Author Description

Palabra owes its existence to Chris Zertuche and Soni Lopez-Chavez, owners of La Bodega Gallery. When Chris asked me to help launch and host Palabra, I told him I would help him find someone much more adept; I had never launched an open mic nor hosted. Chris persisted, and as the start date April 27, 2017 approached it became apparent that I would be the host. It’s been great. We’ve met many talented and beautiful people and experienced some incredible moments. Chris, Soni and I believe in inclusion. It’s the thing we stressed when conceptualizing what Palabra would be: it must be open for all levels of talent. And not just open, it had to be inviting and supportive. We want first time performers to feel comfortable enough to want to come back and find that level of proficiency that they seek, whatever that may be. We also want the experienced artist to feel comfortable enough to take risks without the pressure of judgement. That mold made this book. Thank you to all of the contributors of Palabra: Open Mic--Afterword.