What does it mean to honor the reader? In this episode, Rey M. Rodríguez joins Jared to discuss why writing is, at its heart, a sacred act. They explore the profound influence Rey's mother had on his creative life, his journey as a writer, and how the Institute of American Indian Arts helped him deepen his understanding of storytelling, identity, and justice. Along the way, Rey reflects on the recent release of his poetry collection, Todos Somos Sagrados / All Are Sacred, and shares how poetry has taught him to weigh every word with care, collapse time on the page, and approach readers with humility and respect.
Rey M. Rodríguez is a writer, advocate, and attorney. He lives in Pasadena, California. He is working on a novel set in Mexico City and his book of poetry, Todos Somos Sagrados - All Are Sacred just came out with El Martillo Press. He has attended the Yale Writers' Workshop multiple times and Palabras de Pueblo workshop once. He participated in Story Studio's Novel in a Year Program. He is a second-year fiction writing MFA student at the Institute of American Indian Arts. His poetry is published in Huizache. His other interviews and book reviews can be found at La Bloga, Chapter House's Storyteller’s Corner, Full Stop, Pleiades Magazine, and the Los Angeles Review. He is a graduate of Cornell, Princeton, and U.C. Berkeley Law School.
MFA Writers is hosted by Jared McCormack and produced by Jared McCormack, Hanamori Skoblow, and Brié Goumaz. New episodes are released every two weeks. You can find more MFA Writers at MFAwriters.com.
BE PART OF THE SHOW
— Donate to the show at Buy Me a Coffee.
— Leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.
— Submit an episode request. If there’s a program you’d like to learn more about, contact us and we’ll do our very best to find a guest who can speak to their experience.
— Apply to be a guest on the show by filling out our application.
STAY CONNECTED
Twitter: @MFAwriterspod
Instagram: @MFAwriterspodcast
Facebook: MFA Writers
Email: mfawriterspodcast@gmail.com
