Mariposa Tejada is an afro-caribbean non-binary/queer, raised by their fierce immigrant parents from the island of Ayiti/Kiskeya. Born and raised in occupied Lenapehoking. For the past 10+ years they have been organizing, living and loving within the Gulf South region. They are a poet, community organizer, land/water defender, direct-action trainer, and community gardener who believes in cultivating relationships to plants as a means to healing and reconnecting to our ancestors. They received a Masters in Latin American Studies from the University of Texas in Austin, where they used creative writing and poetry to tell the stories of women defending their land in Kiskeya from extraction and displacement. Recent works were published in the LGBTQ Dominican anthology, ¡Pájaros, lesbianas y queers, a volar! Their poem, Ominous Light, was featured in the inaugural issue of Nepantla: Journal for Queer Poets of Color. They were featured in the chapbook for Here, Ahora: Houston Conversations, Queer ART + LIT. Video performance and installation were showcased at the exhibit, Breathing in a Time of Disaster. 

Photo by: Moe Penders Ramos