At the root of everything I do is poetry. From there the poem walks, talks and communicates what it wants to be: a painting, story, film, book or performance. Mostly, poems just want to be poems and it would be a disservice to you, looking at this page, if I told you I was just a poet, because mostly, I’m a storyteller and visionary.
I’ve lived in New York City longer than any place, but I was born in Mexico City with Guanajuato and Guerrero roots. My family was part of the wave of immigrants pushed north by the sham that was The North American Free Trade Agreement. I identify as a Chilanga-Chicana. Living an undocumented life in Houston, I ran with the poets of Westheimer, Montrose and Third Ward. I founded The Word Around Town poetry Tour in 2015 with fellow poets Joe B and Stephen Gros but was fueled by the love and commitment of a community of poets for 10 years. They are whom I model my stage presence and style to this day. I put in some time in El Paso, Texas for school and politics, the aesthetics of the city’s vibrant art scene of that time is still the epitome of what I think of as beautiful and honest.
The political side of my life hasn’t explicitly showed up in most of my art but it is now and I am happy that I can express it in a way that I consider art, not propaganda. The way I create, collaborate and live is guerilla. Without e a degree or formal training, I rely on the generosity of my peers to learn new skills and access tools I need, for I am mostly autodidactic. Life will never beat the artist out of me. In the most honest way, I’ve earned the moniker, Rebelené.
AND…yes! I founded Rebelené Press in 2023, where I re-issued my debut poetry collection “Music for Butterflies/Música para mariposas” (originally on Editorial Ultramarina, Spain 2022). We’re publishing chapbooks by working class women of indigenous descent. Vamos lento porque vamos lejos, so follow us on social media and reach out if you want to get books or talk about them. There’s also some media and articles about me, check those out if you like me.
Rebelené 