KXEP-LP Empower House Radio

Platica Y Poetics S3E3 W/ Amber Ortega

In honoring Women’s History Month, we engaged in a profound platica with poet Amber
Ortega, exploring the intersections of embodied writing, ancestral memory, and the healing
power of the natural world. The episode opened with a tribute to influential female poets,
including Gabriela Mistral, Sylvia Plath, Gloria Anzaldúa, Audre Lorde, Idea Vilariño, Rupi
Kaur, Laura Esquivel, Isabel Allende, Alejandra Pizarnik, and Natalie Diaz—with a reading of
Diaz's evocative poem "The First Water is the Body." Throughout the interview, Amber reflected
on the intimate relationship between the body, spirit, and the written word, describing her
approach to poetry as an embodied practice, where the physical sensations, ancestral memory,
and the natural world converge. She shared how this intimate connection emerged. The
emotional texture present in her work, especially in poems like Needed to Go Grocery Shopping,
and Nest, a poem that explores the temporal landscapes highlighting how the passage of time
shapes our experiences and identities. She shared that the concept of language is a living code,
paralleling the body’s interconnectedness to ancestry and belonging. Poetry itself functions as a
nest—sacred space to hold sensations, memory, and transformation. We explored the theme of
movement and belonging, speaking to the embodiment and fluidity that mirrors the ever-
evolving relationship between the self, the land, and the stories we inherit.

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Platica Y Poetics S3E2 w/ Autumn Brooke Crane

In this interview, Autumn Crane delved into the emotional landscapes explored in Dead People’s
Clothes, a self-published poetry collection that intimately navigates love, grief, and acceptance.
Autumn reflects on the personal catalyst behind the collection and how writing became a vessel
for processing loss. Our platica highlighted the symbolic weight of clothing in grief and memory,
as well as the blurred boundaries between personal vulnerability and universal experiences of
mourning. Through our discussion on the role of sensory detail—smell, touch, sound, and
taste—Autumn unpacked how these elements enrich the emotional depth of their storytelling.
Nature emerged as a recurring motif in her collection, with imagery of vultures, cemeteries,
offering reflections on mortality and healing. Our sit down explored the complexities of familial
love and pain, the intentional use of fragmented poetic structures mirroring the disjointed nature
of grief, and the profound influence of music on her writing process. Songs like “Dublin Blues”
by Guy Clark and “Supermarket Flowers” by Ed Sheeran become emotional touchstones within
her work. Her poetry confronts grief and themes of loss, with intentional play and reverence.
Welcoming all the senses to be present when walking on the path of acceptance and healing.

Platica Y Poetics S2E1 w/Alejandra ‘Mera Mera’ Sanchez Alanis

Alejandra, host of Plática y Poetics, is a queer translingual poet, songwriter, radio DJ, and
abstract artist whose work dissolves the boundaries between language, music, and visual art. A
lyrical architect of sensory experiences, they merge auditory, poetic, and visual elements into an
intoxicating tapestry of expression. Drawing from their background as a language teacher and
music mixer, Alejandra explores the rhythmic interplay of words and sound, coining ‘white
space foreplay’ as an invitation to indulge in the hypnotic cadence of sensory pleasure. Their
debut poetry book, Lip Liturgy’, is a spellbinding fusion of spiritual invocation and erotic
confession, weaving cultural memory into lush, sensual imagery. An advocate for diverse queer
voices, Alejandra’s work amplifies artistic expression by creating immersive, multilingual spaces
where desire, identity, and creativity coexist. Whether through poetry, performance, or radio,
they challenge audiences to engage deeply with sensation, dissolving inhibitions through
rhythmic flow and creative boldness. As co-founder of the San Antonio Queer Voices Collective
and an active member of multiple literary and artistic groups, they have performed on Marfa
Public Radio and Voices of San Antonio, leaving an indelible mark on the city’s creative
landscape. Through workshops like TransLANGUAGE Poetic Pleasure, Alejandra guides others
in channeling their sensual intuition, embodying poetry as both resistance and liberation.

Platica Y Poetics S2E12 w/ Agosto Cuellar

In this electrifying conversation that took place in his atelier in Southtown, I welcomed avant-
garde designer and San Antonio fashion icon Agosto Cuellar, known for his bold, Rasquache-
infused sustainable designs and unapologetic approach to style as resistance. This episode is a
love letter to creativity, sustainability, and the power of fashion as a revolutionary act. We began
by unpacking the essence of Rasquache aesthetics—a resourceful, and rebellious style that
thrives on ingenuity. Agosto shared how his cultural approach influences his sustainable fashion,
bridging the gap between street style and high fashion. We explored haute couture and Fashion
de la Calle, discussing how streetwear continues to challenge traditional fashion hierarchies.
Offering a behind-the-scenes look at his runway composition, revealing how he crafts an
immersive fashion experience, blending storytelling, sustainability, and Rasquache energy. His
designs are more than clothing—they are cultural statements that reflect identity, empowerment,
and the power of reclaiming space. By balancing art, commerce, and community, Agosto spoke
about the exquisite his experiences at Paris and New York Fashion Week, contrasting the global
fashion scene with San Antonio’s unique, often overlooked, yet thriving style identity,
highlighting what makes SA fashion distinct—its grassroots energy, commitment to
individuality, and deep cultural roots. He shared the story of "Keep SA Lamé," a response to
Austin’s “Keep Austin Weird.” Agosto remains a force of innovation, proving that fashion isn’t
just about clothes or haute couture—it’s about storytelling, avant-garde mindset and honoring
cultura with every stitch.

The Resilience Within S3E3 w/ Nathan Brown - Writing as a form of Self-Care

Season 3 is about self-care, because self-care is community care. Our guest this week, Nathan Brown, shares how his writing practice has been a powerful act of self-care, including his practice of writing one poem a day for the last 30 years. He shares his journey through big changes, including the pandemic shutdown which caused him to pivot and to create “fireside sessions,” a livestream weekly performance on Facebook that is still happening. He says that currently silence is one of the most healing resources in his life.
Nathan Brown is an author, songwriter, and award-winning poet who holds a PhD in English and Journalism from the University of Oklahoma where he’s taught for over 20 years. He served as Poet Laureate for the State of Oklahoma in 2013/14, and now travels full time performing readings, concerts, workshops and speaking on creativity, poetry, and songwriting. You can learn more about Nathan at brownlines.com