An important new voice in contemporary Latin@ literature, <a href="http://www.threadmakesblanket.com/main/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marissa Johnson-Valenzuela</a> is a multi-talented writer, publisher, and editor. At Taller, she will discuss her work as an editor and publisher of <em>Dismantle</em>, an anthology featuring work from over 50 writers of color from across the nation. <span class="">The first ever <a href="http://vonacommunity.org/community/index.php/about.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Voices of Our Nation's Arts (VONA)</a> anthology, </span><em class="">Dismantle</em><span class=""> includes creative work from established and new authors who have either taught at VONA, or are alumni of the program. Over 55 prose and poetry writers are included in an attempt to capture the range of VONA voices. Keeping with the community spirit of VONA, work from Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winners is next to work from authors who have never been published before.</span>

The introduction to <em>Dismantle</em>, written by award-winning author Junot Diaz, also appeared online in <em>The New Yorker</em> and was shared thousands of times because it resonated with many writers and artists who have studied at predominately white institutions. Marissa's prose and poetry has been published widely and she is currently working on a novel. She will share some of her creative work.

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Marissa Johnson-Valenzuela is a writer, professor and sometimes DJ. Her writing has been recognized by The Leeway Foundation, Hedgebrook and others, and has been published in <i class="">Make/shift</i>, <i class="">As Us Journal</i>, <i class="">The Rust Belt Rising, APIARY, Aster(ix), Solstice, </i><i class="">Big Bell </i>and elsewhere. She is a VONA and LAMBDA fellow and is currently working on editing the 2015 Lambda writing fellows anthology. She teaches at the Community College of Philadelphia.

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