In this event, program instructor and writer Charlie Vázquez will be joined by DREAMing Out Loud student writers to share excerpts of their work and reflect on how the program has helped them discover their voices, strengthen their craft, and build community through storytelling.
Together, they’ll explore the transformative impact of writing in shaping identity and creating space for underrepresented narratives in literature. The session will conclude with an audience Q&A, offering an opportunity to connect directly with these inspiring writers.
This event is a special collaboration between the Mexican Studies Institute at CUNY and PEN America’s DREAMing Out Loud Program. Hosted by the New York City International Book Fair (FILNYC).
DREAMing Out Loud is a paid, tuition-free creative writing workshop series for migrant writers. We welcome writers from all immigrant communities and backgrounds, both citizens and non-citizens. By providing community and professional support to the next generation of immigrant writers, the program seeks to counter anti-immigrant sentiment in the U.S. and to amplify the voices of many living in this country who are marginalized because of their immigration status.
Participants
Charlie Vázquez has been a DREAMing Out Loud teaching artist since 2018. He is the author of the novels Buzz and Israel (2005, Fireking Press) and Contraband (2010, Rebel Satori Press) as well as Fantasmas: Puerto Rican Tales of the Dead (Carlos Vazquez, 2020), a short story collection inspired by family folklore. His writing also appears in the graphic novel collection Ricanstruction (Somos Arte, 2018), which donates proceeds to hurricane relief in Puerto Rico. Vázquez’s work was also included in Crashing Cathedrals (ITNA, 2019), an anthology featuring essays written by authors on their favorite Edmund White books.
He’s the former New York City coordinator for Puerto Rico’s Festival de la Palabra and was awarded Commendation from the City of New York in 2014 for his contributions to Latino literary heritage. Currently, he’s developing a portfolio of feature-length screenplays, treatments, and short films adapted from his fiction. He is of Cuban and Puerto Rican descent and lives in the Bronx.
Estrella Juarez was born in Guerrero, Mexico. She speaks three languages: Mixteco, Spanish, and English. She is currently studying at Bronx Community College, majoring in Human Services. Estrella has been a participant in the DREAMing Out Loud Program for two semesters and is also a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.
Her life experiences inspired her to join the DREAMing Out Loud Program. The struggles she has faced have played a crucial role in shaping the person she strives to become—and in guiding her away from who she does not want to be. Her family has been a significant source of support and motivation, always encouraging her. As an immigrant student who did not grow up speaking English, Estrella has learned the value of perseverance and the importance of never giving up on her goals.
Mx. Je’Jae C. Mizrahi is a Temani-Queer Millennial writer in nyc & has written for several publications & literary magazines: The Village Voice, Sold Magazine, Bluffton University, HuffPost, Pen America, Hey Alma, Lilith Magazine, S.I Advance , The Feminist Daily, Washington Square News, Fluide Beauty, Next Magazine, Jerusalem Post & Centro Voices of Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College.
They have held residencies at Pen America “Dream Out Loud” of emerging migrant voices, National Queer Theatre’s “Write It Out”, Still Here fellowship in San Francisco partnership with L.A Times. The Tab at City University of New York.
Che Guerrero is an independent journalist, writer, “artivist”, content creator, and comedian who uses investigative journalism and humor to raise awareness about the immigrant experience and expose systemic and social injustices. As an “artivist”, Che uses various artistic mediums to highlight how institutional failures impact everyday people. His commitment to justice and the truth, together with his ability to infuse humor into serious topics makes him a unique and reliable voice for this generation.