ÓYEME

Educator.  Advocate. Poet.

Latinx Artivist and Bronx-native, Jessica Diaz, credits her urban roots and Puerto Rican heritage most for fueling her lifelong commitment to education, advocacy and The Arts. Using poetry and storytelling to raise awareness and empower the Self and the Culture, Jessica strives to make a positive impact in whichever pursuits she is immersed in, feeling it is her purpose to nurture and mentor young people. Having had a love for writing since she was a child, Diaz’s energies turned specifically towards poetry in 2015 through her work with her 5th Graders preparing for a poetry slam. In that experience, the teacher became the student as she began to explore the same poetic devices her students were engaging with in an effort to be in the creative process with them. Here is where she realized that poetry was a passion that had been in hibernation far too long and now was the time to wake it up! With the spoken & written word being her preferred Social Justice tools of choice, Jessica teamed up with ALEGRIA Publishing to create her first collection, ÓYEME. This collection shares the lessons she’s learned from her elders, spiritual guides and the raw realities of love & loss. Diaz believes that within these reflections is where the discovery of all the diverse, delicate and delicious intricacies that shape her identity are rooted. Throughout her creative processes, Diaz believes she has gained a deeper understanding of the criticality of introspection and hopes that in engaging with her poetry, readers will be encouraged to do the same. Some of Jessica's works can be found in the BX Writers Anthology: Volume One & Two, Year Gone Hazy: Send-Offs to 2020, Asteri(x) Journal, The Sims Library of Poetry and Barrio Panther: Vol. 4. Diaz has also performed at The Kentucky Women’s Writing Conference: Wild Women of Poetry Showcase, Speak to Exist’s Sip & Listen Poetry Slam, LTX Quest Conference as well as been a featured poet at Yuca Arts Presents: Time 2 Shine, DreamYard’s Open Mic Series, Bronxlandia and, most recently, the spoken word play, Latin América, at The Hudson Theatres in Los Angeles through ALEGRIA Publishing. Jessica finds balance between work and play as an avid concert goer, “Sunday Funday” brunch enthusiast and world traveler on her time off. But finds as much peace & joy snuggling with her pug, Chauncey, and binge-watching documentaries and horror movies. Jessica still lives and works in The Bronx, committed to touching the hood first by supporting others in her community in finding their voice, their passions and discovering purpose.