Meet the Presenters

The Welcome Team

  • Grounding Session

    Jocelynn Suarez (she/her) is a queer, somatic, intuitive medicine woman dedicated to creating healing opportunities through community. She offers community rituals and workshops that blend shamanism, astrology, tarot, massage, herbalism, and theater arts. Jocelynn holds a BFA in Acting from CalArts and has been educating youth in theater arts since 2012.

  • Lucy Yale (she/her) is a self-professed professional blonde bombshell, encompassing the wit and sensuality of pop culture's favorite blondes. When she's not listening to copious amounts of pop music, you can find Lucy hosting and performing at Splash Fresno. During the day, Lucy is a community advocate working with youth developing their leadership and advocacy skills. She is a Fresno State alum and former President of the Fresno State Rainbow Alumnx and Allies club.

  • Visual Art

    Alfred Twu is an architect and artist and housing activist, working on strengthening tenant protections and getting more homes built throughout California. They were elected in 2024 to the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board, and also serve on Berkeley's Planning Commission. Alfred has produced infographics explaining state housing legislation, ballot measures, and art and graphics for campaigns and organizations.

Rapid Presentations:

  • Kiel Lopez-Schmidt (he/they) is a Fresno,CA based community development leader. Kiel earned their BA in architecture from UC Berkeley. They have 17 years of experience that spans architecture, organizing, and community development finance. Kiel grew up in the South Tower neighborhood. After successfully organizing for Broadway Parque to replace a police station, they became the founding executive director of the South Tower Community Land Trust. Since its founding in 2022, South Tower CLT with Kiel’s leadership has grown to 3 full-time staff, owns 2 properties including 1 existing home and 8 homes in predevelopment. They founded the Queer Housing Summit with a national reach now in its 3rd year.

  • Noah Sanchez (he/they) is a scholar-activist and community educator from Fresno, CA, currently pursuing a B.A. in Chicanx Studies with minors in Medical Humanities and Public Health Sciences at UC Davis. Noah advocates for fair housing for Queer and Trans people, using social work and organizing experience to address challenges and promote safe, accessible homes through policy and advocacy.

  • Camilla Lasagna (she/her) is a social psychologist and gender studies researcher at CIRSDe, University of Turin. Her work explores gender-based violence, identity, and social exclusion through intersectional feminist lenses. Camilla has contributed to research on LGBTQ+ homelessness and collaborates with feminist organizations on advocacy and training. She’s a member of SIPSA, AIP, and ATGENDER, bridging academic insight with community care.

  • Yania Escobar holds the first family board seat at South Tower Community Land Trust, where she helps envision more inclusive spaces in her Fresno neighborhood. Originally from Uruguay, Yania’s immigration journey and background in health navigation shape her community-rooted approach. She works as a dialysis nurse and lives in South Tower with her partner and two children, enjoying bike rides, thrift shops, and farmers markets.

  • Elena Tubertini (she/her) is a queer activist, community psychologist, and PhD candidate at the University of Padova. Her research uplifts LGBTQIA+ wellbeing in Italian shelter systems and explores alternative housing models through international queer networks. Elena also co-leads a project on minority joy, blending positive psychology and trans* empowerment. As vice president of Centro Risorse LGBTI and a member of ILGA-Europe, she builds bridges between advocacy, research, and healing.

Keynote Speakers

  • Author

    is a Black queer and trans writer, educator, and cultural worker from Texas. Their most recent book is the memoir Pretty (Knopf, 2024), winner of the Great Lakes Colleges Association New Writers Award and the Dorothy Allison/Felice Picano Emerging Writer Award. KB’s poetry collection Freedom House (Deep Vellum, 2023) won the American Library Association Barbara Gittings Literature Award and the Texas Institute of Letters Award for Best First Book of Poetry. They are also the author of How To Identify Yourself with a Wound (Kallisto Gaia Press, 2022), which won the Saguaro Poetry Prize, a Writer’s League of Texas Discovery Prize, and a Stonewall Honor Book Award. Currently KB is the ACLU of Texas Artist-in-Residence and a Black Mountain Institute Shearing Fellow at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Follow them online at @earthtokb.

  • Author

    is a writer and an organizer. They are the author of Abolish Rent: How Tenants Can End the Housing Crisis (Haymarket, 2024), a frequent contributor to The New Republic, and a sometime host of Death Panel Podcast. They co-founded the LA Tenants Union in 2015 and are now on rent strike in New York City.

Liberation Through Place and Intent

  • Jade McAfee (they/she) is the visionary behind The JoyCore Project, fusing disability justice, joy access, and Black & queer liberation. With roots in social work, birthwork, and expressive arts, they design irresistible healing experiences that center cultural care and belonging.

People’s History of Housing and Tenant Protections 

  • Shar Thompson is a Central Valley-based housing rights advocate and Regional Coordinator with Tenants Together. With over five years of grassroots organizing, Shar has helped thousands of tenants fight back against displacement and win protections through collective action. At the Summit, she’ll co-facilitate sessions on tenant unions and the Big 5 protections—bringing deep experience in campaign strategy, political education, and community empowerment.

  • Jasmine Leiva is a multidisciplinary artist and community organizer from Fresno, California, with over 20 years of experience working alongside the community. They draw connections between their home in the San Joaquín Valley and their ancestral home in El Salvador, believing in the power of art to uplift stories. Jasmine is dedicated to building liberation and joy for trans, queer, and disabled individuals. They hold a sociology degree from Fresno State and have a cat named Yuri, along with a growing collection of plants.

Beyond Barriers: 2SLGBTQIA+ Leaders in Housing

  • Ray McPherson works to advance affordable and sustainable housing for low-income Californians, with a focus on the intersections of housing, income, and identity. As a researcher and community advocate, Ray values authenticity, mutual support, and repair—building strong ties through local engagement and workplace equity

  • Pedro Galvao serves as Strategic Initiatives & Policy Advisor at California’s Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency (BCSH), where he advises on housing and homelessness policy alongside Secretary Moss. He’s currently leading the creation of California’s first cabinet-level Housing and Homelessness Agency — a historic step in statewide coordination. Pedro brings deep legislative expertise from his work at HCD and advocacy experience from his time at NPH and ABAG.

  • Executive Vice President of the San Diego Housing Federation, a role in which she champions housing justice through strategy, policy, and inclusive leadership. With nearly two decades of experience, Sarah is a nationally recognized nonprofit leader known for building connections and fostering cultures of authenticity and purpose.

    Sarah holds a B.A. in English and Native American Studies from the University of Oklahoma. Outside of her professional life, she engages in "soul work" and finds peace adventuring with loved ones or her Pomeranian, Lola.

  • Alicia H.F. Sebastian (she/her) leads California Coalition for Rural Housing (CCRH) with over 20 years of experience advancing housing equity for rural, agricultural, and Tribal communities across California. Her work spans policy advocacy, program design, and coalition-building, with a focus on community-driven solutions. Raised in rural California, Alicia brings lived experience and deep expertise to her leadership. She lives in Sacramento with her wife, their three children, and a lively household of pets

  • Al Ujimori (they/them & she/her) brings over a decade of experience in affordable housing development across California’s Bay Area. As a project manager, Al has led acquisition, recapitalization, and new construction efforts for communities serving families, seniors, and people with special needs. Now at Community Economics, Inc., they continue advancing housing justice through strategic development and policy work. Al holds degrees from UCLA and UC Davis in Urban Planning and Community Development—and finds joy in belly laughs, biking, and good food.

Quest House: Post-Op Community Healing

  • Carlos Lopez (he/him) is a board member of Quest House Community Healing and Trans-E-Motion, and a caregiver with T4T Caregiving—a grassroots collective supporting trans people through gender-affirming surgeries. He also works as an electrologist at Fresno Inclusive, where he continues to uplift trans wellness and community care.

  • Owen Dempsey (he/him) is the Executive Director of Quest House Community Healing, a San Francisco based non-profit recovery home and grassroots peer support resource for transmasculine individuals healing from gender affirming surgeries.

"Spatial Violence: The Privatization of Property as a Direct Assault on Queer Communities"

  • Jess Esquivel, MPH (she/her)

    Jess Esquivel is a first-generation Latina and pansexual public health leader dedicated to advancing equity for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. Raised in California’s Central Valley, she blends academic expertise with grassroots advocacy—teaching college courses and supporting LA County programs that address queer health disparities. Jess’s work centers inclusion, accessibility, and culturally rooted care.

  • Adam J. Landeros, MPH, MS (he/they)

    Adam Landeros is a doctoral student at UC Merced’s Nicotine & Cannabis Policy Center and the Founder of AJL Community Health. With dual master’s degrees in Public Health and Behavioral Health, Adam’s research centers LGBTQ+ and Latino communities in California’s San Joaquin Valley. Through participatory methods and culturally responsive interventions, he uplifts community voices to address health disparities and shape inclusive policy.

  • Zayne Fidler, MPH (he/him)

    Zayne Fidler is a public health professional committed to equity and inclusion for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. With a Master of Public Health from Grand Canyon University and a background in sociology and psychology, Zayne brings leadership experience from transitional housing programs and medical settings. His work centers on supporting queer individuals in accessing stable housing, employment, and affirming care.

  • Lu Lukah Orona (he/him/they/them)

    Lu Orona is a trans masculine, gender fluid organizer rooted in the Inland Empire. As a Network Organizer with the California LGBTQ+ Health and Human Services Network, Lu champions safety, equity, and connection for queer communities statewide. A UC Riverside alum and lifelong creative, Lu blends history, lived experience, and heart-centered advocacy—uplifting others through organizing, art, and chosen family.

Llaves de Tu Casa: Unlocking Homeownership for Immigrant Families

  • With over 20 years in the mortgage industry, Reyes Ruiz is driven by a deep commitment to helping individuals—especially first-time homebuyers from minority communities—achieve the dream of homeownership. He brings a humble, community-centered approach to his work, offering education and guidance to empower others on their journey toward housing stability and generational wealth. Reyes considers it a privilege to support families in building brighter futures through informed homeownership.

  • Aldiva “Ali” Rubalcava is a trailblazing entrepreneur and community leader with a career spanning construction, credit counseling, and small business development. A licensed contractor and award-winning business owner, she founded Recovery Credit Repair, Inc. and OMG Tax Gals to empower others through financial education. Ali serves as a Certified SBDC Business Advisor and sits on several nonprofit boards, championing growth, equity, and community service across the Central Valley.

  • Mirna Garcia is a dedicated housing advocate and seasoned realtor with 16 years of experience. As Chief of the Board of Governors for NAHREP Northwest California (2023–2025), she champions equity-driven leadership in real estate. She founded the Llaves De Tu Casa Fresno Housing Initiative to empower families through homeownership education, and currently serves as Board Treasurer for South Tower Community Land Trust and as a Board Member for Centro La Familia. Mirna’s work centers on building generational wealth, advancing housing justice, and fostering resilient communities.

  • Denise Ogata

    Mortgage Loan Specialist | NMLS #288535

    A Fresno native with nearly 40 years in the mortgage industry, Denise Ogata brings deep local knowledge and a passion for helping first-time homebuyers. She specializes in guiding clients through the lending process and leveraging down payment assistance programs to make homeownership more accessible. Denise has owned her own mortgage and real estate business for over a decade and is known for her personalized, client-centered approach.

  • Alicia supports low-income families in achieving homeownership through Self-Help Enterprises’ Mutual Self-Help Housing Program. She also leads initiatives in homebuyer education, counseling, and sustainable energy access, with a deep commitment to housing equity and community-driven change.

  • Lucy Sandoval is a seasoned real estate professional with a global reach and deep Fresno roots. A former President of NAHREP Fresno (2023), she currently serves on the Fresno Association of Realtors’ Educational Committee and the board of the Central California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Known for her integrity and client-first approach, Lucy is also a devoted mother and a passionate advocate against domestic violence.

Fighting Forward: Trans Housing Futures Rooted in Resistance

  • Janetta Johnson (she/her) is a Black trans woman, cultural strategist, and community healer based in the Bay Area. As CEO of the Transgender Gender-Variant & Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP), she carries forward the legacy of Miss Major Griffin-Gracy through abolitionist organizing, healing justice, and Black trans cultural preservation. Janetta is also the visionary behind the Miss Major Alexander L. Lee Black Trans Cultural Center, and has led grassroots efforts since 2006 to dismantle the prison-industrial complex and build pathways to freedom for trans people of color.

  • Zee Blossom (they/she) is a Black-Indigenous Trans Woman abolitionist whose decade-long organizing spans youth mobilization, healthcare mutual aid, and disability justice. Rooted in intergenerational leadership with Ms. Janetta and Miss Major, zee’s work challenges the Medical-Industrial Complex and uplifts healing as resistance. She embodies the legacy of Scorpio abolitionists, honoring Black trans brilliance and collective care.

  • Whit Guerrero (he/him) is a mediator and housing justice advocate whose work centers trans liberation, racial equity, and community care. As the founding director of Our Trans Home SF, he launched the first Transgender Navigation Center in the U.S. and co-led the “End Trans Homelessness” initiative. Whit currently serves as a Program Officer at the Arlene and Michael Rosen Foundation, a mediator with the SF Bar Association, and a Capacity Coach with the Transgender Strategy Center, supporting TGNC, BIPOC, and formerly incarcerated leaders

Queer Literature as ‘Resistance’

  • Jasmine Leiva is a multidisciplinary artist and community organizer from Fresno, California, with over 20 years of experience working alongside the community. They draw connections between their home in the San Joaquín Valley and their ancestral home in El Salvador, believing in the power of art to uplift stories. Jasmine is dedicated to building liberation and joy for trans, queer, and disabled individuals. They hold a sociology degree from Fresno State and have a cat named Yuri, along with a growing collection of plants.

  • Ashley Marie Mireles-Guerrero (any pronouns) is an author, bookstore owner, and longtime publishing professional. They have served on the Board of Directors, Governance, and DEI Committees for the Independent Book Publishers Association, as well as the ABA Bookseller Advisory Committee. Ashley is the co-founder of Judging by the Cover: A Bookstore, a community-centered shop in Fresno, CA dedicated to uplifting historically marginalized voices. Their work bridges bookselling, publishing, and grassroots literary advocacy. 

  • Drew Harbaugh (he/him) currently serves as the Chapter President of PFLAG Fresno & the Regional Director for the Mid-Pacific Region of PFLAG National. He is an out and proud trans man, and an ICU nurse by trade.

Tenant Unions 101

  • Kara Ingram is a fierce advocate for housing justice and patient rights. As a tenant leader, they’ve helped organize neighbors to win critical repairs and accountability from one of the region’s most notorious landlords. By day, Kara works as a Patient Advocate at a California State Hospital, and by night, they’re building tenant power. Kara lives in Fresno with their partner and three beloved fur babies and enjoys road trips that nourish connection and joy.

  • Shar Thompson is a Central Valley-based housing rights advocate and Regional Coordinator with Tenants Together. With over five years of grassroots organizing, Shar has helped thousands of tenants fight back against displacement and win protections through collective action. At the Summit, she’ll co-facilitate sessions on tenant unions and the Big 5 protections—bringing deep experience in campaign strategy, political education, and community empowerment.

‘Dare to Dream’

  • Crystal Mason (they/them) is a culture-tender, storyteller, and visionary rooted in Black, queer, fat, feminist, and liberatory traditions. With over 30 years of experience, Crystal creates art as declaration and tool — for memory, against erasure, toward a freer world.

    From leading grassroots arts spaces like Luna Sea Women’s Performance Project and Queer Rebels Productions, to co-creating Tree of Change, Crystal’s work uplifts QTBIPOC voices and designs pathways for deep systems shift. Their practice spans sectors and continents — always with imagination, inclusion, and unapologetic love.

  • Vanessa Rodriguez (she/they) is a multidisciplinary artist and community organizer weaving storytelling, immigrant rights, and cultural resistance into every project. From leading People & Culture at AllThrive Education to co-creating Virtual Sanctuaries and Cumbia Bajo La Luna, Vanessa builds intentional spaces for collective care and creative expression. Their art blends bilingual storytelling, campaign visuals, and space-making for dreaming and belonging.

  • Jason Wyman (they/them) is a gatherer of relations and a dreamer of possibilities. Born on the Land of 10,000 Lakes and rooted in Yelamu (San Francisco), Wyman moves through the world as a queer, white, male-presenting, anti-binary artist whose name—Jason—means healer. But healing, for Wyman, is not a destination. It’s a practice of curiosity, listening, and creation.

    Their work lives in homes, gardens, alleys, and edges—wherever transformation unfolds. As a founding board member of People Power Media and a placemaking organizer with the Queer Housing Summit, Wyman conjures spaces for connection, chaos, and rebirth.

    🌈 Explore more at queerlycomplex.com

Community Ownership and Collective Power

  • Matthew Vu is the queer son of Vietnam War refugees and a lifelong organizer for racial, economic, and housing justice. Over nearly two decades—and the last ten years in Los Angeles—he’s led citywide campaigns, trained hundreds of leaders, and helped grow community-rooted organizations, all while navigating housing insecurity himself. Matthew now serves as Board President of the Beverly-Vermont Community Land Trust and Campaign Manager for the LA Community Land Trust Coalition, where he leads efforts like TOPA/COPA and supports the emerging Altadena Earthseed CLT with Eaton Fire survivors.

  • Julia Duranti-Martínez (she/her) is a queer researcher and educator advancing housing justice and community ownership nationwide. As Senior Program Officer at LISC, she supports participatory research and program design across the U.S. Julia brings experience in land trust organizing, language justice, and international solidarity work, and teaches in the Community Change Studies program at City College in New York City.

"¿Hay Espacio Pa Mí? Navigating Gentrification: Home, Academia, and Community"

  • Athens Marrón, a first-generation PhD student in Education at UC Davis, previously earned a BA in Sociology and a minor in Critical Race, Gender & Sexuality Studies from Cal Poly Humboldt. His research focuses on Ethnic Studies and Environmental Justice in rural communities, particularly his hometown in the Eastern Coachella Valley, emphasizing community-rooted, place-based research that uplifts local voices and K–12 students of color. He also serves as the Graduate Student Retention Coordinator for GAAAP at UC Davis.

  • Noah Sanchez (he/they) is a scholar-activist and community educator from Fresno, CA, currently pursuing a B.A. in Chicanx Studies with minors in Medical Humanities and Public Health Sciences at UC Davis. Noah advocates for fair housing for Queer and Trans people, using social work and organizing experience to address challenges and promote safe, accessible homes through policy and advocacy.

  • a.k.a J.Lo (they/ella) is an Equity Policy Research Fellow at the California Housing Partnership, focusing on housing preservation and policy through data analysis. They’ve led advocacy efforts with POWERCA and Young Invincibles and are currently an Urban Communications Fellow, uplifting Chicana planners and youth in urban planning. Jennifer holds a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from Cal Poly Pomona, where their research examined displacement in LA’s mixed-use corridors. A former McNair Scholar and leader in MALCS and NACCS, they bring deep commitment to community-driven planning.

Fair Housing Rights: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You

  • Joe Haydock, Realtor & Co-Owner of Haydock Real Estate. Fair Housing Advocate & Co-Chair of the Fresno Association of Realtors Fair Housing & Diversity Committee.

“No Safe Place: Queer Youth, Housing, and Hope”

  • Paulina Reyes is a Social Worker and Activist in Fresno County. She graduated from Fresno State with a BSW and works to support the LGBTQ+ community and assault survivors. With over two years of experience, she focuses on education and prevention. Paulina organizes book and toy drives for homeless children and created a zine about assault resources. She draws inspiration from underground queer and feminist DIY movements.

"Homes for All Kinds: Reshaping Zoning for Queer Family Forms"

  • Jay is an attorney at the Sustainable Economies Law Center. His housing practice focuses on housing cooperatives, community land trusts, group housing, co-living arrangements, and functional family law.

  • Hope Williams is a powerhouse advocate for housing justice, equity, and liberation. As Director of Legislative Advocacy at the Sustainable Economies Law Center, Hope leads bold campaigns grounded in her identity as a Black queer woman and decades of organizing experience — from labor actions to political strategy.

    She serves on the boards of both the California and San Francisco Community Land Trusts and as a San Francisco City Commissioner, where she builds equitable, community-rooted housing strategies.

The Brave Space: “You are Enough”

  • Crystal Mason (they/them) is a culture-tender, storyteller, and visionary rooted in Black, queer, fat, feminist, and liberatory traditions. With over 30 years of experience, Crystal creates art as declaration and tool — for memory, against erasure, toward a freer world.

    From leading grassroots arts spaces like Luna Sea Women’s Performance Project and Queer Rebels Productions, to co-creating Tree of Change, Crystal’s work uplifts QTBIPOC voices and designs pathways for deep systems shift. Their practice spans sectors and continents — always with imagination, inclusion, and unapologetic love.

  • Vanessa Rodriguez (she/they) is a multidisciplinary artist and community organizer weaving storytelling, immigrant rights, and cultural resistance into every project. From leading People & Culture at AllThrive Education to co-creating Virtual Sanctuaries and Cumbia Bajo La Luna, Vanessa builds intentional spaces for collective care and creative expression. Their art blends bilingual storytelling, campaign visuals, and space-making for dreaming and belonging.

  • Jason Wyman (they/them) is a gatherer of relations and a dreamer of possibilities. Born on the Land of 10,000 Lakes and rooted in Yelamu (San Francisco), Wyman moves through the world as a queer, white, male-presenting, anti-binary artist whose name—Jason—means healer. But healing, for Wyman, is not a destination. It’s a practice of curiosity, listening, and creation.

    Their work lives in homes, gardens, alleys, and edges—wherever transformation unfolds. As a founding board member of People Power Media and a placemaking organizer with the Queer Housing Summit, Wyman conjures spaces for connection, chaos, and rebirth.

    🌈 Explore more at queerlycomplex.com

“From Sink to Solidarity: Building Cooperative Homes with Agile Tools”

  • Triss Oliver is a facilitator and Workshopper Master who helps groups turn complex conversations into clear action. With roots in alternative education and community organizing, they create inclusive spaces where every voice matters. At the Queer Housing Summit, Triss supports collaborative dialogue and bold strategies for sustainable, values-driven community living.

Making Room: Queer Housing through Collective Practice

  • Ashton Hamm (they/them) is a queer, trans-nonbinary architect and co-founder of uxo architects, established in 2016. Their work spans private homes, community spaces, and affordable housing projects across California. Ashton is invested in building affordable queer housing that is joyful, safe, and built for all bodies and families. They recently published a book exploring the role of architectural cooperatives as a tool for systemic change in the profession.

  • Alice Armstrong (she/her) is an architect and community designer with experience working in multifamily affordable housing, comprehensive planning, educational, and civic projects. She is passionate about participatory design and creating agency for stakeholders in the built environment. Alice brings experience living and working in resident-managed cooperative housing to her role as a worker-owner of uxo architects.

Affordable California: Protecting Tenants, Investing in Our Future

Performances

The Splash ‘Queens’

  • Lucy Yale (she/her) is a self-professed professional blonde bombshell, encompassing the wit and sensuality of pop culture's favorite blondes. When she's not listening to copious amounts of pop music, you can find Lucy hosting and performing at Splash Fresno. During the day, Lucy is a community advocate working with youth developing their leadership and advocacy skills. She is a Fresno State alum and former President of the Fresno State Rainbow Alumnx and Allies club.

  • Drag performer and dance powerhouse, Valentina Variety brings high-energy tricks, fierce glamour, and unapologetic joy to every stage she touches. From Fresno Pride to the Imperial Dove Court, she’s here to tear up the floor and celebrate queer culture in all its glittering beauty.

  • Alexander the Queen is Bakersfield’s bearded Barbie—bringing glitter, grit, and unapologetic joy to every stage she touches. A drag performer and stunt queen with a heart of gold, she’s also a dedicated case manager in homeless services and a board member of the Center for Sexuality & Gender Diversity. Whether dazzling crowds or fighting for 2SLGBTQIA+ rights in Kern County, Alexander turns chaos into courage—one fierce moment at a time.

Aleño Dance Project

  • Aleño Dance Project is a modern dance company based in Fresno, CA, founded in 2022 in the Bay Area. Led by Alexandra Tiscareno, the company champions the belief that any BODY can dance. Through bold movement and inclusive collaboration, Aleño creates joyful spaces for artists to express themselves, challenge stereotypes, and inspire new generations of dancers and audiences.

The Beats & Vibes

  • V3S (he/him, pronounced “Ves”) is a pop artist, performer, and DJ from Fresno, CA, on a mission to keep queer spaces unapologetically queer. Whether spinning tracks at Splash Fresno or releasing original music on streaming platforms, V3S curates vibes that celebrate joy, identity, and community through sound.

Echoes of Resistance: Closing Reflections in Poetry

  • is a queer Chicano poet and the son of Mexican immigrants. A professor and director of literary and performing arts programs, his poetry has been widely published in journals such as PANK, Huizache, and The Georgia Review. He holds an MFA in Poetry from Fresno State and has earned fellowships from both the Macondo Writers Workshop and CantoMundo, where he served as Co-Director in 2020.

    Guzmán is the recipient of a California Arts Council Artist Fellowship and was honored with the President’s Award at the 2023 Horizon Awards by the Fresno Arts Council. He serves as Vice Chairperson of the Selma Arts Council, where his work centers marginalized communities and their stories. He is also a member of the LitHop organizing committee and the Arts and Humanities Advisory Board at Fresno State. He teaches English at Fresno City College.