?”YEME: Bronx-Born Poet Jessica Diaz Invites Readers to Listen — to Culture, Loss, and the Long Road Back to Wholeness

(YourDigitalWall Editorial):- Tomah, Wisconsin Jul 17, 2026 (Issuewire.com) – Nuyorican poet, educator, and advocate Jessica Diaz continues to draw acclaim for her debut bilingual poetry collection, “YEME – an intimate meditation on family, culture, love, and loss rooted in her Bronx upbringing and Puerto Rican heritage. Released in February 2024 through ALEGRIA Publishing, the collection has since been recognized by Empowering Latino Futures’ International Latino Book Awards and named one of 2024’s poetry books to watch by the Letras Latinas Blog.

“YEME – Spanish for “listen to me” – warmly welcomes readers into Diaz’s introspective journey through unpacking identity and inner healing. The collection is devoted to nurturing self-love, empowerment, and pride in where we come from, capturing both the subtle whispers of guidance from one’s elders and spiritual guides and the harsher lessons that life and love insist on teaching. Diaz frames the work as an invitation to listen closely to memory, to community, and to the Self.

“Sharing our stories and reflections helps us connect, to know that we are not alone. And within those bonds, we can find strength and confidence that we can all carry on — filled with love, hope and purpose.”

— Jessica Diaz, author of “YEME

ABOUT THE BOOK

“YEME, the debut bilingual poetry collection by Nuyorican writer Jessica Diaz, draws from her Bronx and Borinquen roots to warmly welcome readers to listen. The collection follows Diaz’s introspective journey as she reflects on family, relationships, culture, love, and loss and how to feel whole again despite the pain, longing, and insecurities that may remain.

Devoted to nurturing self-love, empowerment, and pride in where we’ve come from and where we’re striving to go, Diaz celebrates the lessons learned along the way, emphasizing how healing allows us to embrace our full selves. The collection is dedicated to listening to the subtle whispers of advice from our spiritual guides, and to the jarring jolts of harsh realities when life and love shout out the lessons our hearts and minds need to learn, and remember.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessica Diaz is an educator, advocate, and poet. A Latinx Artivist and Bronx native, she credits her urban roots and Puerto Rican heritage for fueling her lifelong commitment to education, advocacy, and The Arts – using poetry and storytelling to raise awareness and empower both self and culture. Jessica has worked in elementary education for over 23 years, serving as classroom teacher, curriculum developer, new teacher mentor, literacy consultant, and assistant principal, among other roles, with The Arts woven throughout as a tool for literacy, culture, and community-building.

Her work has been published in the BX Writers Anthology (Volumes One and Two), Year Gone Hazy: Send-Offs to 2020, Asteri(x) Journal, The Sims Library of Poetry, Barrio Panther: Vol. 4 and The Latino Book Review. “YEME, her first book, received The Dolores Huerta Best Cultural & Community-Themed Book Award and an Honorable Mention in the Juan Felipe Herrera Best Poetry Book category from the International Latino Book Awards.

Diaz has performed her work at venues and festivals including the Kentucky Women’s Writing Conference, Lincoln Center’s La Casita, the Bronx Music Hall, Poets House, and the spoken word play Latin América at the Hudson Theaters in Los Angeles. Diaz also has served as a panelist at CCNY’s International Multilingual Creative Writing Conference, the Adelphi Writers & Readers Festival, and the Bronx Book Festival. Jessica continues to live and work in The Bronx, where she remains committed to supporting her community in finding voice, passion, and purpose.

SELECTED MEDIA APPEARANCES & RECOGNITION

The Spotlight Network with Logan Crawford

International Latino Book Awards — Dolores Huerta Best Cultural & Community-Themed Book Award; Honorable Mention, Juan Felipe Herrera Best Poetry Book (2024)

BookCon, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, NYC — Featured Vendor & Speaker (April 2026)

Poets House 30th Showcase, NYC (2026); Poets House: The Showcase Exhibition — “YEME Featured (January 2026)

The Bronx Is Reading: The Bronx Book Festival — Featured Panelist & Moderator (June 2025 / June 2026)

Lincoln Center’s La Casita, Summer for the City (NYC 2024) — Performing Poet

“A Celebration of PR Heritage: Con Amor y Orgullo,” Bronx Music Hall, Office of the Bronx Borough President (NYC 2024)

Miami Book Fair and Brooklyn Book Festival — Featured Vendor via ALEGRIA Publishing (2024)

Letras Latinas Blog — Named to “Books to Watch By Latinx Poets,” First Half of 2024

BOOK DETAILS

Title: “YEME

Author: Jessica Diaz

Genre: Bilingual Poetry / Memoir-in-Verse

Release Date: February 2024

Purchase: “YEME on Amazon

Author Website: https://jboogiepoetry.com/

Instagram: @jboogiepoetry