A letter from the publisher

When I began publishing in 2005, one of the challenges —or so I thought at the time— was to get people, and institutions, to pay more attention to Central American literature published in the US. Armed with love for our community, my goal was to enmesh Central American writers in America’s rich cultural, social fabric. It is now 2020 and we are still standing and dreaming of maneuvering our way into people’s bookshelves, hoping to engage you –our reader–, in discussions about the political and literary issues of Central Americans living in the United States.

The road has not been easy. Not at all! As a small press, we’ve undergone recessions, cultural and social shocks, and political upheavals. And we’ve learned a few lessons along the way. Our current readers may actually be surprised to learn that we are still moving forward. It is important to be tercos and hungry for a cultural spring during these critical times when authentic and conscious discussions surrounding race, class, gender, and culture, are much needed. This is the reason why Izote Press seeks the opportunity to speak to such topics from our own lived experience. 

We understand that the written word is as powerful as it has ever been, so we write to exist! In this critical political climate, we write to align ourselves with justice and to create intercultural alliance among artists and scholars.

We hope that our literature will function as an intermediary between the creative imagination of the writer and the creative spirit of the engaged mind. As a publisher, I feel this core belief needs to be stated forcefully and in unmistakable terms.

I am personally inviting you, the reader, to support our multicultural poets, authors, artists, activists, and scholars who communicate stories and ideas that inform, entertain, educate, inspire, and make the cultural fabric of this nation a beautiful one. We are dedicated to publishing writers who would not otherwise be published by mainstream publishers. Izote Press is the first Central American publishing company in the nation.

On behalf of Izote Press and the multicultural writers who share their stories, thank you for supporting our efforts in creating a more inclusive, just society.

Respectfully,

Mario Escobar

Publisher