June 22, 2026
Platica Y Poetics- Una plática with Jerry Robledo Season 4, Episode 11
Una plática with Jerry Robledo Season 4, Episode 11
Some conversations ask you to bring your whole self with a side of vulnerability to the table. This was one of them. Sitting across from Jerry I knew within the first few minutes that this platica would be closer to a revealing, confession. On the menu, two writers, two parents, peeling back the language we use to protect, explain, and translate ourselves. We connected speaking of our children, and about unconditional love that terrifies you with its size. We realized that we both spoke a language from the depths of el ‘alma’, the soul’s dialect. Where pain, grief, fear, and unknown speak to another. Jerry’s forthcoming poetry collection moves through fatherhood not as a role performed, but as an act of witnessing. He writes of his daughter’s becoming, and his admission that he expressed himself to mothering, having never quite known what a father does. We spoke about how parenting was never meant to be divided by gender at all, that the real work is ushering, exposing our children to the full range of what it means to be human. He spoke with such honesty about trying to unlearn in his lineage and what he is trying to preserve. We spoke to the Mexicano and American identity and the contradiction of that space. In the end I felt like I was at a barecito in Monterrey, cigarillo in hand, cold tequila talking to a primo about life’s honest truths. In the end arriving at the last course on the menu was inheritance, what he hopes his daughter will know about the man who raised her. A present, imperfect, with a bleeding heart in hand. A translator of poesía, el camino, love, and survival. This episode was not an interview. It was two parents, two poets, speaking the language of truth.
June 28, 2026
Platica Y Poetics S4E10- Xelena Gonzalez
A Conversation with Xelena González Creator of Lotería Remedios & Author
What began as a plática — the kind that feels less like an interview and more like a random conversation you didn’t anticipate, unfolded into one of the most tender, genuine exchanges of this season. Sitting with Xelena González felt like sitting with easiness to wisdom. A grounded sensation. The kind that comes from a woman who has done inner work and is not afraid to pass on enlightenment through her ‘Remedios.’ We began at the core of her work — with the self. With remembering. Xelena’s creative life has been shaped by a continuous returning, a reclamation of what the world has abandoned, awareness of natural word, and how listening to ancestral guides, is medicinal. Her artistic becoming, she shared, required to unlearn as much as it has required her to create — to strip away the goals, molds, the expectations, and find again what was whole before any of that arrived. As an artist, she’s tethered to herself not through perfection, but presence. Through small, sacred acts of returning. The theme of motherhood moved through our entire conversation like an undercurrent, not as a role, but our, fuerza, force. Xelena spoke about how becoming a mother transformed not just what she creates but why. She sees a deep correlation between mothering and storytelling, both acts of cariño. The stories she writes for children are not separate from the mother she is; they are of the same gesture, of care, and maternal instinct. And for those of us still becoming, or in need of guidance, turn inward, trust the season you are in, listen to the energy of the cosmos, pull a card or two from the Remedios deck and listen to its wisdom. Light a candle and open your corazón to the healing the universe offers through nature, ancestral wisdom, and presence.
March 4, 2026
Platica Y Poetics S4E9: Erika Prosper
Season 4, Episode 9: Erika Prosper
Some mujeres you meet become instant friends; others step naturally into a role of cariño y
cuidado — a comadre. As the mics went live, I was engulfed by La Erika’s powerful presence,
one that could be immediately recognized and held in reverence. Our culturally rooted plática
felt like the kind that has unfolded at sobremesas across the world. Conversations about the
elevation of la mujer en su poder. In San Antonio’s former First Lady, Erika Prosper ‘la mera
jefa’ in embodied action y palabra, I encountered not simply a civic leader, but a mujer deeply
anchored in el campo, memoria, and community. I opened with the question, “Who is Erika
Prosper?” From that moment, the room shifted — a comida laid out before us, homemade
picadillo y tortillas on the table. What unfolded was not a formal interview, but mera plática. We
journeyed back to her beginnings in the fields of South Texas, where el campo first shaped her
hands, her ganas, and her understanding of dignity in labor. She spoke of migrant roots not as
hardship alone, but as a living archive of resilience carried in the body and spirit. El mero campo
‘el mero maestro’ guiding her toward becoming a cultural steward of San Antonio de Béjar.
Our conversation moved through the layered soul of Yanaguana, San Antonio as sacred ground,
indigenous inheritance, migrant corridor, artistic sanctuary. We reflected on literacy as
liberation, not merely the reading of books, but the expansion of self, culture, and empowerment.
The ability to reclaim one’s story. To shape destiny. La Erika, una mujerona. Throughout our sitdown, she honored and elevated women, reminding us that resilience is not accidental; it is
cultivated through conviction y comunidad. Her tenure as First Lady was not mere duty, but
stewardship. For the people, by the people. I walked away from our conversation feeling
empowered in comunidad and reaffirmed in palabra. Our exchange was a reminder that cultural
conviction, when paired with literacy, cariño, and persistent labor, becomes un legado, living
legacy en acción y palabra viva.
February 25, 2026
Platica Y Poetics S4E8 Carmen Gray
The only items missing from our space were an incense slowly burning, and perhaps green tea.
What began as a carefully outlined interview was dissolved almost immediately. My physical
questions — printed, prepared, structured — disintegrated into space the moment Carmen Gray
began to speak. Instead of a formal exchange, what unfolded was something far more sacred: a
plática of intuition. An esoteric current entered the room. We spoke less about genre and more
about destination. Less about craft and more about what calls to us. When I asked, “Who is
Carmen Gray?” the answer did not arrive as biography, it arrived as presence. Tejana. Mexicana.
Teacher. Storyteller. Woman attuned to the mystical undercurrent of language. Her roots are not
decorative; they are ‘tierra’ soil. Culture and lineage do not simply influence her fiction and
poetry; they animate within characters and settings. In her worlds of horror, magical realism,
historical fiction, dark romance, and verse, the supernatural is not spectacle but inheritance. I
realized Carmen does not shift, she acutely listens to lineage, what whispers to a mystics’ ear.
Our conversation deepened when we entered the terrain of language. As an educator Spanish for
over two decades, she lives in the liminal space where meaning shapes and reforms. We reflected
on how bilingualism reshapes rhythm, and how code-switching is not fragmentation but
expansion. My question about sound, scent, texture gifted a sweet pause and breath. My
Aquarius air gifted the body remembrance before the response. We spoke about how writing is
less about invention and more about excavation, the difficult unearthing of what has always lived
beneath the surface. This plática led to speaking about what we hope readers feel in their bodies
long after the final page. The lingering scent, tremor in the chest, recognition. Our space, the
plática became poetry
February 10, 2026
Platica Y Poetics S4E7 : Eduardo “Eddie” Vega
Season 4, Episode 7 : Eduardo “Eddie” Vega
If we both had shown up with a bag of tacos in hand, our platica would have run for hours.
Where we would have forgotten the whole interview and entered a taco platica, where we would
have talked in the language of taquito, and painted a culinary picture in the studio where like a
‘Water for Chocolate’ aroma fumes would have peeked and emerged out of our mics. Eddie
being a taco connoisseur and myself a cocinera estilo revolución would have perfected the
perfect taco. One that exist in the sanctity of our mothers and abuelas kitchens. I counter that
with the perfect puesto on the side of a windy dirt road in México, señoras greeting, slapping
masa on comals, filling with el guiso del día. Eduardo “Eddie” Vega, San Antonio’s current Poet
Laureate, storyteller, spoken word artist, and educator, is rooted in laughter, chistes, memory,
tacos, and verdades. Eddie reflected on how poetry first entered his life not as an academic
exercise, but as a necessity born from lived experience, barrio rhythms, and familia wisdom. We
traced the cultural roots that shaped his voice, the poets who opened caminos to him open, and
the urgencies that compelled him to write ‘Somos Nopales,’ a collection grounded in survival,
nourishment, and collective memory. Our conversation weaved between the sacred and the
everyday, from the responsibility of being Poet Laureate to poetry as a tool for community
healing, resistance, and preservation. Along the way, we detoured into taco theology (yes, carne
guisada and chorizo con huevo get their moment). Eddie offered powerful readings that embody
the spirit of Somos Nopales: about our gente rooted in resilience, rooted in orgullo, and
unapologetically ours. Todo se puede, somos nopales. (P.S.: so hungry after the interview, we
forgot to take the photo. Ya ni modo.
February 10, 2026
Platica Y Poetics S4E6- Octavio Quintanilla
Episode 6, Season 4: Dr. Octavio Quintanilla
Grey cumulus clouds hung low like a soft, familiar plush blanket, as an heirloom passed down to
keep us warm through dark days. In this intimate plática, poetic creation stories were bestowed
as a gift by Texas Poet Laureate Dr. Octavio Quintanilla as he reflected on who he is as an artist,
tracing the ways poems emerge from image, ritual, and lived experience. A fluid space unfolded
between visual art and language as Quintanilla spoke of his interdisciplinary practice, where
FRONTEXTOS ‘arte fronteriza,’ art born from the in-between and the border, and wordplay
become entry points for poetry to exist through shape, color, and form. He shared how poems
often arrive through acts of looking, how journals hold the first raw gestures of language, and
how art and text converse and transform into a living manifestation on both canvas and page.
Our conversation turned to his acclaimed book Las Horas Imposibles, a work that holds grief,
love, memory, and bilingual intimacy as artistic necessity, reflecting on “impossible hours”,
those unspeakable moments poetry is called into action, and on the lessons found in darkness,
vulnerability, and shedding. As both former San Antonio Poet Laureate and current Texas Poet
Laureate, he spoke of poetry as an essential lifeline for survival, community-building, and
cultural resistance. Our plática closed with a shared acknowledgment that all is in constant
evolution—thoughts, responses, beginnings, endings. We are the evolution, the internal
revolution. The future of poetics is a camino unknown, an uncharted lyrical and prose territory.
What remains constant is the irreplaceable power of human connection and observation.
Darkness, he reminds us, is one of our greatest teachers; the light exists and always will, but only
if we are willing to sit, listen, and observe what darkness has to say
January 11, 2026
Platica Y Poetics S4E5 – Dr. Norma E. Cantú- Intimate, reverent, and border epistemology plática
January 11, 2026
Platica Y Poetics S4E4- Cloud Cardona- A jean jacket dressed in nostalgia.
January 11, 2026
Platica Y Poetics S4E3 w/ Sonya Rosario- The Sofa as Witness, Memory, and Agency
September 8, 2025
Platica Y Poetics S4E2: Alex Salinas
In Episode 2 of Season 4 of Plática y Poetics, the only thing missing was a bucket of butter popcorn and a nostalgic 80’s movie playing in the background. My plática with Alex Salinas, author of Hispanic Sonnets, a striking collection that blends humor, vulnerability, and cultural critique. With its bold red cover, reminiscent of a retro Talking Heads album, it immediately draws the eye, much like Alex’s poetry draws readers into his categorically layered world of memory, critique, and transcendence. His work merges the mundane and the nostalgic—whether through malls, family lore, music, or movies—illuminating how the everyday can open into transcendence. Alex shared how his style oscillates between wit and gravity, humor and heartbreak, always seeking liminal space to reflect life’s contradictions. As we dug into the sonnet as both tradition and innovation: a vessel for wrestling with heritage, assimilation, and individuality, Alex spoke about coining the term “Hispanic sonnet” and the influence of poets who led him to reimagine the form through a Latinx lens. Reading the poems 10-part rumination and Translucent Whales, he revealed how pop culture, literature, and personal memory are woven together to unlock micro worlds for his readers. Themes of absolutes, truth, beauty, and authenticity surfaced. His found art poetics, especially his love of napkins and gum wrappers as a paper/canvas point to how mundane objects can be used to chronicle everyday occurrences. His poem Likes highlight his use of cataloguing as a way to hold both personal and universal experiences at once, gifting readers to live in the stream consciousness, reminding us that humor can be poetic, gifting us a laugh in between stanzas reminding of the ephemeral passing moment.
July 31, 2025
Platica Y Poetics S4E1 w/ Rita La ‘Golondrina’ Ortiz
The smell of lingering PEMEX gas fumes, fresh masa on comals, along with echoes of traffic
horns resonated in the studio as my interview began to take flight. I had the honor of
interviewing La Golondrina, Rita Ortiz, a multidisciplinary artist whose work transcends genre
and boarders. I opened with a poetic offering, by reading Coral Bracho’s Desde esta luz, a piece
whose sensory lyricism, spiritual depth, and metaphysical textures echo and parallels Rita’s
artistic voice. Bracho’s dreamlike language and delicate attention to presence helped set the tone
for what would become a layered exploration of film, poetry, memory, and voice. After watching
the short film and hearing about how the idea came about for Aldebaran, Rita’s haunting
cinepoem, left me navigating a dreamlike liminal space, between the astral and the ancestral.
She balances visual silence with poetic narration using symbolism of máscaras, or masks. It was
moving how the film invites us to confront what lies behind and beyond identity and the
subconscious. Rita described her process as one that honors rhythm, mystery, and visual
invocation. It was a treat to hear her sing, Paloma, joining in spirit as her spirit took flight toward
emotion. The folkloric depth in her voice carries memory like plumas de ganzo, down feathers,
both soft and heavy. As she read from Boleador de Zapatos, and El Buen Morir we both took
part in sharing how Mexico is so enriched with visual and olfactory visual language, and how
poetry becomes an altar, word offering of smells, sounds, and ritual. La Golondrina, a name
representative of transmigration, memory, and return is rooted in the crossing of demarcated
boarders, spiritual, and linguistic. Every thread in her practice expands the possibilities of how
art can heal, hold, and set free.
July 31, 2025
Platica Y Poetics S3E12 w/ Candy ‘The Love Poet’ Nieves
Candy ‘The Love Poet’ Nieves
In opening this interview, I honored the voices of Indigenous poets by reading from Enriqueta
Lunez—whose words in Tsotsil reflect the depth and dignity of oral traditions that long predate
colonization, a perfect segway to enter our plática with Candy “The Love Poet” Nieves, whose
work pulses with ancestral memory, sacred sensuality, and poetic resistance. As Candy read from
The Invention, a poem that honors Mayan cosmology and the brilliance of her ancestors, who
introduced the world to the number zero, an ancesntral reminder of the cosmic entered the room.
Our discussion on how the Maya tradition of understanding time, love, and purpose, not as
linear, but as cyclical, infinite, and rooted. Candy’s voice reclaims space for both Mayan and
Mestiza identity, weaving in Spanish and pre-colombian references to confront erasure and speak
back to colonizing narratives. She exhibited that translanguaging isn’t just a stylistic choice but
of survival, sovereignty, and reclamation. In Las Atravesadas and I, Woman, she declared “I will
preach, teach, break your master’s tools”, a direct homage to Audre Lorde’s revolutionary spirit
and Gloria Anzaldúa, speaking about how the word atravesar means to cut through, and how
“las atravesadas” has become those women who cross spiritual, cultural, and societal thresholds,
and expectations. Women often shamed for their boldness, and evolution. Candy writes from the
body, griefs, pleasures, and sacred thresholds. The spirit is a capsule of sacred ancestral
knowledge, navigating decolonial terrain. It reminds, it prays, resists.
July 16, 2025
Platica Y Poetics S3E11 w/ Diamond Braxton
Diamond Braxton
My plática with Braxton just lacked a cafecito and a sliver of pastelito as we divulged into queer
legacy, creative intuition, and building literary home. I opened with a reading of ‘Sobre La
Mesa’, my personal prose vignette ‘Like Water for Chocolate’ queer version, knowing the
culinary connection would take us down a sensory lane. Diamond, from the Gulf Coast, has
shaped her work by matrilineal memory and storytelling is both a personal ritual and collective
act. Diving into her acclaimed works like “Sugar Rush” and “Dreams of the Fam Who Came
Before Me,” she spoke to how her writing weaves together queerness, history, and hauntings into
narratives that are both expansive and emotionally precise. In discussing “Sugar Rush,” Braxton
revealed how a deceptively simple moment—a tasting of cake—transforms into a meditation on
mother-daughter love, body image, cultural critique and inherited silence. Food became a
metaphor for unspoken care and longing, as well as a tool to excavate desire and familial
complexity within queer narratives. She invites listeners into her sensory world, where ritual and
intuition guide as she reflects on the spiritual and emotional origins of “Dreams of the
Fam,” and how her identity as a queer, mixed-race Southerner informs the themes she returns
to—embodiment, memory, and resistance. Her time as a Tin House and Lambda Literary fellow,
she notes, granted her permission to take creative risks, affirming the urgency of telling stories
that live beyond binaries. Braxton shared her insights into her novel-in-progress: a collection of
interwoven Texan queer stories, speaking to the desire to archive lives that are often overlooked
or misrepresented, and to create a literary space, making room for storytellers from historically
excluded communities. As founder and director of Abode Press, her role extends far beyond the
page. Abode’s editorial vision is unapologetically expansive, welcoming voices that challenge
dominant literary norms. Through both her fiction and her stewardship at Abode, she hopes to
contribute to a future of Southern queer storytelling that is lush, layered, and liberatory.
July 16, 2025
Platica Y Poetics S3E10 w/ Dr. Hector Garza
Dr. Hector Garza
In a wholesome and intimate conversation, Dr. Héctor Garza, a celebrated San Antonio artist and
educator, opened up to us about his lifelong journey as a creator rooted in borderland identity,
queer expression, and pedagogical purpose. Known for his vibrant fusion of Mexican
iconography with American pop culture, Garza’s work transcends boundaries—most notably in
his reinterpretation of la lotería, where sacred figures like la Virgen and political symbols like
Uncle Sam co-exist, inviting viewers to reflect on cultural dualities. He traces his hybrid
aesthetic to early visual memories from his childhood, living in el barrio El Pateon where lucha
libre, calaveras, and vibrant neighborhood murals shaped his imagination. He described
nepantla—the liminal in-between space—as central to both his life and work, reflecting the
borderland condition of navigating queerness, cultural tension, and identity multiplicity. Through
collage and mixed media, he shapes to shapeshift bodies and experiences, crafting pieces that
feel as nostalgic as they are subversive. Influenced by both contemporary Latinx queer artists
and iconic Mexican visual traditions, Garza draws inspiration from the likes of Keith Haring and
María Félix to mask-wearing luchadores and street altars he has spent over 20 years teaching,
recently honored as Educator of the Year at Incarnate Word High School sharing how his
students, especially queer, bicultural youth, are at the heart of his creative drive. Hector
emphasized that academic research enhanced his ability to contextualize his work, but that his
visual voice has always been rooted in instinct, memory, and the hybrid body. We spoke of the
evolution of queer Latinx art both unapologetic, and sacred. A direct reflection on the politics of
duality, beauty of contradiction, and visual storytelling that reveals within every hue and stroke.
Dr. Héctor Garza reminds us that art is survival, and hybridity is power.
Friday, May 23, 2025
Platica Y Poetics S3E9 w/ Liz Coronado Castillo
Monday, April 28, 2025
Platica Y Poetics S3E8
Monday, April 28, 2025
Platica Y Poetics S3E7 w/Gina-Ortiz Jones
In an intimate and layered conversation, Gina Ortiz Jones, a proud daughter of San Antonio’s
Westside and former Under Secretary of the Air Force, shared how her upbringing, military
service, and education have shaped her deep commitment to public service and social justice.
From formative years at John Jay High School and lessons learned from her mother—a
Harlandale High School teacher for 25 years and inspiration of grit and resilience—Jones shared
how education and civic responsibility were foundational to her leadership journey. Bringing a
rare blend of tactical expertise and economic foresight, she offered a poetic lens to tackle San
Antonio’s complex challenges. Transparency, equity, and inclusion as cornerstones of her
platform. Her call for poetic accountability imagines civic systems that are not only efficient but
people-powered, inclusive, and emotionally resonant. She shared her vision of a city that
embraces progressiveness without losing its cultural essence, stressing the importance of local
activism, reminding residents that meaningful change begins at home—and that San Antonio has
the potential to become a global model for inclusive and visionary governance. I felt inspired,
motivated, listening to her conviction, sharing like myself belonging to the LGBTQIA+ and
Catholic communities, that we exist and are daughters, and catalyst of progressive change in our
communities. Her bridge-building spirit seeks to overcome political polarization through
collaboration, equity, and a renewed civic imagination. At the heart of her campaign lies a simple
yet powerful belief: that everyone deserves to be seen no matter the aisle, heard, and empowered
to help write San Antonio’s next chapter.
Thursday, April 10, 2025
Platica Y Poetics S3E6 w/Jessica Betancourt
Thursday, April 10, 2025
Platica Y Poetics S3E5
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Platica Y Poetics S3E4 w/ Mx. Ratiqing Rios
In my sit down with Mx. Ratiqing Rios—a poet, artist, teacher, and education advocate a
profound understanding of artistry and advocacy arose. Speaking about how their work bears
witness to the struggles of marginalized youth meanwhile affirming the power of creativity as a
tool for survival and transformation. Their poetry transforms everyday experiences into powerful
narratives of identity, resilience, and community. Our interview opened with Audre Lorde’s “A
Litany for Survival,” setting the tone for exploration of survival and creativity as acts of
resistance. Mx’s poetry, grounds in their lived experiences as an educator and visual storyteller,
inviting listeners to witness the intersections of socio-economic struggle, gender identity, and the
transformative power of art. We spoke of the playful yet chaotic nature of their artistic process,
emphasizing the power of imagination as both a coping mechanism and a radical act of self-
definition. Their poetry captures the resilience of marginalized communities while exploring the
vulnerabilities of gender-diverse students and the crucial role educators play in fostering safe,
affirming environments. We shared a teacher/activist commonality. Our fierce conviction on the
importance of showing up as one’s full self in the classroom. Modeling what it means to advocate
for students’ right to express who they are without fear. Throughout the interview, Mx returned
to the idea of play as a restorative act, in both their poetry and teaching, encouraging playfulness
as a means of fostering creativity and resilience, a frame-by-frame cartoon storyboards snapshots
of identity and survival —a testament to the multifaceted roles they embody.
Friday, March 21, 2025
Platica Y Poetics S3E3 w/ Amber Ortega
In honoring Women’s History Month, we engaged in a profound platica with poet Amber
Ortega, exploring the intersections of embodied writing, ancestral memory, and the healing
power of the natural world. The episode opened with a tribute to influential female poets,
including Gabriela Mistral, Sylvia Plath, Gloria Anzaldúa, Audre Lorde, Idea Vilariño, Rupi
Kaur, Laura Esquivel, Isabel Allende, Alejandra Pizarnik, and Natalie Diaz—with a reading of
Diaz’s evocative poem “The First Water is the Body.” Throughout the interview, Amber reflected
on the intimate relationship between the body, spirit, and the written word, describing her
approach to poetry as an embodied practice, where the physical sensations, ancestral memory,
and the natural world converge. She shared how this intimate connection emerged. The
emotional texture present in her work, especially in poems like Needed to Go Grocery Shopping,
and Nest, a poem that explores the temporal landscapes highlighting how the passage of time
shapes our experiences and identities. She shared that the concept of language is a living code,
paralleling the body’s interconnectedness to ancestry and belonging. Poetry itself functions as a
nest—sacred space to hold sensations, memory, and transformation. We explored the theme of
movement and belonging, speaking to the embodiment and fluidity that mirrors the ever-
evolving relationship between the self, the land, and the stories we inherit.
Wednesday Feb 26, 2025
Platica Y Poetics S3E2 w/ Autumn Brooke Crane
Wednesday Feb 26, 2025
Platica Y Poetics S2E1 w/Alejandra ‘Mera Mera’ Sanchez Alanis
Alejandra, host of Plática y Poetics, is a queer translingual poet, songwriter, radio DJ, and
abstract artist whose work dissolves the boundaries between language, music, and visual art. A
lyrical architect of sensory experiences, they merge auditory, poetic, and visual elements into an
intoxicating tapestry of expression. Drawing from their background as a language teacher and
music mixer, Alejandra explores the rhythmic interplay of words and sound, coining ‘white
space foreplay’ as an invitation to indulge in the hypnotic cadence of sensory pleasure. Their
debut poetry book, Lip Liturgy’, is a spellbinding fusion of spiritual invocation and erotic
confession, weaving cultural memory into lush, sensual imagery. An advocate for diverse queer
voices, Alejandra’s work amplifies artistic expression by creating immersive, multilingual spaces
where desire, identity, and creativity coexist. Whether through poetry, performance, or radio,
they challenge audiences to engage deeply with sensation, dissolving inhibitions through
rhythmic flow and creative boldness. As co-founder of the San Antonio Queer Voices Collective
and an active member of multiple literary and artistic groups, they have performed on Marfa
Public Radio and Voices of San Antonio, leaving an indelible mark on the city’s creative
landscape. Through workshops like TransLANGUAGE Poetic Pleasure, Alejandra guides others
in channeling their sensual intuition, embodying poetry as both resistance and liberation.
Wednesday Feb 26, 2025
Platica Y Poetics S2E12 w/ Agosto Cuellar
In this electrifying conversation that took place in his atelier in Southtown, I welcomed avant-
garde designer and San Antonio fashion icon Agosto Cuellar, known for his bold, Rasquache-
infused sustainable designs and unapologetic approach to style as resistance. This episode is a
love letter to creativity, sustainability, and the power of fashion as a revolutionary act. We began
by unpacking the essence of Rasquache aesthetics—a resourceful, and rebellious style that
thrives on ingenuity. Agosto shared how his cultural approach influences his sustainable fashion,
bridging the gap between street style and high fashion. We explored haute couture and Fashion
de la Calle, discussing how streetwear continues to challenge traditional fashion hierarchies.
Offering a behind-the-scenes look at his runway composition, revealing how he crafts an
immersive fashion experience, blending storytelling, sustainability, and Rasquache energy. His
designs are more than clothing—they are cultural statements that reflect identity, empowerment,
and the power of reclaiming space. By balancing art, commerce, and community, Agosto spoke
about the exquisite his experiences at Paris and New York Fashion Week, contrasting the global
fashion scene with San Antonio’s unique, often overlooked, yet thriving style identity,
highlighting what makes SA fashion distinct—its grassroots energy, commitment to
individuality, and deep cultural roots. He shared the story of “Keep SA Lamé,” a response to
Austin’s “Keep Austin Weird.” Agosto remains a force of innovation, proving that fashion isn’t
just about clothes or haute couture—it’s about storytelling, avant-garde mindset and honoring
cultura with every stitch.
Tuesday Feb 17, 2025
Platica y Poetics S2E9 Jo Reyes-Boitel
Tuesday Jan 28, 2025
Platica Y Poetics S2Ep10
Tuesday Jan 28, 2025
Platica Y Poetics S2Ep9
Tuesday Jan 28, 2025
Platica Y Poetics S2E8
Friday Dec 20, 2024
Platica Y Poetics S2E7 w/ Marc Anthony Leal
In my platica with Marc Anthony Leal his poetry offered a rich tapestry of imagery, emotion, and cultural reflection, seamlessly weaving themes of nature, spirituality, memory, and community. His works, such as “A Moment in Flight,” “As Do,” “If Heaven is a Real Place,” “Woodlawn Sunsets,” and “Take Pause My Love,” serve as vivid explorations of life’s complexities, celebrating both its beauty and imperfection. The profound connections he forges between personal experiences and universal truths is a craft deeply rooted in sensory experiences and visual storytelling. Sharing how inspiration often comes from the natural world and the vibrant community around him, noting that San Antonio, with its historic beauty and landmarks, fuel his imagination. In discussing “A Moment in Flight” and “As Do,” he revealed his method of balancing abstract ideas with tangible imagery, using sensory detail to ground his themes while inviting readers to interpret the layers within. Marc delves into vulnerability and emotional
healing through physical imagery explaining that writing about intimacy often involves translating emotional states into physical sensations, creating a bridge between the body and soul. The influence of family, warmth of San Antonio, along with its rich culture and landscapes, plays a significant role in shaping his poetry. We spoke about how poetry becomes a space for navigating imperfection, allowing us to find meaning and beauty even in life’s struggles. His work reminds of the beauty in both fleeting moments and enduring connections, a mark on the landscape of contemporary poetry.
Friday Dec 20, 2024
Platica Y Poetics S2E6 w/ Melissa “Mo” Guerra
Melissa “Mo” Guerra a poetic hermana took us on an intimate journey through her poetry, weaving together themes of cultural identity, grief, resilience, and spiritual transcendence. Her work invited readers to walk in an exploration of raw emotions and shared humanity. Our platica delved into a deeper understanding of her creative process and the stories that have shaped her confessional voice. Speaking on her experiences of cultural assimilation, generational trauma, and the tension of navigating identity as a Latina she spoke candidly about how the sacrifices of her grandmother and mother were acts of survival, yet they left a trace for her to follow and connect to her Chicana roots through linguistic and cultural reclamation. This shift has been transformative, helping her bridge the gap between who she is and where she comes from. Mo shared how poetry became a refuge and a means of healing, allowing to process grief while create transforming sorrow into connection. Mo eloquently described how love weaves bonds that transcend time and space and her writing reminds us that what endures is a connection of shared joy and sorrow—what survives of us is love. Her poetry, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the universal need to seek, share, and sustain the bonds that thread and bind us together across time and experience.
Monday Dec 09, 2024
Platica Y Poetics S2E5 w/ Gume Laurel III
In my candid and heartfelt platica with Gume Laurel III, we delved into his literary artistry and personal journey as a queer, millennial, BIPOC author whose works explore identity, love, and cultural dualities. Gume opened the conversation by sharing an autobiographical poem that reflects his borderland, queer Chicanx creative voice. His poetry collections capture the cyclical nature of queer romantic relationships, blending raw honesty with sensitivity to inspire dialogue and reflection. In Assimilated Natives, Gume examines the tension between preserving cultural heritage and adapting to Americanization, drawing from his experiences growing up in the borderlands. This liminal space deeply informs his portrayal of fluidity, intersectionality, and identity exploration. As a queer Chicanx millennial author, Gume views his work as a platform to amplify underrepresented voices, embodying a commitment to inclusivity and visibility. He shared how vulnerability and cultural opposition shape his narratives and how the borderlands as a setting mirror the complexities of identity and belonging
Monday Dec 09, 2024
Platica Y Poetics S2E4 w/ Eduardo Cavazos Garza
In the presence of Chicano icon Eduardo Cavazos Garza—founder of the Jazz Poets of San Antonio, artist, musician, and spiritual practitioner—we explored the pivotal moments of his life and the intersections of art, activism, and resilience. I absorbed his wisdom and cuentos as he shared the richness of his journey, shaped by his familia’s influence, cultural roots, and personal trials. Growing up in the tight-knit community of El Indio, Eduardo was immersed in deep values of solidarity and resilience. The teachings of la siembra del campo—the sowing of the land—continue to inform his activism and artistic work today. His service in Vietnam became a crucible for his perspective on systemic inequities, particularly as a Mexican-American soldier questioning his purpose in the war. Those experiences laid the foundation for his involvement in the Chicano rights movement upon his return. Eduardo’s work as a singer, songwriter, and poet is inseparable from his activism. He discovered that art and music are powerful avenues for transcendence, and that we, as individuals, are agents of change within our communities. His mantra, “Con ganas y corazón, todo es posible” , underscores his encouragement to future artists and activists to find strength in their heritage and contribute to a collective narrative of resilience and pride. Our plática felt like a walk through el campo de poesía—a testament to Eduardo’s profound impact on the Chicano community and his enduring legacy as a mentor, artist, and civil rights pioneer.
Monday Nov 18, 2024
Platica Y Poetics S2E3 w/ Mandy Lynn
Mandy Lynn In my conversation with dear friend, and poet colleague, Mandy Lynn Lara, themes of feminism, motherly love, and poetics intertwined beautifully, illuminating how deeply her writing is rooted in both strength and tenderness. Feminism emerges in her poetry not only as a call for equality but as a powerful act of self-preservation. Maternal fierce love takes on a protective stance, with her speaking to the necessity of raising young women to recognize and resist the dangers in a world that often objectifies and silences them. Her work underscores the feminist principle of self-agency, demonstrating how women can defend their autonomy and assert their voice in both private and public spheres. Poetry is more than word art for Mandy—it’s a sanctuary. Writing becomes a radical, deeply personal act of self-care, allowing to pour our complex emotions onto the page and, in turn, reclaim our corporal power. By articulating these feelings—fear, anger, resilience, and love—she has found a therapeutic release, transforming her experiences and observations into something constructive and healing. Poetry has become a bridge between personal healing and communal empowerment.
Monday Nov 18, 2024
Platica Y Poetics S2E2 w/ Zack Sokoloski
Where punk vibes met Ram Dass my platica with Zack Sokoloski, we launched on a deep, holistic exploration that felt more like a universal reflection session than a traditional Q&A. Our cosmic convo was rooted in the present moment, gifting us space to delve into the multifaceted
intersections of Zack’s identity as an educator, poet, and musician. As layers unfolded of his poetic journey, we spoke of how he exists within both the punk rock and poetics realms, two worlds that seem disparate yet share a rebellious, raw energy. The intersections came through vividly in his work ERATO/ERRATA, where symbols like a hummingbird and a ladybug capture essence of vulnerability, presence, and resilience of the heart. Zack juxtaposes ancient wisdom
with pop culture, balancing reverence with a playful irreverence. He shared how he navigates keeping humor as a gateway to deeper insights. His poetry rich in cinematic imagery, is inspired by visual and cultural sources, brought this to life with its “flesh meeting flesh” motif, connecting the physical and spiritual worlds. How he crafts a contrast between spirituality and the mundane, reflecting on the poignancy of everyday transcendence—a moment he says he experiences himself in fleeting, unexpected ways, his humor functions as a release, a way of easing into profound questions. The stream-of-consciousness style we both share as writers invites listeners into a meditative journey through identity, spirituality, and the ordinary.
Friday Nov 08, 2024
Platica Y Poetics S2E1 w/ Alexandra Gilliam
Episode 1 of season 2 was welcomed with poetic Thai delicacy. My interview with friend and poetic colleague Alexandra Gilliam we explored the emotional gravitas of her poetry collections Femmestuary and Lightsheen. Gilliam shared how the BP oil spill, environmental destruction, and marginalized identities are interwoven to critique societal neglect and environmental desecration. Offering a visceral engagement with ecological and feminist issues, encapsulating her concern for both environmental and bodily autonomy. Her deft balance between personal grief and societal trauma, includes themes of police violence, addiction, and the degradation of Louisiana’s coastline. In “Exile,” a poem about the last moments of Michael Brown, she reflected on the responsibility of bringing voice to such a profound moment of vulnerability, illustrating how poetry can bear witness to innocence amid tragedy. Gilliam models how, through love— termed uniquely as “bullet love,” through connection and intimacy, motions to a journey through evolving definitions of love and resilience. Her reverence for language as a living entity—a tool for survival, witness, and healing—reflects her approach to poetry as an act of reclamation and endurance, holding space for voices that need to be remembered and honored.
season 1
Monday Nov 04, 2024
Platica Y Poetics Ep.12 – M.R. “Chibbi” Orduña
In my platica with M.R. “Chibbi” Orduña, a vibrant, fluid, and unapologetic powerhouse in San Antonio and the slam poetry world, I experienced firsthand the fierce conviction and transformative energy that makes them a magnetic force on stage. Known for captivating audiences with unapologetic truths, Chibbi’s performances weave personal resilience and challenge social norms with raw, colorful authenticity. Our conversation explored poetry as a powerful critique of America’s societal and political fractures, where they reflected on the pain of ideological division and shed light on the internal contradictions within the Latinx community. Through their work, Chibbi calls out the limitations of America’s polarized political landscape, often overlooking those on the fringes. In “Semi-Automatic Christ,” they employ potent religious and gun violence imagery to confront themes of faith, capitalism, and systemic negligence. For Chibbi, poetry serves as a modern confessional—a space to expose societal hypocrisies and bring healing through the art of truth-telling.
Thursday Oct 24, 2024
Platica Y Poetics Ep. 11 Jonathan Fletcher
In Episode 11, I sat down with my writing colleague and dear friend Jonathan Fletcher to explore eucharistic themes in poetry, focusing on confession as a powerful force. In his debut chapbook “This Is My Body”, we began with the body as a metaphor for desire and transformation—a vessel for both spiritual and emotional redemption, shaped by melancholy. Jonathan spoke candidly about how his work balances vulnerability, sacrifice, and salvation, while critiquing
power structures related to masculinity and intimacy. His upcoming collection invites readers into an intimate space, skillfully balancing the public and private through poetic craft. We delved into the intersections of identity, race, and sexuality, discussing how these themes shaped his
perspective as an outsider. Our conversation also drew on John Berger’s ideas on “being seen,” highlighting how visibility becomes a key tension of rebellion and redemption throughout his work.
Saturday Oct 19, 2024
Lip Liturgy w/ MERA MERA
Saturday Oct 19, 2024
Platica Y Poetics Ep. 10 w/ Carmen Tafolla “Transferencia de
In Episode 10, titled “Transferencia de Conocimiento del Barrio,” my fireside charla with Dr.
Carmen Tafolla was nothing short of transformative. As a trailblazer of Chicana literature and an unrelenting agent of change, our conversation opened with the heartfelt acknowledgment: “Without your voice, mine would be muffled.” Dr. Tafolla, one of the early feminist voices of the Chicano Movement, has gracefully challenged the stereotypes that have long marginalized our communities. Her literary journey, spanning decades of sociopolitical evolution, reflects an embrace of feminist, ecological, and multicultural perspectives that deeply honor indigenous roots. As a barrio storyteller, she uses poetry to pass down los cuentos y consejos of nuestra gente, empowering generations through words. Dr. Tafolla remins us why these stories matter—reflecting our collecitve painful history and beauty of cultural survival. In our conversation, she shared the wisdom and resilience that continues to break barriers and inspire a new generation of Chicanx writers. This plática with La Madrina of Chicana literatura turned into a session of transformative wisdom, revealing her enduring role as a beacon of cultural orgullo, resilience, and storytelling that transcends boundaries.
Monday Sep 30, 2024
Platica Y Poetics Ep.9 w/ Mauro De La Tierra
In Episode 9 calle punk arte met cosmic resistance in my interview with Mauro de la Tierra. We explored the intricate layers how graffiti became the form of expression against the backdrop of systemic inequality telling the stories of migrants capturing pain and resilience. Showcasing at times with satire he brings to the forefront the struggle in a world rife with anti-immigration sentiments. His provocative artistic style is a bold statement on the brutality and dehumanization embedded within systems of control. Mauro’s arte rich in indigenous symbolism, connect his art to the long history of resistance among indigenous people, emphasizing cultural memory and empowerment for the Latine community. As we discussed his creative process, it became clear that Mauro’s art is for all gente—transcending binaries and embracing the full spectrum of raza, gender, and identity. His legacy deeply rooted in the desire for justice, not just for migrants and indigenous people, but for all marginalized communities. To conclude our platica “Unknown Virgen ICE’ was written as an ekphrastic poem in honor of his arte and our hermanos crossing fronteras.
Monday Sep 30, 2024
Platica Y Poetics EP. 8 w/ Violeta Garza
In Episode 8 echemos el chal with Violeta Garza, delving deep into the complexities of identity, exploring how dual creative process as a poet and weaver mirrors the interweaving of cultural and personal histories. Our conversation emphasized the significance of ancestral lineage, especially matrilineal lines, in shaping familial and cultural identity. She shared how her weaving practice serves as a powerful metaphor for the poetic and literal intertwining of past and present selves, reflecting how identity is in constant motion, a work in progress. Our charla gifted permission to oneself to explore different versions of identity, and how poetry and art serve as vehicles for expressing these shifts for both. Through translanguaging, where multiple languages coexist, she activates various facets of the self. Like any good platica with a comadre, we shared intimate space in another’s metaphorical landscape ending the episode with a bilingual poetic collaboration, honoring las mujeres mechas on their collective journey.
Monday Sep 23, 2024
Platica Y Poetics Ep.7 w/ Jen Yáñez-Alaniz
A sensory delight and candid platica, Episode 7 with poetic comadre Jen Yáñez-Alaniz was a sweet dive into the sensuous universe she conjures in her debut poetry chapbook, Surrogate Eater. Our tableside exchange swirled around the intersections of pleasure, activism, and scholarship, with Jen guiding us through her approach to pleasure activism — reclaiming joy, desire, and pleasure as forms of resistance and empowerment. We grazed on topics such as how her poetry challenges societal norms, particularly concerning the body, sexuality, and identity within cultural contexts that often attach shame to female and queer bodies. Through this dialogue, we reclaimed the sacred through the body, turning poetry into a life-affirming, liberating force. Jen’s words resonated with the power of pleasure as a radical act, not just for the self, but for collective healing — especially within divine and marginalized communities.
Wednesday Sep 11, 2024
Platica Y Poetics Ep.6 w/ Natalia Treviño
This spiritual and esoteric platica carried us into the feminine divine universe, where we wove together cuentos of our abuelas and the universal sacred. We explored the dual presence of La Virgen in both our cultural and spiritual realms. Her poetry delves into the complexities of cultural and political identities, revealing how the divine transcends and unifies borders. We discussed the various archetypes she explores in her book “VirgenX” and how La Virgen is intricately woven into both the physical and political worlds. Our conversation touched on the life force, the power of love as an act of creation, and the cycle of generosity and life. She reminds us that the present moment and the afterlife are interconnected, bound by the threads of divine connection.
Wednesday Sep 11, 2024
Platica Y Poetics Ep.5 w/ Johnny Guerra
A platica with my Chicano hermano in poetics was a nostalgic return to my childhood street. Our tableside conversation explored San Antonio’s poetic renaissance, the borderlands, and our shared role as disciples of Anzaldúa. We dove into the “plurality of self,” discussing how our mestizaje and border consciousness foster intercultural unity. As the founder of the Zona San Anto Collective and podcast, he emphasized the significance of Chicano pride and San Antonio’s role as a cultural hub for the Latine community. Our conversation delved into the quest for true self and identity, revealing that there is no fixed identity—our Chicano/Latine heritage is made up of layers, constantly evolving.
Monday Aug 19, 2024
Platica Y Poetics Ep.4 w/ Ire’ne Silva Lara
Our conversation with the 2024 Texas Poet Laureate was nothing short of a cosmic comadre platica. Ire’ne welcomed us into her creative sanctuary, where the blank page held limitless potential. In this sacred exchange of poetic wisdom, we delved into the significance of indigeneity in literature and the reclamation of identity after transcending historical traumas. The author of “Furia”, “Blood Sugar Canto”, “Cuicacalli”, and “The Eaters of Flowers” spoke of the “necessity” to write, describing poetry as a lifeline, a way to navigate grief and carve out space for understanding ancestral wounds. Through Ire’ne, we were reminded of the path of love or pain, leaving with her savant poetic brilliance as lyrical ancestral medicina.
Tuesday Aug 06, 2024
Platica Y Poetics Ep. 3 w/Olivia Ortiz
In our Mera Platica with Olivia, we explored her journey into the art world, beginning with her apprenticeship alongside her husband, Cruz Ortiz. Olivia shared how she navigates various mediums, from printmaking to oil on canvas and warehouse painting, and how personal life experiences influence artistic expression. Speaking about her feminine divine modernism style illuminates the female experience under male patriarchy, addressing themes of labor and limited autonomy. How Olivia describes abstract depictions of feminine beauty invites us to immerse ourselves in sensual art and the divine within her pieces. Our artistic space was one that manifested a divine poetic portal.
Monday Jul 29, 2024
Platica Y Poetics Ep.2 w/ Anel I. Flores
Our Platica with Anel was a sensual, sensory experience, where they explored generational voices, queer identity, and their parallel existence as both a painter and writer. A Xicane, Queer, Trans author and artist, Anel is a cherished icon of San Antonio. We delved into the pleasures of aligning with sensual space, discussing their work, including “Empanada: A Lesbiana Story en Probaditas” and the forthcoming “Cortinas de Lluvia”. Anel’s episodic and sensory memory weaves a cosmic tapestry that shapes queer narratives. Sharing queer poetic space with them, a poetic flow session, improvising a poem on the spot, was an erotic delicacy.
Monday Aug 19, 2024