Brenda Vaca – författare

Dieagnosis is a collection of poetry based on a journey of self-discovery, working through the traumas and the struggles of being a Gay Latino in an impacted religious society. The author explores his personal development through every challenge, where he learned valuable lessons of never giving up and not allowing anyone to take away his power. He testifies to the experience of diminishing his own power by giving it away to bullies, past relationships, and even to his own mind. He references whispers, darkness, and the void because he is a survivor of suicide. This collection of poetry also contains Checkpoints, which are pages where he interacts with readers to acknowledge the consent that was taken. He also has a companion workbook entitled Beacon to provide readers with extra support in their own mental wellness development. 

Content Warning: mentions of suicide, self-harm, and physical and sexual abuse.

Elodia Esperanza Benitez is a Mexican-American poet from Gilroy, California who brings the strength of her ancestors and heritage to her work. She began writing at an early age as a way of processing her experiences and those around her within her community. Her poems bring to life those closest to her by way of inviting their voices to sweep across the page. She is the author of Love in Many Faces. You can find her work in EASTSIDE Magazine, Content Magazine, Chicana/Latina Studies: The Journal of Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social, and on bookstore shelves.