Gracias, Jennita for your beautiful words. It’s a gift to find ourselves in each other. As artists, we continually reach for each other. Thank you for your energy and this wonderful boost for my labor of love ready for everyone’s hot hands.

#blackpoetry #latinxpoetry #indigenouspoetry

The poem Hammerhead from my poetry collection Black Mestiza. Counting down to my launch event at Books and Books at Coral Gables and live streamed on YouTube bit.ly/3Cjxc1M #poetrycommunity #readingpoetry #blackpoetry #indigenouspoetry #latinxpoetry

It’s pub day for my first book! Please celebrate with me yay!!!!!!!!!!! buff.ly/3KRZ8uk

Here she is! It is so surreal to hold this book in my hands. It officially publishes on Tuesday, January 21, but it is shipping now. How fun that there is a hardcover version. I am also so proud that the book is listed under a Black/ Latinx/ indigenous. I choose all parts of myself.

I am so honored to be in this volume. The best part of this is that as a contributor, I can nominate other writers in perpetuity. When I received need I had won, I was confused. It turned out a previous winner nominated me. IlI feel blessed and humbled and I am eager to play it forward. 💕🌺💯🙏🏽

My Interview with journalist and poet Taylor Dibbert is live on Medium. Thank you so much Taylor! taylordibbert.medium.com/yael-valenci...

Ya Girl is on The Wee Sparrow Podcast. Talking about my Chapbook Alien(s). This is the first time I was asked about the inspiration being a lot of my poems 😬

theweesparrowpoetrypress.substack.com/p/episode-3-...

Art makes the world go around!

Repost from @notre.arte

Subversion by Miriam Sweeney

Save the date! Please join me for the Zoom launch of the chapbook Alien(s) with these amazing readers. Including Richard Blanco, Nicole Tallman, Clayre Benzadón, Julie Marie Wade Lynne Barrett, on Sunday, October 15th, 3 pm Eastern, noon Pacific time. Register here bit.ly/45khhJ3

I am excited to announce that my full-length poetry collection, Black Mestiza, has won the University Press of Kentucky New Poetry and Prose Series in Poetry. Thank you so much to the series editor, Lisa Williams, who saw beauty and promise in my book. Black Mestiza is forthcoming in 2025.

I thought I would post over where and see. Happening in a few hours.

Join host Siân Killingsworth for a visual reading with featured poets: Koss, Linda Michel-Cassidy, and Yael Valencia Aldana this Sunday at 3 PM Pacific (6pm Eastern). Register to attend! linktr.ee/yaelwrites