Words On A Wire

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