Pic 1: Lilly & I waiting in line for front row; Pic 2: In El Salvador, my village below me; Pic 3: My cousins, sister and I; Pic 4: Mindlessly crocheting on NY subway; Pic 5: Photo walk in NY; Pic 6: Treehugger in Maine

Since I could remember, I’ve stood in shadows watching the world go on and on and on around me. People watching is what they call it, but I’ve only recently realized it had a name. I was the shy kid in class with all the answers sitting in the back of my throat choking me up when I spoke, but I’m working on it.

That’s not to say I’ve always been on my own. Platonic relationships are what keep my world turning. My best friend of 10+ years was attached to my hip once we simultaneously found our love for music &, later, the live shows that came with it. We’ve been to over 150 (+counting, it’s a problem) concerts together. With that, we’ve also gradually become apart of each other’s families.

Coming from a Salvadorian household, I’ve placed family at the forefront of my world. Both my parents were immigrants in the 1980s and came to the US seeking refuge from the war in ES. My mom was pregnant with my oldest brother, making my siblings & I first-gens, making me the first to graduate college.

I graduated with my BA in English from Montclair State University in Winter 2021, started my MA in Fall 2021, and quickly realized I was no longer benefitting from the same chunk of classics being read over & over again. I also began working for a non-profit that aimed to highlight Women of Color literary voices and I knew I wanted a more diverse learning experience. So, I took a leap of faith and transferred into Kean’s Writing Studies Program with nerves & an itch to start new.

Im excited to venture into a new side of literature. I’ve always gravitated towards poetry because of the endless avenues it can take you on and from the looks of it, electronic lit is just that. I can’t wait to see what I, and others, create.