The Puerto Rican Independent Art Scene has seen a boom in all its facets, and literature is no stranger to this. With online services like Createspace and independent publishers like La Impresora, authors of all fields have found platforms that allow them to publish their works. Seeing how many writers are slowly deciding to take power into their hands and take the solo route, it is only fitting that we celebrate young up-and-coming and/or independent poets who are building their path on their own.
(picture provided by the writer)
Michael “WowZa” Acevedo was born in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. He lived in the United States for a while and currently lives in Rincón. He’s also a rapper and beat maker who goes by the name of “WowZa.” His hobbies include playing PlayStation 4 and basketball, watching anime, and making music. He’s a fourth year student at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. He’s been writing music since he was ten years old and has recently been focusing his talents on poetry. He is featured in the anthology Vox: 5 Años de la Voz del Pueblo.
(picture provided by the writer)
Anthony Acevedo Rodríguez was born in the nineties in Moca, Puerto Rico. He currently studies Psychology at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. He became interested in literature around the age of nine after meeting the Moca poet Gregorio Nieves. In May of 2016, he published his first poetry book De Sueños Rotos. Afterwards, in February 2017, he collaborated with poet Fernando E. E. Correa González to publish Sábado Negro. Most recently, he published his first fiction book Córtoga in December of last year. His works have also been featured in the local magazines Caminos Convergentes, Colectivo Literario UPRP, Sábanas Literary Magazine, Bohemia Borinqueña, among others. He is featured in the anthology Vox: 5 Años de la Voz del Pueblo.
(picture found in the writer’s Facebook page)
Gabrielle Armstrong is a writer, dancer, choreographer, and educator. She recently published her first book of poetry, Partida en Dos, and co-founded Avant Performing Arts Studios where she teaches a variety of dance styles to children from the age of four. Armstrong discovered her love for words and poetry when she started attending the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. She is featured in the anthology Vox: 5 Años de la Voz del Pueblo.
(picture found in the writer’s Facebook page)
José Avilés-Acosta was born on June 16th, 1994 and currently resides in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. He is currently a doctoral student at Carlos Albizu University at Mayagüez. In 2011, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization recognized him as a poet. In addition, he provides workshops on creative writing and carries out research on topics of interest. He has published the poetry books Nervio Óptico (2017), Hippocampus: Deconstructed (2015), Desde mi sombra (2015), and was featured in the anthology Cuerpos en la pared (2015).
(cover of Ramos de Vidrio by Taymara Sanchez)
Celia Margarita Ayala Lugo is a West-Coast based poet and author of two self-published anthologies, Diario de un Labial Atrofiado and Ramos de Vidrio, who has performed in a variety of open mic events held by Vox Populi: Puerto Rico and La Alianza. She holds a B. A. in Teaching English as a Second Language from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico at San Germán, and recently graduated from the M.A.E.E. program at the University of Puerto Rico. Currently, she is working towards her PhD at the University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras.Aside from her books, her works have been published in magazines like El Vicio del Tintero, Smaeralit, Bohemia Borinqueña and Sábanas Magazine.