SWWIM: Lisa Rhoades & Yael Valencia Aldana

Poets Lisa Rhoades and Yael Valencia Aldana share their work in an intimate reading presented as part of the SWWIM series at The Betsy Hotel on Miami Beach, in collaboration with Matwaala. Rhoades, author of The Long Grass, Strange Gravity and the forthcoming Central to the Task, brings a career that bridges literary and professional life as both writer and pediatric nurse. Aldana, a Black-Latine poet and Pushcart Prize winner, is the author of Black Mestiza and Alien(s), with work featured in outlets such as Ms. Magazine and Hip Latina.

The event is part of SWWIM’s 2025–2026 season, which pairs visiting poets with Miami-based writers in a series designed to foster dialogue and highlight contemporary women’s poetry.

SWWIM: Lisa Rhoades & Yael Valencia Aldana takes place Thursday, October 16 at The Betsy - South Beach.