Wendy Garcia is a Honduran-Mexican-Afro-Latina born and raised in Santa Ana, CA. She is a Legal Assistant by day and an underground ninja artist by night. Wendy explores the topics of female empowerment, female spaces in worlds of abuse, and sexual exploration through art therapy and poetry. Her thought-provoking collection of acrylic paintings, drawings, digital-art and poetry, BendyWendyArt, explores the experiences, desires, secrets, dreams and nightmares of those who hide in corners, run from shadows, live in silence and unapologetically make noise. You can find her on Instagram: @bendywendyart
1. When did your love for poetry begin?
I grew up in a one-bedroom apartment for the first eleven years of my life. There was about five of us (sometimes more). Needless to say, I shared dark spaces with several people and although I did not live alone, it felt lonely. Reading and writing was my outlet and escape from the confusing world of abuse. After my alcoholic-father passed away, we lived a pretty transient life. We moved constantly. Reading and writing was my constant. It was my lifeline. My mom, being the sole provider in a world not kind to women and immigrants, struggled raising her children. We kept moving, but could not manage to escape poverty and the vicious cycle of domestic abuse. Poetry at times, saved my life.
2. Where do you envision taking your writing?
I lost my mother recently to ovarian cancer. It was painful and heartbreaking to witness a loved one endure such agony. Writing is therapy. I wish I was one of those people that could call a friend and divulge all of their feelings, but I am not. If I am bursting at the seams, I will shove all those loose strings deep into my soul. Art and poetry are my therapy. I’ve recently decided to share some of my poetry with the universe hoping it will find someone that needs it.
3. If you could change the world through your poetry, what would be your message to heal the world?
Even in darkness, someone can hear you. If they cannot hear or see your words, they will feel them. Poetry has the ability of enhancing all of our senses in a way that allows us to connect to complete strangers. What we need now more than ever, is to nurture that primal urge to connect to one another.
4. What brings you to ALEGRIA?
Alegria is not just a magazine. It is a space for resistance. It’s a beautiful platform where LatinX people can connect to many different souls. It is a network that allows us to share our stories.
The LatinX Poetry Project is a poetic anthology with over 45 new LatinX Poets from diverse backgrounds. Purchase your book here.
