Remembering my days in NYC 2017-20 through the rebozos y chales… The traditional rebozo has been used by Mexican indigenous and mestizas for centuries. It is utilitarian, symbolic of tribal. and regional affiliations, represents our femininity, humbleness and our pride. Yes, I was writing poems. The collection is called: My Book of the Dead.
Continue readingLa Tolteca 2.0 September 4,2020 We are pleased to present La Tolteca 2.0 Issue#5 . We celebrate New York, New York lifetime creatives. Folks featured here have been thriving in NYC for decades but in 202o, added survival skills with COVID-19 pandemic, protests and riots, businesses closing down and being shut-in dealing with health issues, learning…
Continue readingWhatever the outcome, we very likely face a second civil war. Unlike what was talked about in the 1960s, it won’t be started by the oppressed or the ‘resistance.’
Continue readingWhen I read BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME at times I was unable to get through passages because my eyes welled with tears and memories of growing up, becoming an adult brown woman in the United States–from mid-twentieth century through the 21st and sharing the pain of being born in a world not meant for you.
Continue readingEinstein Visa Awardee Melania Trump (who worked illegally in this country and after her powerful husband arranged a visa which thereby deprived a truly brilliant person of a visa, and immediately after, she brought over her parents, who last night said she came here, studied and worked hard to get her citizenship) and who mainly regards each official business appearance as a fashion photo shoot may have been going for the Elizabeth II WWII,…
Continue readingIncludes new introduction by Clarissa Pinkola-Estes and an Addendum essay by Ana Castillo, “The Real and True Meaning of the Virgin of Guadalupe,” recipient of the ASA’s Gloria Anzaldúa Award for independent scholarship. Castillo revisits her reflections on Chicana activism, spiritual practices, sexual attitudes, artistic ideology, labor struggles, and education-related battles. Her book remains a compelling document, enhanced here with a new afterword that reexamines the significance of Our Lady of Guadalupe.” BUY NOW “Castillo…
Continue readingIssue #4, August 21, 2020 Welcome to our fourth issue. Featured here are Chi-Town creatives! So much is happening in Chicago this summer. We send our love & hope for continued strength to that American of American cities. Included in this issue we introduce Creative Guadalupe Chairez. Also included poets Marcelo Castillo, Mary K. Hawley and Mike Puican, Academic and Curandera Laura de los Santos, and Writer Sandra Jackson-Opoku We are celebrating life in…
Continue readingWe’ve reprised La Tolteca Zine (2011-2016) and sped up the turn around–every two weeks readers may come here to take a gander at a new issue. We feature new and unpracticed creatives, emerging artists, poets & the established, los/as maestro/as. Tomorrow Issue #4 introduces Chicago creative Guadalupe Chairez, poets & writers & a testimonio on curanderismo. If you’d like to share your story, selfies, send to ana@anacastillo.net for consideration. Issue #5 coming up September…
Continue readingPoems from MY BOOK OF THE DEAD (unpublished collection by Ana Castillo, 2020). This group of poems has been previously published in various books & literary journals. (Some alignments may be off due to cut & pasting. (No comments on edits or grammar, please. This is being done.). I’m happy to share & thank you for reading. Positive vibe comments here are always welcome. All the line drawings are mine. (Please don’t reproduce w/out my…
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