In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón speaks with acclaimed writer Julia Alvarez, author of How the García Girls Lost Their Accents and In the Time of the Butterflies, about her life in literature and her return to poetry with Visitations. Alvarez reflects on her beginnings as a poet, the persistence and mentorship that helped bring her work into the literary mainstream, and the generation of Latino writers who helped expand the boundaries of American literature.
The conversation turns to the forces that have shaped Alvarez’s writing across decades: family, memory, language, community, and the enduring influence of the women in her life. Discussing poems from Visitations, Alvarez describes poetry as her “first love” and considers the writer’s role in keeping stories, hope, and joy alive even in times of violence and uncertainty. Throughout the conversation, Alvarez and Chacón return to the image of literature as a river—fed by generations of voices and carrying writers and readers toward something larger than themselves.
Additional information
- For more information about Julia Alvarez you can visit: www.juliaalvarez.com
Originally aired on September 18, 2026
