KXEP-LP Empower House Radio

The Resilience Within S2E10 Reclaiming The Narrative w/ Sarah Joy Thompson

Sarah Joy Thompson shares the story of navigating loss and grief after the passing of her father and then later undergoing treatment for aggressive breast cancer. She found ways to ‘reclaim the narrative,’ including through the exploration of movement, dance and poetry.
Sarah Joy Thompson is a Filipina-American poet and the author of a chapbook The Everyday, the Mundane, and the Brave (Finishing Line Press, 2019) and a full-length poetry collection Driving into Black Mountains (FlowerSong Press, 2020). 

Happy Hour / Elda and Venus w/ Bennie Price Big Mamas Safe House

Empower Community Health w/ Thrive Youth

Platicas Y Poetics S2E11 w/ Clementina Villareal

All that was missing was fresh pan dulce and cafecito with my sit-down with Clementina. Ourplatica explored the power of transformation, healing, and self-discovery. The episode beganwith a reading of Gloria Anzaldúa, titled ‘Acts of Healing’, which was the inspiration of ourencounter, setting the tone for a discussion on Latine resilience, identity, and spiritualawakening. We both shared our journey of transcending grief and staying true to oneself—especially in the ever-evolving role of motherhood. She divulged with us what led her on thepath as a motivational coach/spiritualist, revealing pivotal moments that led her to guide othersthrough healing and self-reclamation. The impact of her cultural background on her resilience,offers wisdom on embracing life’s challenges with grace and courage. We navigated themes ofacts of healing through maintaining balance while honoring personal authenticity. Speaking topressures placed on women by modern society, she encouraged listeners to challenge unrealisticexpectations and reclaim their power and agency. Clementina shared insight into how herpersonal spiritual awakening, through moments of pain can serve as portals to transformation.Whether through meditation, movement, or creative expression these lifelines are companionsand refuge during difficult times. Resilience is a poetic journey, inviting us to see struggles aspart of a larger narrative of strength, beauty, deeper reflection and personal connection for thosewho navigate profound personal transformation.

Platicas Y Poetics S2E10 w/Joaquin “Muerte” Abrego

I felt like one lucky fan at a personal concert on the perfect sunny Sunday where my platica withJoaquin Muerte was an intimate and inspiring exploration of his life, artistry, and philosophy.Joaquin, a musician, songwriter, and activist living in San Antonio, shared stories of hischildhood in the barrio of San Felipe in Del Rio, where his parents instilled in him a deep lovefor music and activism. With a sound that blends neo-Chicano soul reminiscent of StevieWonder and Sunny Ozuna, Joaquin's music captures nostalgia, love, and a deep connection to hisroots. Joaquin emphasized the importance of being a "renaissance creator," advocating forartistic versatility and the interconnectedness of all crafts. His passion for the barrio and itsculture is palpable, as is his belief in the power of community collaboration. Having started hisprofessional music career 16 years ago as a street performer, Joaquin is a founding member ofnotable local bands—Combo Cosmico, Los Nahuatlatos, Eddie and the Valiants, and Joaquinand the Glowliners—original Texas Chicano Soul. A traditional Danzante with pre-Hispanicroots, he carries his spirituality into his artistry, embodying faith and intention in every creation.Speaking with Joaquin felt like a heartfelt conversation with an old friend, delving into theuniversal joys of eclectic music and its profound ability to connect us all. His story is a reminderof the enduring power of the Chicano movement, pride, soul and its place in the new generationof creators.

Platicas Y Poetics S2E8 w/Translanguage Poetic Workshop at The Latino Resource Collection San Antonio Central Public Library

The Translanguage Poetic Pleasure Workshop was a generative workshop led by AlejandraSanchez Alanis, a dynamic facilitator and multidisciplinary artist known for her ability to createinclusive, empowering spaces for self-discovery and creative exploration. As a poet, DJ, andadvocate of pleasure activism, Alejandra skillfully combined somatic practices, music, andsensory engagement to guide participants toward deeper connection with their bodies, emotions,and languages. Her approach guided and rooted in honoring diverse identities encouragedparticipants to tap into their intuition and sacral energy. With warmth, clarity, and a deepcommitment to fostering community, she led participants through a transformative journey ofpoetic creation and self-expression, culminating in a collective reading that amplifies the beautyand resilience of each participant’s voice. The exploration of language, sensuality, and creativeexpression alchemized into palpable poetry. Rooted in translanguaging, the workshop celebratedmultilingualism as a natural, liberatory norm, breaking away from monolingual andmonocultural confines. Participants delved into the cognitive and emotional benefits of linguisticfluidity, using their diverse languages and sensory awareness to connect with their sacral energyand unlock their creative potential. Through somatic tools, guided prompts, and sensoryexercises, attendees explore themes of home, sacred spaces, and desire, crafting deeply personaland sensuous narratives. Tapping into the sensuous world through sensory pleasures—gustatory,olfactory, echoic, iconic, and haptic—Alejandra guided into how these elements enrich thecreative process deepening the connection to the cosmic energetic world. Guiding others intoclarity of spirit and inner alignment manifesting through poetics. The workshop concluded withparticipants sharing their poetry in a supportive group setting, fostering a collective celebrationof creative voices and the power of multilingual storytelling.

The Resilience Within S2E9 Fairy Tale Love w/Laura Riojas-Noriega

Laura Riojas-Noriega is a small town girl from Taft, Texas with a fairy tale love story. She is learning to live this story in a new way since her husband Ruben’s passing Jan 4, 2020. As she describes for us: the depth of her pain is the depth of her love. The magic she has experienced with Ruben is still here: in the love of those who still surround her, in signs and messages, in dreams… and in butterflies. 

Happy Hour w/ Elda and Venus, Guest: Greg Londo

A Restorative Justice week Special!

The Resilience Within S2E8 Priceless w/ Amalia Ortiz

Amalia Ortiz, award-winning author, poet, teatrista, educator, and creator of @the_cancion_cannibal_cabaret and @las_hijas_de_la_madre shared a glimpse of her love and heartbreak for her best friend Maria Ibarra. Maria was a Chingona powerhouse teatrista, artist, poet, mother and educator who impacted our community in infinite ways. Amalia’s medicine includes writing, where she says she writes about the issues she feels she has little control over. Witnessing Maria’s experience with the healthcare system while needing treatment for cancer led Amalia to compose the song “Value of a Human Being (Song for Maria)”

Platica Y Poetics S2E7 w/ Marc Anthony Leal

In my platica with Marc Anthony Leal his poetry offered a rich tapestry of imagery, emotion, and cultural reflection, seamlessly weaving themes of nature, spirituality, memory, and community. His works, such as “A Moment in Flight,” “As Do,” “If Heaven is a Real Place,” “Woodlawn Sunsets,” and “Take Pause My Love,” serve as vivid explorations of life’s complexities, celebrating both its beauty and imperfection. The profound connections he forgesbetween personal experiences and universal truths is a craft deeply rooted in sensory experiences and visual storytelling. Sharing how inspiration often comes from the natural world and the vibrant community around him, noting that San Antonio, with its historic beauty and landmarks,fuel his imagination. In discussing “A Moment in Flight” and “As Do,” he revealed his method of balancing abstract ideas with tangible imagery, using sensory detail to ground his themes while inviting readers to interpret the layers within. Marc delves into vulnerability and emotionalhealing through physical imagery explaining that writing about intimacy often involves translating emotional states into physical sensations, creating a bridge between the body and soul. The influence of family, warmth of San Antonio, along with its rich culture and landscapes, plays a significant role in shaping his poetry. We spoke about how poetry becomes a space for navigating imperfection, allowing us to find meaning and beauty even in life’s struggles. His work reminds of the beauty in both fleeting moments and enduring connections, amark on the landscape of contemporary poetry.