“The Year of Paying Attention”

I am super happy to have worked with poet and good friend, Pierra Calasanz-Labrador in her latest book of poetry called Conversations with my Self(ies). The process of making this book was tender. It went through many iterations and perhaps casted doubts on our capacities that we both had to trudge through, but separately, individually. Perhaps because the contents of this book are raw and vulnerable; they were written in the midst of a worldwide pandemic after all. We wanted something that felt raw (just like the emotions she poured out onto her poems) but comforting at the same time. Something that felt imperfect but intentional. Colorful yet quiet. In the end I am proud of what we came up with. I think this book feels like a hug. I am proud of my friend Pierra for her bravery, for showing her innermost fears and longings for an audience to see.