Over the past decade, Yesika Salgado, a poet from Silver Lake, has turned her life experiences into a captivating social media phenomenon. From dropping out of high school to working as a cashier, her journey has resonated with many. Salgado began sharing her poetry on Instagram, building a following of over 170,000 fans who find solace in her words. In her own words, some of her creativity arose from the need to connect with people during their most mundane moments.
By 2016, after years in various service jobs, she found her voice and inspired a burgeoning community of poets utilizing social media. This movement has revitalized poetry, particularly among young U.S. adults, who increasingly engage with the art form through platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Patrícia Lino, a poet and visual arts professor at UCLA, notes that social media has democratized poetry, making it accessible to everyone and allowing previously marginalized voices, especially among Latinos, to flourish in publishing. A 2022 report indicates that Latinos now represent 7% of U.S. authors.
Salgado’s poetry has broken barriers, finding its way into educational curriculums. Her book “Corazón,” adorned with the illustration of a mango tree from El Salvador, showcases her personal narratives and retained a bestseller spot in Amazon’s Hispanic American subcategory. She reflects on how she poured her most genuine feelings into her work—feelings that ultimately allowed her to connect with her audience deeply.
Alongside Salgado stands Celia Martínez, a Mexican American poet who has crafted a loyal audience with her videos on TikTok and Instagram. Martínez captures the struggles of love and identity as a first-generation Latina, embracing vulnerability in her art. With over 5 million followers and four published books, she aims to create a space for healing through poetry and wants to combine her medical aspirations with her literary endeavors, particularly through community gardening initiatives.
In this vibrant landscape, Vianney Harelly represents another voice breaking new ground in poetry. Her work combines Spanglish and visually striking materials that resonate with bilingual Latina creatives. Selected for speaking engagements at educational institutions, Harelly strives to be the figure she needed in her youth, emphasizing the importance of representation.
All three poets exemplify the transformative power of social media, propelling personal stories into the public sphere and redefining what it means to be a contemporary poet. Their work underscores the rich potential of platforms to create vibrant, inclusive communities around poetry, illustrating how art persists and evolves, even in the digital age.
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