Looking Back at 20 Years of Letras Latinas: Alexandra Lytton Regalado

Top Left: Jordan Pérez with Alexandra Lytton Regalado | Top Right: Jordan Pérez reading in The Gallery at The Betsy Hotel on September 12, 2024 | Bottom Left: Alexandra Lytton Regalado reading in The Gallery | Bottom Right: 20th Anniversary cake generously provided by SWWIM

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For a solid decade, Letras Latinas has been a vital source of support and inspiration for my work, ever since I first participated in the Pintura/Palabra workshop in 2014. During their 20th-anniversary celebrations, I had the privilege of taking part in various events that deepened my connection to this vibrant community. At AWP, life-long friend and poet Emma Trelles and I joined the Letras Latinas booth, decorating it with Latino motifs, coordinating book signings, and sharing videos of poets reading their work at the fair. It was deeply rewarding to witness poets and attendees engage with the booth, inquire about Latino literary events, and discover recently published books and related offsite readings. One of the most meaningful moments of the year was reading alongside Jordan Pérez at the SWWIM/Letras Latinas reading at the Betsy Hotel in Miami Beach. As co-judges for the Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize, Sheila Maldonado and I selected Jordan’s manuscript, Santa Tarantula, for its urgent and lyrical exploration of women’s roles, Georgia’s low country, and her Cuban heritage. The event was further enriched by Laura Villareal’s insightful questions and framing, which brought to light the intersections between the poetry of the American South, the Caribbean, and Central America. Another highlight was contributing to the Latino folio in the December 2024 issue of Poetry Magazine, a dream publication for me. To appear alongside so many poets I deeply admire was exhilarating. This brief account of my experiences only begins to capture the breadth of Letras Latinas’ impact in championing Latino poetry. At the heart of this remarkable initiative is the tireless work of Francisco Aragón—affectionately, and fittingly, known to me as “El Ángel de la Guarda de la Poesía Latinx.”

—Alexandra Lytton Regalado