LatinX Audio Lit Mag

If you write about family that's still living, do you still get to go to the family reunions? Can you really put pomegranate seeds in tacos and retain your Mexican license? Get the answer to these hard-hitting questions in this episode of Latinx Lit Audio Mag. Roy Conboy is a Mixed Blood Latino/Irish/Indigenous writer and teacher who's poetic plays have been seen in the struggling black boxes on the edges of the mainstream theatre in Los Angeles, Santa Ana, San Francisco, San Antonio, Denver, and more; and whose musical plays for young people have toured extensively in California.  His poetry has been seen in Green Hills Literary Lantern, Orphic Lute, Third Estate's Quaranzine, Freshwater Literary Journal, New American Writing, and featured on Latinx Lit Magazine's podcast.  His poetic radio drama Hue can be heard online at Barewire Theatre Company.  As an educator he taught for 35 years, including three decades as the head of the San Francisco State University playwrighting program where he created multiple programs that gave thousands of students of diverse ethnicities, genders, and backgrounds a place to find and raise their voices. Check out his work at royconboy.net.

Roy's poem Tia Mary combines playfulness and poignancy in one beautiful punch. Roy Conboy is a Mixed Blood Latino/Irish/Indigenous writer and teacher who's poetic plays have been seen in the struggling black boxes on the edges of the mainstream theatre in Los Angeles, Santa Ana, San Francisco, San Antonio, Denver, and more; and whose musical plays for young people have toured extensively in California.  His poetry has been seen in Green Hills Literary Lantern, Orphic Lute, Third Estate's Quaranzine, Freshwater Literary Journal, New American Writing, and featured on the Latinx Lit  podcast.  His poetic radio drama Hue can be heard online at Barewire Theatre Company.  As an educator he taught for 35 years, including three decades as the head of the San Francisco State University playwrighting program where he created multiple programs that gave thousands of students of diverse ethnicities, genders, and backgrounds a place to find and raise their voices. You can catch his work at royconboy.net

Do the people who don't claim you have any right to decide who you are? Check out this behind the scenes with Kate Johnstun as he shares his family story and identity. Kase Johnston is an award-winning novelist, essayist, and memoirist. He lives in Ogden, Utah, with his small family, and is on the board of Label Me Latina/o literary journal — just a writer who has been grappling with identity his whole life. Author: 'Cast Away' (forthcoming from Torrey House Press, 2024). You can buy the new book now!⁠⁠ https://www.torreyhouse.org/let-the-wild-grasses-grow ⁠ 'Let the Wild Grasses Grow' (Torrey House Press, 2021), Finalist High Plains Book Award, Fiction, 2022, Women's National Book Association Great Group Read 2022 And 'Beyond the Grip of Craniosynostosis (McFarland & Co, 2015), Winner of the 2015 Gold Quill, League of Utah Writers Co author/editor: Utah Reflections: Stories from the Wasatch Front (History Press, 2014) Host, The LITerally Podcast - ⁠http://www.thebanyancollective.com/literally/⁠  

"By the time I was old enough to know, they only spoke in Spanish when they fought or when they swore. Then he would lift his hand and spin his finger around, directing me to dance while the first chords of La Cucaracha sang from his guitar. “La cucaracha y no puedo caminar.” And he always sang the version that included “marijuana que fumar,” and he would get another side glance and laugh from grandma. Growing up, I thought this was the original and only version of the song. I had to look it up years later to learn that it has been around for decades but it's not the version most grandfathers teach their grandchildren. With this, for my grandpa Cordova, was par for the course on just about everything he taught us. If there was a dirty version of a song or a joke, that's the one we heard." Kase Johnston is an award-winning novelist, essayist, and memoirist. He lives in Ogden, Utah, with his small family, and is on the board of Label Me Latina/o literary journal — just a writer who has been grappling with identity his whole life. Author: 'Cast Away' (forthcoming from Torrey House Press, 2024). You can buy the new book now!⁠ https://www.torreyhouse.org/let-the-wild-grasses-grow 'Let the Wild Grasses Grow' (Torrey House Press, 2021), Finalist High Plains Book Award, Fiction, 2022, Women's National Book Association Great Group Read 2022 And 'Beyond the Grip of Craniosynostosis (McFarland & Co, 2015), Winner of the 2015 Gold Quill, League of Utah Writers Co author/editor: Utah Reflections: Stories from the Wasatch Front (History Press, 2014)Host, The LITerally Podcast - http://www.thebanyancollective.com/literally/

Can Alfredo Pasta really cure the blues? And is a national anthem just a cringey throwback to different times? Get the answers to these questions and more in this week's Behind the Scenes with Luna Vallejo. Luna Vallejo is a 17-year-old writer who hails from Staten Island, New York with Mexican and Honduran roots. Luna is the founder and editor-in-chief of Neverland Lit, an international youth literary magazine that strives to amplify the voices of marginalized and emerging writers. When she's not writing, you can find her listening to Lorde, stargazing, and re-reading Anthony Doerr novels.

"The Star-Spangled Banner Is more than just a national anthem, it's the sanctified song millions of immigrants sing under their breath as their brittle backbones bend over strawberry fields slick with dew to convince themselves that America can still see their silhouettes even when their sandpaper skin isn't drenched in the dawn's early light..." Luna Vallejo is a 17-year-old writer who hails from Staten Island, New York with Mexican and Honduran roots. Luna is the founder and editor-in-chief of Neverland Lit, an international youth literary magazine that strives to amplify the voices of marginalized and emerging writers. When she's not writing, you can find her listening to Lorde, stargazing, and re-reading Anthony Doerr novels.

What is a Rodeo Queen, and does it come with a golden lasso like Wonder Woman gets? Tune in to get the answer to this hard-hitting question and more as we take a deep dive into the world of Breaking Pattern. Buy Breaking Pattern from Inlandia Books and Barnes and Noble BIO: Chicana Feminist and former Rodeo Queen, Tisha Marie Reichle-Aguilera (she/her) writes so the desert landscape of her childhood can be heard as loudly as the urban chaos of her adulthood. She is obsessed with food. A former high school teacher, she earned an MFA at Antioch University Los Angeles and a PhD in Creative Writing and Literature at the University of Southern California. Her fiction has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, Best Microfiction, and is spotlighted in Best Small Fictions 2022. Her short stories have been anthologized in Rural Writers of Color (EastOver Press 2023), Made in L.A. Volume 4 and 5 (Resonant Earth 2022 and 2023), Ramblings & Reflections: SouthWest Writers Winning Words Anthology, and Puro Chicanx Writers of the 21st Century. Her play Blind Thrust Fault was featured in Center Theater Group Writers' Workshop Festival 2022 and her young adult novel Breaking Pattern is forthcoming from Inlandia Books. She is a Macondista and works for literary equity through Women Who Submit. You can read her other work at http://tishareichle.com/

Adriana Elizabeth Herrera Bowen loves horses more than people and lives for junior rodeo competitions. For the first time, the All-Around Cowgirl saddle is within her reach. Except her old gray mare, Pearl, isn't as fast as she used to be, and another competitor has her eye on the same prize. So Adriana needs a faster horse. Is she willing to jeopardize her friendships and vet school dreams to win? Not if her parents have anything to say about it. Buy Breaking Pattern from Inlandia Books and Barnes and Noble BIO: Chicana Feminist and former Rodeo Queen, Tisha Marie Reichle-Aguilera (she/her) writes so the desert landscape of her childhood can be heard as loudly as the urban chaos of her adulthood. She is obsessed with food. A former high school teacher, she earned an MFA at Antioch University Los Angeles and a PhD in Creative Writing and Literature at the University of Southern California. Her fiction has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, Best Microfiction, and is spotlighted in Best Small Fictions 2022. Her short stories have been anthologized in Rural Writers of Color (EastOver Press 2023), Made in L.A. Volume 4 and 5 (Resonant Earth 2022 and 2023), Ramblings & Reflections: SouthWest Writers Winning Words Anthology, and Puro Chicanx Writers of the 21st Century. Her play Blind Thrust Fault was featured in Center Theater Group Writers' Workshop Festival 2022 and her young adult novel Breaking Pattern is forthcoming from Inlandia Books. She is a Macondista and works for literary equity through Women Who Submit. You can read her other work at http://tishareichle.com/

In today's episode, Jessey Munoz shows us that you don't need a lot to have a happy childhood. And sometimes a pot of beans on the stove can be magical. Jessey Munoz is a retired teacher.  He loves poetry, writing and his Mexican-American culture. He often writes about family experiences.  He lives in Texas with his wife, Patricia.   You can find Jessey's books 'Circle of Twelve: Mom Commanded the Wind, Dad the Land'; 'I Saw it All: Grandma's Account of the Big Bad Wolf Story', and 'Hidden Enemy— PTSD: A Puzzle Piece that Does Not Fit' on ⁠Amazon⁠.

Do you remember when you thought finding a quarter made you rich? In this poem, Jesse Munoz takes us back to a simpler time. Jessey Munoz is a retired teacher.  He loves poetry, writing and his Mexican-American culture. He often writes about family experiences.  He lives in Texas with his wife, Patricia.  of— PTSD: A Puzzle Piece that Does Not Fit' on Amazon.

What an amazing Fourth Season! If you haven't had a chance to listen to the beautiful stories and poems over the last four seasons, then this is the perfect time to catch up. LatinxLit will be reading and recording submissions all summer long, and come back in September ready to rock your world. We can't wait to show you the magic. Have a great summer.

Mother's Day just passed, and we're celebrating it the Latinx Lit Audio Mag way, with a prose poem about a mother that is both beautiful and sad. Listen as David takes us through the writing of this one and how he navigated writing through grief. David Estringel is a Xicanx writer/poet with works published in literary publications, such as The Opiate, Azahares, Cephalorpress, Lahar, Poetry Ni, DREICH, Somos En Escrito, Ethel, The Milk House, Beir Bua Journal, and The Blue Nib. His first collection of poetry and short fiction Indelible Fingerprints was published April 2019, followed Blood Honey and Cold Comfort House in 2022, little punctures in 2023, and Blind Turns in the Kitchen Sink (scheduled for publication in 2024). David has written six poetry chapbooks, Punctures, PeripherieS, Eating Pears on the Rooftop, Golden Calves Blue, and Sour Grapes. Connect with David on Twitter⁠@The_Booky_Man⁠ and his website ⁠www.davidaestringel.com⁠. 

"Long has it been since I've heard...The thump…thump…thump of black stone on black stone—the molcajete—mashing cumino seeds, granos de pimiento negra, and cloves of garlic—with snaps and pops—into glorious salves that staved off hungers, deep and brash." David Estringel is a Xicanx writer/poet with works published in literary publications, such as The Opiate, Azahares, Cephalorpress, Lahar, Poetry Ni, DREICH, Somos En Escrito, Ethel, The Milk House, Beir Bua Journal, and The Blue Nib. His first collection of poetry and short fiction Indelible Fingerprints was published April 2019, followed Blood Honey and Cold Comfort House in 2022, little punctures in 2023, and Blind Turns in the Kitchen Sink (scheduled for publication in 2024). David has written six poetry chapbooks, Punctures, PeripherieS, Eating Pears on the Rooftop, Golden Calves Blue, and Sour Grapes. Connect with David on Twitter@The_Booky_Man and his website www.davidaestringel.com. 

Latina Muslims are the fastest-growing ethnic group in Islam. However, many of the conversations surrounding Latinas and Muslims often don't include the intersection of these groups. In today's episode, Evelyn Alsultany will discuss her book Broken: The Failed Promise of Muslim Inclusion (2022), which was listed as one of the 10 best scholarly books of 2022 by The Chronicle of Higher Education and was a finalist for the Association of American Publishers' Prose Award.    Evelyn Alsultany is a Professor in the Department of American Studies and Ethnicity at the University of Southern California's Dornsife College and author of Arabs and Muslims in the Media: Race and Representation after 9/11. She is the co-author of Arab and Arab American Feminisms: Gender, Violence, and Belonging and Between the Middle East and the Americas: The Cultural Politics of Diaspora. As a leading expert on the history of representations of Arabs and Muslims in the US media, she co-authored the Obeidi-Alsultany Test to help Hollywood improve representations of Muslims and serves as a consultant for Hollywood studios.

In this episode, Samantha tackles the question: what can wealth mean to a creative in a capitalistic society? We also talk about the wonder of the neighborhood tamale seller. Warning: this episode might make you want tamales. Samantha is a lesbian Chicana poet from East LA. She began writing short stories when she was six and grew to love poetry throughout her educational career. She is a current student at UC Berkeley earning her BA in Chicanx & Latinx Studies. Samantha hopes to work with teens from her community to combat violence through artistic expression, such as poetry, digital art, and photography. You can follow along Samantha's artistic journey on Instagram at ⁠@dr3aming.chicana.⁠, her personal Instagram: ⁠www.instagram.com/dr3aming.chicana⁠, poetry Instagram: ⁠www.instagram.com/browneyezpoet⁠, business Instagram: ⁠www.instagram.com/thebrownprideshop⁠, and business Website: ⁠www.thebrownprideshop.bigcartel.com⁠

"I want wealth in my spirit! Honoring the souls of my ancestors who made la cultura what it is today; Honoring the stories of my primos y tios y tias floating across the border; Honoring the crisp dickies and pro clubs stuffed in my drawers because they are more than just clothes, they are our way of expression."  Samantha is a lesbian Chicana poet from East LA. She began writing short stories when she was six and grew to love poetry throughout her educational career. She is a current student at UC Berkeley earning her BA in Chicanx & Latinx Studies. Samantha hopes to work with teens from her community to combat violence through artistic expression, such as poetry, digital art, and photography. You can follow along Samantha's artistic journey on Instagram at @dr3aming.chicana., her personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/dr3aming.chicana, poetry Instagram: www.instagram.com/browneyezpoet, business Instagram: www.instagram.com/thebrownprideshop, and business Website: www.thebrownprideshop.bigcartel.com

If you enjoyed the way Tak wove the deeply personal with the natural world in her two poems, you're going to love hearing how she came to write them. And if you're looking to purchase her book Tourist, which published on April 11, 2023, you can do so at ⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠ or at ⁠⁠Sea Crow Press.⁠⁠ TAK Erzinger is an American/Swiss poet and artist with a Colombian background. Her poetry has been featured in Bien Acompañada from Cornell University, The Muse from McMaster University, River And South Review, The Welter, and more. Her debut chapbook, Found: Between The Trees was published by Grey Border Books, Canada 2019. Erzinger's most recent poetry collection, At The Foot Of The Mountain, Floricanto Press, California 2021, has been announced by the University of Indianapolis, Etchings Press as the Whirling Prize winner for 2021 for best nature poetry book. Her first audio drama, Stella's Constellation, was produced by Alternative Stories And Fake Realities Podcasts, out of the UK.

"Yo hablo, yo hablo así, you hablo así, en mi corozón… When I began to speak, I parroted  Mariposas instead of butterflies and they appeared to be tropical but I realised I was landlocked and  it was winter with dusty snowflakes..." Tak reads two poems from Tourist, her latest book of poetry. You can purchase a copy of Tourist at Amazon and at Sea Crow Press. TAK Erzinger is an American/Swiss poet and artist with a Colombian background. Her poetry has been featured in Bien Acompañada from Cornell University, The Muse from McMaster University, River And South Review, The Welter, and more. Her debut chapbook, Found: Between The Trees was published by Grey Border Books, Canada 2019. Erzinger's most recent poetry collection, At The Foot Of The Mountain, Floricanto Press, California 2021, has been announced by the University of Indianapolis, Etchings Press as the Whirling Prize winner for 2021 for best nature poetry book. Her first audio drama, Stella's Constellation, was produced by Alternative Stories And Fake Realities Podcasts, out of the UK.

In which Lysz teaches Teresa about Pastelon, forever changing her life for the better. Also, there are never enough love poems about family/friend love, and Lysz walks us through how she wrote this one. Be prepared for some deep moments, like when Lyzs says "Sometimes people save you in ways that you have no words for." Lysz Flo is an Afrolatinx, trilingual spoken word artist, author of fiction and poetry, member of The Estuary Collective, and a podcast host of Creatively Exposed, Grubstreet educator, and Voodoonauts Summer 2020 Fellow. She released her poetry novel Soliloquy of an Ice Queen, March 2020. You can find her work at: https://www.lyszflo.com,  her podcast Creatively Exposed at:  https://anchor.fm/lyszflo, and the Lysz Flo Reflects Chapbook at: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780368106927?aff=LyszFlo  12 Steps is a Zine—part 1.5 to Soliloquy of an Ice Queen—a collection of poems about releasing the addiction to desire & loving someone in steps. The ugly, the difficult, heartbreaking and faltering of letting go. Go to https://simplebooklet.com/12steps1 for the audio/ebook if you want to hear Lysz read to you $7.77 You can get a limited edition, signed print copy https://astrolyszics.com/products/12-steps-of-letting-go for $11.11 plus shipping 

"Wela, Vieja, who loves moons on her nails  and stars in my eyes." Sometimes the greatest love stories have nothing to do with romance. This is one of them. Lysz Flo is an Afrolatinx, trilingual spoken word artist, author of fiction and poetry, member of The Estuary Collective, and a podcast host of Creatively Exposed, Grubstreet educator, and Voodoonauts Summer 2020 Fellow. She released her poetry novel Soliloquy of an Ice Queen, March 2020. You can find her work at: https://www.lyszflo.com,  her podcast Creatively Exposed at:  https://anchor.fm/lyszflo, and the Lysz Flo Reflects Chapbook at: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780368106927?aff=LyszFlo 12 Steps is a Zine—part 1.5 to Soliloquy of an Ice Queen—a collection of poems about releasing the addiction to desire & loving someone in steps. The ugly, the difficult, heartbreaking and faltering of letting go. Go to https://simplebooklet.com/12steps1 for the audio/ebook if you want to hear Lysz read to you $7.77 You can get a limited edition, signed print copy https://astrolyszics.com/products/12-steps-of-letting-go for $11.11 plus shipping 

David talks to us about the complexity of embracing one's heritage as an adult, after a life of youthful denial. David Estringel is a Xicanx writer/poet with works published in literary publications, such as The Opiate, Azahares, Cephalorpress, Lahar, Poetry Ni, DREICH, Rigorous, Somos en escrito, Hispanecdotes, Ethel, The Milk House, Beir Bua Journal, and The Blue Nib. David received his BA in English at the University of Texas at Brownsvile and his MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Currently, he is a graduate student, working on a PhD in English (World Literature), as well as a Graduate Instructor at Texas A&M-Commerce. His first collection of poetry and short fiction Indelible Fingerprints (Alien Buddha Press) was published in April 2019, followed his second and third poetry collections Blood Honey (Anxiety Press) and Cold Comfort House (Anxiety Press) in 2022. David has written five poetry chapbooks, Punctures (2019), PeripherieS (2020), Eating Pears on the Rooftop (2022), Golden Calves (coming March 2023), and Blue (coming September 2023). His new book of micro poetry little punctures, a collaboration with UK illustrator, Luca Bowles, will be released in 2023. David is also EIC at The Argyle Literary Magazine, as well as at Texas A&M's literary magazine The Mayo Review (both launches scheduled for early 2023). Connect with David on Twitter @The_Booky_Man and his website www.davidaestringel.com.

"Thumbing through The Borderlands, I can't help but feel not “brown” enough. I'm Mexican Lite. Got a case of the “coconuts”. There are no rageful battle-cries inflaming this breast. No bitterness lingering on the tip of the tongue (the back of hands and the starch of white collars taste just the same no matter the bearer's color). No tortured soul, longing for identity and re-appropriation. Just me and this suit of rosy-beige meat that touts my value best in the dead of winter." David Estringel is a Xicanx writer/poet with works published in literary publications, such as The Opiate, Azahares, Cephalorpress, Lahar, Poetry Ni, DREICH, Rigorous, Somos en escrito, Hispanecdotes, Ethel, The Milk House, Beir Bua Journal, and The Blue Nib. David received his BA in English at the University of Texas at Brownsvile and his MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Currently, he is a graduate student, working on a PhD in English (World Literature), as well as a Graduate Instructor at Texas A&M-Commerce. His first collection of poetry and short fiction Indelible Fingerprints (Alien Buddha Press) was published in April 2019, followed his second and third poetry collections Blood Honey (Anxiety Press) and Cold Comfort House (Anxiety Press) in 2022. David has written five poetry chapbooks, Punctures (2019), PeripherieS (2020), Eating Pears on the Rooftop (2022), Golden Calves (coming March 2023), and Blue (coming September 2023). His new book of micro poetry little punctures, a collaboration with UK illustrator, Luca Bowles, will be released in 2023. David is also EIC at The Argyle Literary Magazine, as well as at Texas A&M's literary magazine The Mayo Review (both launches scheduled for early 2023). Connect with David on Twitter @The_Booky_Man and his website www.davidaestringel.com.

In today's episode we talk about telling people you love them while they are still here with you, the importance of grandparents, and the healing properties of a good chicken in duck sauce. Larissa Freitas (She/Her) is a Latina poet from João Pessoa, Brazil. She writes because she believes in the transformative power of literature. Her poems have been published in English and Portuguese. You can follow her work on Instagram at @LarizFreitas

So it doesn't have to be Valentine's Day to talk about the deep love we have for people, but if you are looking for a pure ode to the love of a grandma, this week's episode is for you. Larissa Freitas (She/Her) is a Latina poet from João Pessoa, Brazil. She writes because she believes in the transformative power of literature. Her poems have been published in English and Portuguese. You can follow her work on Instagram at @LarizFreitas

Is it a sin to eat mac and cheese and Pozole in the same sitting? Get the answer to this question and more in this hard-hitting episode. Spoiler: Teresa liked this poem so much she was pretty much incoherent in her acceptance, but tried to do better in the actual interview. Mateo Omar is a writer, poet, and artist currently based in San Diego county, California. So far his writing has been published in Mixed Mag, Gypsophila Zine, and Rise Up Review. He can be found on Instagram @arachnidoll.

"In my quiet telemetry, I send The kind of invitations I'd want to receive And the kind of warnings I'd ignore Embedded deep in me Occipital, parietal, frontal And now lacrimal Power sources With no twin resonance in sight" Mateo Omar is a writer, poet, and artist currently based in San Diego county, California. So far his writing has been published in Mixed Mag, Gypsophila Zine, and Rise Up Review. He can be found on Instagram @arachnidoll.

What does a freak snow storm and a 24-hour writing contest have in common? Both were seeds that sprouted this ultra-hopeful story. And if you enjoy stories that keep Chekhov's theory about guns in mind, you're going to love this episode. Christiane Williams-Vigil is a Xicana writer from El Paso, Texas. Nationality wise she identifies as Mexican-American. Her work has been published in various literary magazines such as Marias at Sampaguitas, Chismosa Press, Fatal Flaw Literary Magazine, and Marshall University's Movable Project. Currently, she is a Best of the Net nominee and contributing staff writer for Alebrijes Review. This story was previously published in a local community college's annual literary anthology.

Why would you drive during a freak snowstorm in Texas? If you're Christiane Williams-Vigil, the answer is that the person did it for love. Christiane Williams-Vigil, is a Xicana writer from El Paso, Texas. Her work has been published in various literary magazines such as Marias at Sampaguitas, Chismosa Press, Fatal Flaw Literary Magazine, and Marshall University's Movable Project. Currently, she is a Best of the Net nominee and contributing staff writer for Alebrijes Review. This story was previously published in a local community college's annual literary anthology.

Some people just think in poetry, and Mary Teresa is one of them. In this episode, we'll hear Mary Teresa's process for writing El Pilon, and learn how to lure wild roosters into our lives. Mary Teresa Toro an aging Puerto Rican living in the woods of North Alabama with Frank, her husband of fifty-three years, Bitsie, a crazy mix of Weiner dog and mystery, and Ki-Ki-Ri-Ki, a random rooster who wandered onto the homestead.

When is a modest pilon more than a useful kitchen tool? When it's the only thing you can touch when your loved one is gone. Mary Teresa toro is an aging Puerto Rican living in the woods of North Alabama with Frank, her husband of fifty-three years, Bitsie, a crazy mix of Weiner dog and mystery, and Ki-Ki-Ri-Ki, a random rooster who wandered onto the homestead.

Delve into the fascinating world behind this lush poem. In more selfish news, Rene gave Teresa back a piece of her childhood. She may be listening to R.Carlos Naki's Canyon Trilogy on repeat now. Robert René Galván, born in San Antonio of Indigenous/Mexican heritage, resides in New York City where he works as a professional musician and poet. His collections of poems are Meteors, published by Lux Nova Press and Undesirable: Race and Remembrance, Somos en Escrito Foundation Press, Standing Stones, Finishing Line Press and The Shadow of Time, Adelaide Books. His poetry has been featured in such publications as The Acentos Review, Adelaide Literary Magazine, Azahares Literary Magazine, Gyroscope, Hawaii Review, Hispanic Culture Review, Latino Book Review, Newtown Review, Panoply, Prachya Review, Sequestrum, Shoreline of Infinity, Somos en Escrito, Stillwater Review, West Texas Literary Review, andUU World. He is a Shortlist Winner Nominee in the 2018 Adelaide Literary Award for Best Poem. Recently, his poems are featured in Puro ChicanX Writers of the 21st Century (2nd Edition) and in Yellow Medicine Review: A Journal of Indigenous Literature, Art and Thought. His poems have been nominated for Best of Web and the Pushcart Prize. His poem, Awakening, was featured in the author's voice on NPR as part of National Poetry Month in the Spring of 2021. You can find Rene on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

In this poem, enter a world that is at once fairytale and post-apocalyptic. And above all, don't drive through it like hell. Robert René Galván, born in San Antonio of Indigenous/Mexican heritage, resides in New York City where he works as a professional musician and poet. His collections of poems are Meteors, published by Lux Nova Press and Undesirable: Race and Remembrance, Somos en Escrito Foundation Press, Standing Stones, Finishing Line Press and The Shadow of Time, Adelaide Books. His poetry has been featured in such publications as The Acentos Review, Adelaide Literary Magazine, Azahares Literary Magazine, Gyroscope, Hawaii Review, Hispanic Culture Review, Latino Book Review, Newtown Review, Panoply, Prachya Review, Sequestrum, Shoreline of Infinity, Somos en Escrito, Stillwater Review, West Texas Literary Review, andUU World. He is a Shortlist Winner Nominee in the 2018 Adelaide Literary Award for Best Poem. Recently, his poems are featured in Puro ChicanX Writers of the 21st Century (2nd Edition) and in Yellow Medicine Review: A Journal of Indigenous Literature, Art and Thought. His poems have been nominated for Best of Web and the Pushcart Prize. His poem, Awakening, was featured in the author's voice on NPR as part of National Poetry Month in the Spring of 2021.

Brunilda couldn't make it to the podcast, so in today's episode, Teresa and her daughter discuss the wonders of grilled cheese, and whether or not you can judge someone operating outside their comfort zone. You can listen to the song Godzilla mentioned on the episode by clicking here. Brunilda Bonia, Esquire, is a Puerto Rican and a practicing attorney for the past 25 years. She specializes in family/matrimonial law. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, three daughters and tuxedo cat, Pepper. On January 27, 2022 her first children's book, BLUE, was published by Pegasus Publishing Ltd.

A woman walks into a cafe in Italy with her boyfriend--will she walk out with him or alone? In this episode, Brunilda Bonia deftly imagines a moment of decision in a busy cafe. Brunilda Bonia, Esquire is Puerto Rican who has been a practicing attorney for the past 25 years. She specializes in family/matrimonial law. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, three daughters and tuxedo cat, Pepper. On January 27, 2022 her first children's book, BLUE, was published by Pegasus Publishing Ltd.

Can you really put childhood on a dinner plate? How can you fictionalize a true story and still remain true to its spirit? Tune in to get the answers to all these questions and more. Natalia Figueroa Barroso is a Uruguayan-Australian writer who lives on Dharug Country. Natalia has appeared in Sweatshop Women: Volume One, Racism: Stories on Fear, Hate & Bigotry, SBS Voices, Story Casters, Any Saturday, 2021. Running Westward, Kindling and Sage, Between Two Worlds, The Big Issue, Puentes Review, Meanjin and Overland.

"Mamá orders me to clean Abuela's room as she tames her curly blonde hair into a tight bun and rolls up the sleeves on her black and blue flannel shirt. Mamá stands in front of me with her pale blue eyes and hands me an orange duster. She is ready to clean and pack Abuela's belongings away. I stand at the door with my arms crossed. Mamá hits the top of my head with the duster, ‘¡Dale vos encargate del cuarto de la Abuela! Don't make me tell you again.'" Natalia Figueroa Barroso is a Uruguayan-Australian writer who lives on Dharug Country. Natalia has appeared in Sweatshop Women: Volume One, Racism: Stories on Fear, Hate & Bigotry, SBS Voices, Story Casters, Any Saturday, 2021. Running Westward, Kindling and Sage, Between Two Worlds, The Big Issue, Puentes Review, Meanjin and Overland.

How do you distill an immigration story into a tight, accessible piece? Tune in to this episode where Selene lets us in on her secrets. This is Selene's second piece on the audio mag. You can check out her first piece Amalgam here. Selene Lacayo is a writer and translator living in the Greater Philadelphia Area. She was the 2018 Judge's Choice Runner-Up for the Write Michigan Short Story Contest. Her essays have been published by InCulture Magazine, Americans Resisting Overseas, and the COVID-19 Community Stories of the Grand Rapids Public Museum. Most recently, her short story Amalgam formed part of The Best Short Stories of Philadelphia published in 2021 and her interview with Silvia Moreno-Garcia on her novel Velvet Was the Night was featured in Electric Literature. She is currently working on a memoir centered around the themes of belonging, identity and motherhood. You can follow her work at SeleneLacayo.com.

"Alien: *unfamiliar and disturbing or distasteful. Similar: foreign, strange, bizarre, exotic, incompatible with, antagonistic to, unacceptable to 2 … (Footnote 2) I hated that label –alien— stuck to my forehead upon my landing in the U.S. “Your looks are so exotic.” “Your accent is unusual for a Hispanic,” people would say. I felt belittled." This piece first appeared in Alebrijes Review and was nominated for a Pushcart award. Selene Lacayo is a writer and translator living in the Greater Philadelphia Area. She was the 2018 Judge's Choice Runner-Up for the Write Michigan Short Story Contest. Her essays have been published by InCulture Magazine, Americans Resisting Overseas, and the COVID-19 Community Stories of the Grand Rapids Public Museum. Most recently, her short story Amalgam formed part of The Best Short Stories of Philadelphia published in 2021 and her interview with Silvia Moreno-Garcia on her novel Velvet Was the Night was featured in Electric Literature. She is currently working on a memoir centered around the themes of belonging, identity and motherhood. You can follow her on Twitter at @LacayoSelene and on her website at SeleneLacayo.com

What do briefs (not that kind) and boxing have to do with writing great short stories? Tune in as Michael reveals all. Michael was born in Mexico and raised in the United States. After receiving an honorable discharge from the United States Marine Corps, he enjoyed a successful career as a personal injury attorney. He is now retired and writes fiction full-time. Michael has been published in legal periodicals, but his true love is writing fiction. He's been published in over thirty literary journals and magazines in the US, Canada, South America, and the UK. In his free time, he plays rhythm/lead guitar in a rock band, featuring 60's and 70's rock and roll. In addition to his published novel, The Guadalupe Saints, Michael has completed several other manuscripts. One of those, The Pied Beauty of San Ignacio, is under active consideration for publication by Kensington Books (New York). In the meantime, he is polishing an additional manuscript, presently titled Titus of Galilee, to be sent out to potential publishers. You can find his latest anthology, Of Angels, Demons, and Chopped Chorizo, on Amazon.com.

Special Agent Varela thought he had the drug runner case in the bag. But out in the desert, where even the Yaqui didn't tread, anything can happen. Michael was born in Mexico and raised in the United States. After receiving an honorable discharge from the United States Marine Corps, he enjoyed a successful career as a personal injury attorney. He is now retired and writes fiction full-time. Michael has been published in legal periodicals, but his true love is writing fiction. He's been published in over thirty literary journals and magazines in the US, Canada, South America, and the UK. In his free time, he plays rhythm/lead guitar in a rock band, featuring 60's and 70's rock and roll. In addition to his published novel, The Guadalupe Saints, Michael has completed several other manuscripts. One of those, The Pied Beauty of San Ignacio, is under active consideration for publication by Kensington Books (New York). In the meantime, he is polishing an additional manuscript, presently titled Titus of Galilee, to be sent out to potential publishers. You can find his latest anthology, Of Angels, Demons, and Chopped Chorizo, on Amazon.com.

On the border between Mexico and Texas, where Yara grew up, the air is filled with a little light magic. In this episode, Yara talks about how this environment produced this gentle spooky tale. Born in México and raised on the border, Yara is drawn to darker tales and is an aficionado of Mexican folklore. She attributes this to her own mother and abuela who told the best spooky stories around. Yara is a Latina dual language educator, mother and author who is passionate about representation and advocacy in all realms. As an elementary dual language (Spanish) educator of nearly a decade, she has been fortunate enough to gain a window into the exact type of literature that children are drawn to, and, also, what is missing within the current selection of literature for children. She has had short stories published in LatineLit magazine. Yara currently lives in Austin with my two daughters, husband and rescued Blue Heeler pup. You can follow her writing on Twitter at @Yariwrites.

"As the dementia accelerated, she claimed to see people at the window at night, including her beloved husband who had passed 5 years prior...Other, perhaps most sinister, nightly visitors, abuelita said, would whistle and try to convince her to unlatch the windows." Born in México and raised on the border, Yara is drawn to darker tales and is an aficionado of Mexican folklore. She attributes this to her own mother and abuela who told the best spooky stories around. Yara is a Latina dual language educator, mother and author who is passionate about representation and advocacy in all realms. As an elementary dual language (Spanish) educator of nearly a decade, she has been fortunate enough to gain a window into the exact type of literature that children are drawn to, and, also, what is missing within the current selection of literature for children. She has had short stories published in LatineLit magazine. Yara currently lives in Austin with my two daughters, husband and rescued Blue Heeler pup. You can follow her writing on Twitter at @Yariwrites.

Is Flash Fiction the potato chip of the literary universe? Is there any difference between genre fiction and literary fiction? Tune in to this week's behind-the-scenes episode to find out. Kevin is a gay, Latino fiction writer, and cardiovascular research scientist. He is a second-generation immigrant born in Miami, Florida to Cuban and Colombian parents. For more about him, please see his website: https://kevinmcasin.wordpress.com/. Or follow his Twitter: @kevinthedruid.

"Manuel heard the rattle of the seed curtain. He unfurled, cloaked in black, and looked up from his chair. Without a word–Seers never speak for themselves–he held out his hand over the table to welcome his guest and to accept payment for the card reading. “Señor, me llamo Daniel. Please, mi family, will they survive the storm?” The man asked as he took a seat and offered a small, linen bag of coins." Kevin is a gay, Latino fiction writer, and cardiovascular research scientist. He is a second-generation immigrant born in Miami, Florida to Cuban and Colombian parents. For more about him, please see his website: https://kevinmcasin.wordpress.com/. Or follow his Twitter: @kevinthedruid.

Did Teresa really name a skin tag, a queta, Jabba the Queta? Can a story with body horror be hopeful? Tune in to find out the answer to these questions and more in this week's episode. Toni Margarita Plummer was born and raised in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles, the daughter of a Mexican immigrant mother and white father. She is the author of the story collection The Bolero of Andi Rowe and winner of Somos En Escrito's 2021 Extra Fiction Contest. A Macondo Fellow, her short fiction has been published in Aster(ix), Kweli, The Acentos Review, Hispanecdotes, and Hinchas de Poesía, among others. Plummer works in book publishing and serves on the board of Latinx in Publishing. She lives in the Hudson Valley. You can find her work at https://tonimargaritaplummer.wordpress.com and on Twitter at @tmargaritaplum. You can also find out more about the mentorship programs from Latinx in Publishing at https://latinxinpublishing.com

On the one hand, family can be ultra-irritating; on the other, sometimes they're the only ones that have your back. In Toni Margarita Plummer's story, Attack of Las Quetas, family is there for the main character for better AND for worse. You'll never look at a crochet hook the same way again. Toni Margarita Plummer was born and raised in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles, the daughter of a Mexican immigrant mother and white father. She is the author of the story collection The Bolero of Andi Rowe and winner of Somos En Escrito's 2021 Extra Fiction Contest. A Macondo Fellow, her short fiction has been published in Aster(ix), Kweli, The Acentos Review, Hispanecdotes, and Hinchas de Poesía, among others. Plummer works in book publishing and serves on the board of Latinx in Publishing. She lives in the Hudson Valley. You can find her work at https://tonimargaritaplummer.wordpress.com and on Twitter at @tmargaritaplum

Are panderias the gateway to heaven? Can you agree to write monthly columns for multiple literary magazines and still have a personal life? Find out the answers to these hard-hitting questions and more in this week's episode. Melissa Nunez is a Latin@ writer and homeschooling mother of three from the Rio Grande Valley. Her essays and poetry have appeared in Sledgehammer Lit, Yellow Arrow Journal, Susurrus, and others. She is also a staff writer for Alebrijes Review and The Daily Drunk. Her writing is inspired by observation of the natural world, the dynamics of relationships, and the question of belonging. You can follow her on Twitter @MelissaKNunez or visit her website www.melissknunez.com.

In this week's story, Melissa Nunez takes the familiar song 'Vie en Rose' and turns it on its head. You may never listen to that song the same way again. Melissa Nunez is a Latin@ writer and homeschooling mother of three from the Rio Grande Valley. Her essays and poetry have appeared in Sledgehammer Lit, Yellow Arrow Journal, Susurrus, and others. She is also a staff writer for Alebrijes Review and The Daily Drunk. Her writing is inspired by observation of the natural world, the dynamics of relationships, and the question of belonging. You can follow her on Twitter @MelissaKNunez or visit her website www.melissknunez.com.

Someone once claimed that the answer to life, the universe, and everything was 42. But really, the answer is tortillas. Especially the ones freshly made by the family of your heart. Listen as Mayte Castro walks us through the magic of tortillas. Mayte C. Castro's poetry focuses on immigration, culture and travel, and self-expression as a road to sharing the realities of living in the United States as a daughter of immigrants. Mayte's cultural background is Mexican. Additional published poetry can be found in braveexpressions.com, https://wapoetlaureate.org/poetry-to-lean-on/, Ice Colony, The Under Review, Arte Latino Now, and Azahares. You can follow her on Instagram at Mexi_Ginger.

In Mayte's poem, tortillas are more than a vehicle for tasty fillings. "Soft, crunchy, malleable, torn Tortillas take on many forms and shapes. In the eagerness of listening The melodies of language Reclining on Mother's chest…" Mayte C. Castro's poetry focuses on immigration, culture and travel, and self-expression as a road to sharing the realities of living in the United States as a daughter of immigrants. Mayte's cultural background is Mexican. Additional published poetry can be found in braveexpressions.com, https://wapoetlaureate.org/poetry-to-lean-on/, Ice Colony, The Under Review, Arte Latino Now, and Azahares. You can follow her on Instagram at Mexi_Ginger.

Reyna Grande takes us behind the scenes and under the hood of her latest novel 'A Ballad of Love and Glory.' Tune in to find out what Irish immigrants and Latino immigrants to the US had in common. And if you didn't know that the US-Mexico border started just below Oregon as late as 1821, this is the episode for you. Reyne Grande is an award-winning author who released her latest novel, A Ballad of Love and Glory, in March. She's also written the memoirs The Distance Between Usand A Dream Called Home, the novels Across a Hundred Mountains (Atria, 2006) and Dancing with Butterflies (Washington Square Press, 2009). Reyna has received an American Book Award, the El Premio Aztlán Literary Award, and the International Latino Book Award. In 2012, she was a finalist for the prestigious National Book Critics Circle Awards. In 2015 she was honored with a Luis Leal Award for Distinction in Chicano/Latino Literature and a Latino Spirit Award in 2021. The young reader's version of The Distance Between Us received a 2017 Honor Book Award for the Américas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature and a 2016 Eureka! Honor Awards from the California Reading Association and an International Literacy Association Children's Book Award 2017.