Words On A Wire

In this wide-ranging conversation, host Daniel Chacón speaks with poet Matt Sedillo— called “America’s greatest political poet”—about his poetic mission, international travels, and deep commitment to social justice. Sedillo reflects on the legacy of revolutionary poets like Roque Dalton and Pablo Neruda, and shares his experiences participating in international poetry festivals, including a recent trip to Cuba where he read a poem to Olympic gold medalist Mijaín López.The episode explores Sedillo’s literary and political inspirations, his role in building bridges between Chicano poetry and audiences across Latin America, and his passion for promoting working-class voices through El Martillo Press, which he co-founded. He also speaks candidly about the importance of mentorship, cultural reciprocity, and networking for emerging writers.

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón speaks with UTEP math professor Lawrence Lesser and digital humanities scholar Elisabet Takehana about the surprising connections between poetry, mathematics, and data. What starts as a discussion about a poem on the number π unfolds into a wide-ranging conversation about creativity, meaning, and the human role in interpreting both language and numbers. Together, they explore how algorithms, literature, and mathematics all reflect a deeply human impulse to find patterns—and beauty—in the world around us.

In this thought-provoking episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón welcomes author and theologian Keith Giles for an engaging conversation about his book The Quantum Sayings of Jesus: Decoding the Lost Gospel of Thomas. Giles shares his spiritual journey from being a Southern Baptist pastor immersed in conservative evangelicalism to becoming what he calls “mystic-curious.”The episode dives deep into the Gospel of Thomas, a non-canonical collection of Jesus’ sayings that Giles argues holds profound spiritual insight when read through the lens of non-duality and oneness. Giles explains how his rethinking of foundational Christian doctrines led to a years-long process of spiritual deconstruction, culminating in a series of books challenging traditional views of politics, scripture, and more.

In this episode of Words on a Wire, hosts Daniel Chacón and Tim Z. Hernandez sit down with Felicia Cocotzin Ruiz—award-winning author, respected curandera, and revered herbal educator—whose healing practices are rooted in the traditions of the Sonoran Desert. Known affectionately as the “Kitchen Curandera,” Felicia shares stories from her journey into traditional healing, from her great-grandmother’s teachings in Old Town Albuquerque to her own transformative work with food, dance, and plant medicine.Felicia discusses the philosophy behind her acclaimed book Earth Medicines, her evolving role as a healer, and the importance of language, ancestry, and “indigenizing” wellness practices. She reflects on the power of naming, the wisdom of plants, and the spiritual connection between body and creativity. With warmth and insight, she explores how ancient indigenous knowledge is often validated—if not co-opted—by modern science, and emphasizes the importance of honoring traditions rather than rebranding them.

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón welcomes back poet Adela Najarro to discuss her powerful new collection, Variations in Blue, published by Red Hen Press. With warmth, candor, and insight, Najarro reflects on how art, memory, and community shape her work. Najarro also pays tribute to her literary influences, including Pablo Neruda, while critically reimagining their legacies through a feminist lens. This moving dialogue is a testament to the power of poetry to confront silence, reclaim narrative, and build connection.

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón sits down with veteran journalist Robert Moore, founder and CEO of El Paso Matters, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to high-impact local reporting. Together, they trace Moore’s career from writing obituaries at a small-town paper to leading one of the most respected independent news organizations on the U.S.–Mexico border.Moore shares why he walked away from his role as editor of the El Paso Times, how the 2019 Walmart mass shooting and COVID-19 pandemic shaped his newsroom’s mission, and why storytelling—especially in underserved communities—is central to democracy. The conversation touches on the challenges facing journalism today, from financial instability to political pressure, and the role of local news in countering misinformation and holding power to account.

In this special episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón sits down with four graduating creative writing students from his Senior Seminar at the University of Texas at El Paso: Diego Cerda, Cristina Flores, Sophia Ortega-Carlos, and Jesus Morales. What unfolds is a spirited, funny, and deeply personal roundtable conversation about life, art, and what comes after college.

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host William Alfred Rose speaks with journalist and author Kyle Paoletta about his new book, American Oasis: Finding the Future in the Cities of the Southwest. Paoletta takes listeners on a journey through the urban heart of the American Southwest—El Paso, Albuquerque, Phoenix, Tucson, and Las Vegas—exploring how these desert cities reflect the challenges and possibilities of a rapidly changing climate and culture.Paoletta, a New Mexico native, shares his personal journey from the mountains outside Albuquerque to the editorial offices of New York, and how that distance shaped his desire to reconnect with the Southwest. The conversation touches on climate change, water scarcity, urban development, and the cultural divide between older, historically Mexican and Indigenous cities like El Paso and Tucson, and newer, booster-built cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas.

In this special episode of Words on a Wire, host Tim Z. Hernandez brings listeners into a moving panel discussion recorded live at the Tucson Festival of Books. Joined by acclaimed authors Rex Ogle (Abuela, Don’t Forget Me) and Melani “Mele” Martinez (The Molino: A Memoir), the conversation dives deep into the role of storytelling in shaping identity, healing generational trauma, and reclaiming cultural narratives.Through personal reflections and powerful anecdotes, the panelists explore how family histories, community roots, and lived experiences influence their writing. From the quiet resilience of an abuela to the complexities of growing up in multicultural neighborhoods, this episode celebrates the ways stories can preserve memory, challenge stereotypes, and offer transformation.Tune in for an inspiring conversation about memory, voice, and the many layers of what it means to be a storyteller today.

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón sits down with acclaimed poet, translator, and world traveler Liliana Valenzuela for a rich and reflective conversation recorded just after her return from a silent meditation retreat. Liliana discusses her journey as a “reverse Chicana”—a Mexican-born writer shaped by both Mexican and Chicano cultural traditions—and the ancestral and creative forces that shape her work. From her fascination with Aztec codices to solo travels through West Africa, Liliana shares the stories and experiences that inform her poetry collections Codex of Love and Codex of Journeys. The conversation also explores her influential career as a translator of major Latinx authors, including Sandra Cisneros Julia Alvarez, Cristina Garcia, Denise Chavez (and more), as well as her lifelong commitment to amplifying women's voices in literature.

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón talks with debut author Eugenie Montague about her novel Swallow the Ghost, a genre-bending narrative that plays with the conventions of crime fiction, digital life, and storytelling itself.Montague shares how the novel began as a writing experiment that grew into something larger—originating with the character Jane and evolving into a story told in three interconnected parts. Set in New York City, Swallow the Ghost follows characters navigating identity, routine, and the search for meaning in a chaotic, media-saturated world.The conversation dives into themes of control, narrative structure, and the addictive nature of both mystery plots and social media. Montague explores the creation of a fictional Twitter character named Rita, whose digital presence begins to shape and disrupt the story in unexpected ways, blurring the line between fiction and reality.Montague also reflects on her path as a writer, her MFA experience at UC Irvine, and how living in El

Mikhail Carbajal es un escritor y educador que ha desarrollado una obra que explora la identidad en la frontera norte de México, y su cultura. Desde hace algunos años también está a cargo de un proyecto muy particular que combina literatura y redes sociales en una plataforma que ha trascendido, hablamos de “La gramática del Meme”. Mikhail Carbajal is a writer and educator who has developed a work that explores the identity and culture of Mexico's northern border. For the past few years, he has also been in charge of a very particular project that combines literature and social networks in a platform that has transcended, we are talking about “La gramática del Meme”.

This week, our host Tim Z. Hernandez shares a live recording of a panel he was recently on at the Tucson Festival of Books, which took place March 15 & 16. The panel was titled "Unexpected Legacy of History," and features a conversation between Jason De Leon, Lee Hawkins, Tim Z. Hernandez, and moderator, Jill Jordan Spitz. 

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Will Rose speaks with journalist and former El Paso news anchor Stephanie Valle. They talk about Stephanie’s two-decade career at KVIA ABC-7 and her new role at the El Paso District Attorney’s Office.During her career, Stephanie anchored morning and evening newscasts and often reported her own investigative stories. She turned her passion for reporting into the Borderland Crimes Podcast, which received numerous accolades, including the prestigious National Edward R. Murrow Award in 2024. Now, Stephanie works in the El Paso District Attorney's Office as the Special Projects Administrator. In her role, she’s in charge of releasing case information to news media, managing state and federal grants, and organizing the annual Region 19 High School Mock Trial competition and crime victims remembrance events. As a member of the Plaza Classic Film Festival Advisory Committee, she conducts Q&As of the festival’s special guests live on the Plaza Theatre stage during the festi

In this engaging episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón sits down with acclaimed poet and author Gume Laurel III to discuss his journey into poetry, the power of storytelling through verse novels, and the inspiration behind his works. From his early resistance to poetry to discovering its rhythm and depth through spoken word, Gume shares how he found his literary voice and carved a space in the young adult fiction landscape.The conversation explores Samson and Domingo, a modern, queer retelling of the Samson story, and his upcoming novel Solar Punks, a thought-provoking dive into the emerging genre of solar punk. Gume discusses the importance of accessibility in literature, crafting high-interest, low-readability (hi-lo) books for young readers, and the cinematic quality of his narratives—hinting at a future on the big screen.

Mijail Lamas, poeta, traductor y crítico, egresado de nuestra Maestría en Escritura Creativa en El Paso, conversa con nosotros sobre su trayectoria. Nacido en Culiacán, Sinaloa, Lamas ha publicado numerosos poemarios y se ha adentrado en la traducción poética. En esta entrevista, reflexiona sobre su relación con la poesía y la riqueza de su formación en UTEP. Mijail Lamas, a poet, translator, and critic, and graduate of our MFA in Creative Writing program in El Paso, speaks with us about his career. Born in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Lamas has published numerous poetry collections and has delved into poetic translation. In this interview, he reflects on his relationship with poetry and the richness of his education at UTEP.

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Will Rose sits down with author Luis Jaramillo to discuss his novel The Witches of El Paso. Jaramillo delves into his connection to El Paso, a city that has inspired his storytelling through family history, cultural richness, and a sense of magic woven into everyday life. He shares insights into his writing process, the influence of the region’s bicultural and historical landscape, and how the supernatural elements in his book reflect the blurred borders—both literal and figurative—that define the city.Luis Jaramillo is also the author of the award-winning short story collection The Doctor’s Wife. His writing has appeared in LitHub, BOMB Magazine, Los Angeles Review of Books, and other publications. He is an assistant professor of creative writing at The New School. He received an undergraduate degree from Stanford University and an MFA from The New School.

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón sits down with investigative journalist and author Lise Olsen to discuss her chilling yet deeply compelling book, The Scientist and the Serial Killer: The Search for Houston’s Lost Boys. The book unearths the harrowing story of the Candyman Killer, Dean Corll, who preyed on teenage boys in 1970s Houston, and the relentless efforts of forensic anthropologist Dr. Sharon Derrick to identify his forgotten victims.Olsen delves into the failures of law enforcement, the systemic neglect of missing boys from working-class neighborhoods, and the power of scientific persistence in the face of injustice. She also reflects on her own journey reporting on serial crimes and forensic investigations, revealing how one woman’s determination brought long-overdue names to the nameless.Part true crime, part investigative triumph, this conversation explores the intersection of forensic science, journalism, and justice. A must-listen for those who believe that every victim des

In this episode of The Storykeeper, from Words on a Wire, host Tim Z. Hernandez sits down with author Cristina Herrera to discuss her book Welcome to Oxnard: Race, Place, and Chicana Adolescence in Michelle Serros's Writing. The conversation delves into the legacy of Michelle Serros, an influential writer whose work captured the complexities of growing up in Oxnard, California. They explore themes of belonging, assimilation, and the power of storytelling in shaping cultural narratives.Cristina Herrera was born and raised in Oxnard, California, and is now professor and director of Chicanx/Latinx studies at Portland State University. She is the author of ChicaNerds in Chicana Young Adult Literature: Brown and Nerdy and editor of Nerds, Goths, Geeks, and Freaks: Outsiders in Chicanx and Latinx Young Adult Literature, which won the 2022 Children’s Literature Association Edited Book Award.

In this special Words on a Wire episode, hosts Daniel Chacón and Tim Z. Hernandez sat down with painter, writer, professor, and cultural historian Maceo Montoya at a recent public event at the University of Texas at El Paso. With a live audience in attendance, the trio discusses Montoya’s upbringing in a small California town, his dynamic artistic career, and the ever-evolving narratives of the Chicano and Latinx experience. From his rebellious mural-making days at Yale to his reflections on identity, storytelling, and community, Maceo’s insights will leave you inspired and ready to think deeply about the power of art and narrative.Maceo Montoya has published books across various genres. His first novel, The Scoundrel and the Optimist (Bilingual Review, 2010), earned the 2011 International Latino Book Award for "Best First Book," and Latino Stories recognized him as one of its "Top Ten New Latino Writers to Watch." In 2014, the University of New Mexico Press released his second novel, The Deportation of Woppe