Pura Vida y Poesia with Ruben Quesada

Ruben Quesada 🇨🇷 is the editor of the award-winning anthology Latinx Poetics: Essays on the Art of Poetry (2022), a collection of original essays from poets of Latin American descent. His poetry collections are Jane/La Segua (2023, digital), Revelations (2018), and Next Extinct Mammal (2011). Ruben's writing was featured in Best American Poetry, Harvard Review, New York Times Magazine, American Poetry Review, Southern Review, TriQuarterly, and Pleiades. He has a history of consulting for notable organizations like the NEA, Illinois Humanities Council, NBCC, and Publishing Triangle Awards. He is an editor, writer, and advocate for diversity and inclusivity in the literary arts. In this episode, we delve into the vibrant world of Latinx poetry with Ruben Quesada, editor of the award-winning anthology "Latinx Poetics: Essays on the Art of Poetry" (2022). Ruben shares his unique journey, growing up in a household where Spanish was the primary language and where Chinese influences were seamlessly woven into their cultural fabric, thanks to their Chinese neighbors. We learn about Ruben's Costa Rican heritage, and how a trip to Costa Rica revealed how his Spanish had been shaped by the diverse linguistic tapestry around him. Keep up with Ruben on his website and on his Instagram.  For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.