Editoriales Cartoneras

Participating as a prologist for La Joyita is something I consider social and political activism. As Cartonera publishers seek to circumvent traditional publication techniques, such as mass copies and high prices; La Joyita is a space where writers—mostly women poets—can deposit their work and know that we will do our very best to hand craft each volume so each of them is unique. Also, prologues are welcoming texts that help both experienced and inexperienced readers to access the poetry we publish. Since meeting the general editor, poet and computer engineer Elizabeth Cárdenas, I have written prologues to some of the greatest poetry of the late 20^th century, and also during the last decade. Among them, I am proud to have written prologues to works by Carmen Berenguer, Elvira Hernández, Marina Arrate, Eugenia Brito, Malú Urriola and Gonzalo Millán. The books we manufacture are “libros de artista” (artists’ books) which combine the art of the poetic word in its content with unique publishing techniques in bookbinding, cardboard cover design and also incorporating genius work from collage artists such as Julio Núñez.

I am a proud member of La Joyita and have participated in book give-outs at Plaza Dignidad, central spot of the 2019 revolution, and also managed to help Elizabeth to sell some volumes at a feminist fair in March 2020. Our work will continue, and so will our endeavor to make literature available to the public be it for free or at accessible prices. We do not seek profit but the dissemination of art in both word and artifact.