An Afternoon with Yael Valencia Aldana and Julie Marie Wade
Feb 02, 2025
Starting: 5:00 PM
Join Books & Books on Sunday, February 2, for An Afternoon with Yael Valencia Aldana and Julie Marie Wae, where the acclaimed poet will present her latest work, Black Mestiza: Poems. In this collection, Aldana delves into her Caribbean Afro-Latinx heritage, reflecting on identity, family and the enduring legacy of her ancestors through a mix of evocative verse. Her poems, such as the Pushcart Prize-winning Black Person Head Bob, explore themes of resilience, recognition and community, drawing on her Indigenous, Black and Colombian roots to connect personal experience with broader cultural narratives.
Aldana will be in conversation with Julie Marie Wade, whose works span poetry, prose and hybrid forms. Wade's latest works, Fugue: An Aural History and Otherwise: Essays, continue her exploration of memoir and poetic form, earning her the Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Memoir and other honors. This discussion promises to offer unique insights into Aldana’s poetic journey and Wade’s nuanced approach to creative writing.
Admission is free, with copies of Black Mestiza available for purchase on-site.
Yael Valencia Aldana is an Afro-Latinx poet whose work, celebrated with a Pushcart Prize and a Best of the Net nomination, has appeared in Stone Coast Review, South Cutbank Literary Journal, and Literary Mama. A descendant of Indigenous Colombian heritage, Aldana’s poetry addresses themes of identity and legacy, both personal and collective. In addition to her chapbook Alien(s), she contributes as a guest editor to several literary publications and teaches creative writing in South Florida, where she lives with her son.
Julie Marie Wade is an award-winning poet and essayist, most recently recognized for Fugue: An Aural History and Otherwise: Essays. Wade has won the Marie Alexander Poetry Series and Lambda Literary Award and currently teaches creative writing at Florida International University. Her upcoming project, The Mary Years, a novella set for release in Fall 2024, continues her exploration of personal and cultural narratives. Wade lives with her partner and two cats in Dania Beach.