing Fort Greene in 'Last Night in Brooklyn'

In this episode of All of It, host Alison Stewart interviews author Xochitl Gonzalez about her latest novel, Last Night in Brooklyn, set in 2007 Fort Greene during a moment of cultural and economic transformation. The story follows Alicia, a 26-year-old woman of Puerto Rican and African-American heritage, who returns to Brooklyn to save money for her wedding while her fiancé studies medicine in Syracuse. As she navigates her changing neighborhood, Alicia becomes entangled in a complex web of class, identity, and desire, drawn to the magnetic presence of Mateo and the enigmatic La Garza. Gonzalez explores themes of gentrification, racial and class elitism within communities of color, and the elusive American dream through a Gatsby-inspired narrative. The novel reflects on how personal and communal histories are shaped by displacement, privilege, and the illusion of upward mobility. The conversation reveals how the book is both a love letter to a lost Brooklyn and a critical examination of the cost of reinvention. Gonzalez shares her personal connection to the era, describing 2007 as a time of collective optimism and economic euphoria, before the full impact of real estate speculation and cultural commodification. She discusses the internal conflicts of her protagonist—caught between her mother’s longing for respectability, her father’s distant privilege, and her own evolving sense of self. The episode also delves into the duality of characters like La Garza (public persona) and Gigi (private self), illustrating how women often perform identity to survive in competitive spaces. Ultimately, the novel resists tidy resolutions, embracing a bittersweet conclusion that mirrors the impermanence of Brooklyn’s shifting soul. The discussion underscores the importance of storytelling as a tool for understanding social change and personal transformation.