The Latinx in Publishing Writers Mentorship Showcase series features excerpts by our Class of 2020 mentees from the projects they’ve developed with the guidance of their mentors.
The LxP Writers Mentorship Program is an annual volunteer-based initiative that offers the opportunity for unpublished and/or unagented writers who identify as Latinx (mentees) to strengthen their craft, gain first-hand industry knowledge, and expand their professional connections through work with experienced published authors (mentors).
Below is an excerpt from one of our 2020 mentees in picture books, Angela Pico:
Making hot chocolate with Abuelita is a fiesta.
We melt the toasty, buttery bar,
and a silky, rich and coffee-colored miel it becomes.
It’s our special tradition.
“La tradición de nosotras,” Abuelita tells me, “tu y yo.
Cuando era pequeña
mi abuelita me enseñó a hacer chocolate.”
Knowing Abuelita’s grandma made hot chocolate with her
makes me feel connected
to all the abuelitas in my family.
The abuelitas que hablaban español,
who shared secretos and fortunes through chocolate,
the velvelty, milky honey,
that now Abuelita shares with me.
But this time in English too.
Used with permission from author, copyright (c) Angela Pico 2020.
Angela Pico was born in Bogotá, Colombia and grew up in western North Carolina. She holds a BA in Romance Languages and Literatures from Pomona College, an MFA in Spanish Creative Writing from the University of Iowa, and is currently working on an MA in French Literature and Francophone Studies at the University of Iowa. Angela currently lives in Iowa City, where she is a university instructor and a student. She teaches Latina/o/x Literature in the U.S. at the University of Iowa. She is passionate about writing for children and validating Latina/o/x voices. She also writes poetry for adults.
https://www.angelapicowriter.com
