Poetry
Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo is a visual artist, poet, and facilitator based in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Her work is influenced by her Indigenous Mesoamerican ancestry, Mexika (Aztec) artwork and philosophy, Mexican culture, Raza history, and her experiences as a Chicana. Her paintings and sculptures have been exhibited across the United States. Her poetry is published widely in literary journals and anthologies. She has presented at SJSU, CSU Monterey Bay, San José City College, and Ohlone College. Elizabeth earned a BFA in Pictorial Art and a BA in French from San José State University and a Commendation from the City of San José. In 2021, Elizabeth received a Cultura Power Mini-Grant from MACLA and served as Creative Ambassador of the San José Office of Cultural Affairs. Elizabeth developed Palabras & Poetry: A Community Poetry-Writing Event Series, to encourage new poetry based in self-reflection, healing, and empowerment. She hosts Cultura Poetry Night as a Board Member of PCSJ. In 2023, Elizabeth was awarded a Creative Corps Initiative grant from the California Arts Council and YBCA. She is the Founder and Editor of La Raíz Magazine.
Poetry Books
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Poetry books by Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo
Poetry Readings & Events
Primaveras ~ Día de los Libros
April 26, 2025 from 10am-4pm (presenting at 1pm!)
South Novato Library, 931 C Ct. Novato, CA
Our Words are Made of Flower & Song
April 26, 2025 from 6pm-9pm
East Village Café, 498 Washington St, Monterey, CA
Primaveras ~ Día de los Libros
April 26, 2025 from 10am-4pm (presenting at 1pm!)
South Novato Library, 931 C Ct. Novato, CA
Our Words are Made of Flower & Song
April 26, 2025 from 6pm-9pm
East Village Café, 498 Washington St, Monterey, CA
Links
Poetry Published Online
“Here’s to La Familia” in Latino Literatures, Issue 7
"Tacos de lenguas" in Label Me Latina/o Fall 2022 (pdf)
"Como con las manos" in Somos en escrito, 2022
“It is I, the Immigrant” in Label Me Latina/o Fall 2020 (pdf)
“A New Beginning,” “Ink of my Roots,” “Flint Knives,” “It is Time,” and “The Moon” in Adelaide Literary Magazine, 2020
“I am Tlazolteotl” Cheers From the Wasteland, Issue 5: the Resilience Issue
Poetry Videos
"It is I, the Immigrant," "Truth," "Scare Tactics," "Últimas Scars," "¡Ay! ¡mis hijos!,"
"Tacos de lenguas," "Bless Me Mother, For I've Seen Sins"
Story Published Online
"Dear Mama, It's Cold Here" part of SJ Sounds series by More Más Marami Arts
Audio
CONTENT Podcast interview- April 2021
KQED Bay Area Ofrendas - "Para las mujeres" - December 2021
“Here’s to La Familia” in Latino Literatures, Issue 7
"Tacos de lenguas" in Label Me Latina/o Fall 2022 (pdf)
"Como con las manos" in Somos en escrito, 2022
“It is I, the Immigrant” in Label Me Latina/o Fall 2020 (pdf)
“A New Beginning,” “Ink of my Roots,” “Flint Knives,” “It is Time,” and “The Moon” in Adelaide Literary Magazine, 2020
“I am Tlazolteotl” Cheers From the Wasteland, Issue 5: the Resilience Issue
Poetry Videos
"It is I, the Immigrant," "Truth," "Scare Tactics," "Últimas Scars," "¡Ay! ¡mis hijos!,"
"Tacos de lenguas," "Bless Me Mother, For I've Seen Sins"
Story Published Online
"Dear Mama, It's Cold Here" part of SJ Sounds series by More Más Marami Arts
Audio
CONTENT Podcast interview- April 2021
KQED Bay Area Ofrendas - "Para las mujeres" - December 2021
"¡Ay! ¡mis hijos!" written and read by Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo
YouTube Channel (bit.ly/ejmpoetry)
Also on YouTube: "Scare Tactics" "Bless Me Mother, For I've Seen Sins" "It is I, the Immigrant"
YouTube Channel (bit.ly/ejmpoetry)
Also on YouTube: "Scare Tactics" "Bless Me Mother, For I've Seen Sins" "It is I, the Immigrant"
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Revelations
The illusions were weaved Before I floated in the darkness. As I drifted through the fog, The rules were made, The limits set, The boundaries marked. It would be foolish to Question them-- I know they’re wrong. The light is bright When the illusions are revealed. The waves of my heart Crash and wash away… boundaries The wind of my thoughts tears down… limits The fire in my heart burns… rules. I expand, no longer contained Inside a body of flesh and bones. The light is bright When the illusions are revealed. I see you now. Do you see me? We were land workers, Our bodies cried into the soil For the joy of creation. Then, we became farmworkers, My grandfather’s body cried into the soil. We ate the fruit of the tear-soaked earth, Now, I am a farmworker, As are you. The light is bright When the illusions are revealed. I see me now. Do you see yourself? Yesterday, I scrubbed and scrubbed, But the brown stayed on my skin. Today, I reach two hands into the earth For black soil to coat my body. I rub it into my skin, And stand. There is a long way to go. Tomorrow, I will wash my tired feet. "Revelations" was first published in Caesura 2017 Ascent/Descent, Poetry Center San José, in 2017. |
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"Tacos de lenguas"
written and read by Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo
YouTube Channel (bit.ly/ejmpoetry)
written and read by Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo
YouTube Channel (bit.ly/ejmpoetry)
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Footless Dancers
by Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo Why do you claim we ripped Each other’s hearts out? It was you who tried to rip ours out! But when you reached in to grip them We had already hidden them. So you took our feet, Our hands, Our tongues. You took our heads! Only our hearts remained. The blood flowed, But it flowed from the tips Of the sharpened crosses You drove into our lives. You dipped them, Still dripping blood, Into ink And wrote lies to hide your evil deeds. We planted your crosses, Planted our flowers around them, Tied green leaves to the tips. |
Now, as we dance without feet,
As we pound drums without hands, As we sing our songs without tongues, And even without heads Remember the wisdom of our ancestors, We wash away your inks With the condensation Of our turquoise songs And burn your lies With the fire in our hearts. We will be whole again. You will share with us Your feet, your hands, Your tongues,your heads. You will replace what you took from us. We will be whole again. We will become the Moon And the walking waters Will turn their heads And know the truth. We will be whole again. We will share with you our hearts, Wash the blood and ink from your palms, And as you are finally able to see us With your eyes closed, You will know that we are one. Footless Dancers was first published in English and Spanish in Nos pasamos de la raya/ We Crossed the Line (2015). |
La Raíz Magazine
Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo is the Founder and Editor of La Raíz Magazine. La Raíz Magazine offers free public arts programming: poetry workshops, visual arts workshops, and showcase events, as well as a yearly publication with free submissions, that promotes work by women. Indigenous peoples, and the global majority.
www.laraizmagazine.com
Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo is the Founder and Editor of La Raíz Magazine. La Raíz Magazine offers free public arts programming: poetry workshops, visual arts workshops, and showcase events, as well as a yearly publication with free submissions, that promotes work by women. Indigenous peoples, and the global majority.
www.laraizmagazine.com
Past Poetry Events
Writer C.V. - Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo
to be updated with 2024-2025 information
Education
2010 Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Pictorial Arts. Bachelor of Arts (BA) in French
[San José State University, California, USA]
Community Leadership
Founder & Editor, La Raíz Magazine (since 2021)
Member of the Board of Directors, Poetry Center San José (PCSJ), San José, CA (as of 2020)
Creative Ambassador of the San José Office of Cultural Affairs (2021)
Judge for Poetry Out Loud – Santa Clara County (2023)
Books
Breathe Liberación, chapbook published by Editorial Xingao, March 2025.
Selected Poetry Workshops
2024
• Poetry Workshop- Roots of Liberation. San José Poetry Festival, San José, CA [Sept 9]
2021
• Migraciones Across Borders. Latino Outdoors and Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) [May 28]
• Chicana Poetry Reading & Poetry Circle. MACLA, San José, CA. [May 11]
• Poetry Workshop- UnDocuSuccess Conference. CSU Monterey Bay, Monterey, CA [April 13]
• Love in Times of Tradgedy and Trauma. Co-facilitated with Dr. Jonathan Gomez, with Culture Counts Reading Series of San José State University and Chicanx/Latinx Success Center [April 8 &9]
• Community Unity. Creativity is Power: WeCreate408. San José Office of Cultural Affairs [April 8]
• Words of Power. School of Arts&Culture at Mexican Heritage Plaza. [March 31]
2020
• Poetry Reading & Workshop- Exploring Culture, Identity, History, and Empowerment. California State University Monterey Bay, Monterey, CA [Nov 2]
• Empowerment Through Identity. Culture Counts Reading Series of San José State University [May]
Poetry Published
Chapbook: Breathe Liberación, published by Editorial Xingao, March 2025
(Forthcoming)
• “We Will Continue” and “Crooked Line” (along with Spanish translations) in Nos pasamos de la raya/We Crossed the Line, Vol. 2, Bilingual Anthology Edited by Lori Celaya and R.E. Toledo.
• “I’m in Love with the Patriarchy” in the Santa Clara Review.
2022
• “Tacos de lenguas” in Label Me Latina/o Fall 2022. www.labelmelatin.com
• “Como con las manos” in Somos en escrito. www.somosenescrito.com
• “One Fire” in Harvard’s PALABRITAS, Volume 2, Issue 1.
• "Tongues, Pens, and Brushes," "Love, the Earth," and "Scare Tactics" in Acid Verse Literary Journal Volume II: The Earth Beneath Our Feet, by Los Angeles Poetry Society.
2021
• “Her Name is Freedom” in Red Wheelbarrow Literary Magazine, National Ed, Vol 22: 2021
2020
• “Entwined Roots” in Cæsura 2020, online edition, Poetry Center San José. www.pcsj.org
• “It is I, the Immigrant” Label Me Latina/o Fall 2020. www.labelmelatin.com
• “Ultimas Scars,” “Border-Free,” and “Mexican-American vs. the Math of Education” in Azahares, by University of Arkansas Fort Smith, Spring 2020.
2017
• “Revelations.” Cæsura 2017 Ascent/Descent, Bill Cozzini, Poetry Center San José, 2017, pg 60.
• “We Are the New Colossus.” Label Me Latina/o Spring 2017 Volume VII, www.labelmelatin.com
• “I am Tlazolteotl.” Cheers From the Wasteland, Issue 5: the Resilience Issue www.cheersfromthewasteland.com
2015
• “Danzantes Sin Pies (Footless Dancers).” Nos pasamos de la raya/We Crossed the Line, Lori Celaya and R.E. Toledo, Abismos Editorial, 2015, page 67 (translation: page 195).
Selected Poetry Readings
2025
• Featured Poet/Panelist – Weeping Woman: La Llorona, AWP Conference, Seattle, WA [March 11]
2022
• Poetry Reading (Interactive)- Rosemary School, Campbell, CA [Nov 16]
• Featured Poet – Outdoor Poetry Picnic. Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA [Oct 8]
2021
• Featured Poet- Lunada Virtual Literary Lounge, Galería de la Raza. [Oct 19]
• Event Poet- Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence, San José City Hall [Oct 1]
• Featured Poet- One Mic, One Globe, Los Angeles Poet Society. [Sept 30]
• Legacy of Poetry Festival 2021 – San José State University (virtual) [April 18]
• Guest Poet- Chicanx Studies @ Gavilan: Si Se Puede! Gavilan College, Gilroy, CA [March 26]
2020
• Featured Poet- Latinx Heritage Poetry Event. San José State University by MOSAIC Cross Cultural Center, Chicanx/Latinx Student Success Center, Student Union, and CCRS, San José, CA [Oct 8]
• Featured Poet- Speaking Axolotl Chicanx/Latinx Reading Series. [Aug 20]
• Featured Poet- Flor y Canto for Black Lives. Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), Los Angeles, CA [June 20]
2019
• Featured Poet- International Migrants Day. Maiz San José, National Domestic Workers Alliance, International Migrants Alliance [Dec 14]
2018
• Featured Poet- Sonido Clash Music Festival. Mexican Heritage Plaza, San José, CA [Sept 2]
2017
• Guest Poet- Womyns Showcase. The Forager, San José, CA [Oct 15]
2016
• Guest Poet- Womyns Showcase. Mexican Heritage Plaza, San José, CA [Aug 28]
2014
• Guest Poet- Mexika dance ceremony. Outside Mexican Consulate, San José, CA [Oct]
• Guest Poet- Mexika dance ceremony. Parque de los Pobladores, San José, CA [Oct]
Selected Media Features
2021 KQED Bay Area Ofrendas, “Para las Mujeres,” kqed.org [December]
Interview for CONTENT Podcast, CONTENT Magazine, interviewed by Daniel Garcia, [April 6]
Interview for La Hora del Mitote, Teatro Vision, interviewed by Rodrigo Garcia [April 23]
to be updated with 2024-2025 information
Education
2010 Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Pictorial Arts. Bachelor of Arts (BA) in French
[San José State University, California, USA]
Community Leadership
Founder & Editor, La Raíz Magazine (since 2021)
Member of the Board of Directors, Poetry Center San José (PCSJ), San José, CA (as of 2020)
Creative Ambassador of the San José Office of Cultural Affairs (2021)
Judge for Poetry Out Loud – Santa Clara County (2023)
Books
Breathe Liberación, chapbook published by Editorial Xingao, March 2025.
Selected Poetry Workshops
2024
- Palabras & Poetry: Zapatista Principles – San José Poetry Festival, San José [Sept 7]
- Empowerment Through Identity – Livermore Public Library, Livermore, CA [March 9]
- Principles of Liberation – San José Poetry Festival – San Jose, CA (online) [Sep 9]
- ¡Si Se Puede! Poetry Reading & Workshop for César Chávez Day, San José City College [April 1]
• Poetry Workshop- Roots of Liberation. San José Poetry Festival, San José, CA [Sept 9]
2021
• Migraciones Across Borders. Latino Outdoors and Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) [May 28]
• Chicana Poetry Reading & Poetry Circle. MACLA, San José, CA. [May 11]
• Poetry Workshop- UnDocuSuccess Conference. CSU Monterey Bay, Monterey, CA [April 13]
• Love in Times of Tradgedy and Trauma. Co-facilitated with Dr. Jonathan Gomez, with Culture Counts Reading Series of San José State University and Chicanx/Latinx Success Center [April 8 &9]
• Community Unity. Creativity is Power: WeCreate408. San José Office of Cultural Affairs [April 8]
• Words of Power. School of Arts&Culture at Mexican Heritage Plaza. [March 31]
2020
• Poetry Reading & Workshop- Exploring Culture, Identity, History, and Empowerment. California State University Monterey Bay, Monterey, CA [Nov 2]
• Empowerment Through Identity. Culture Counts Reading Series of San José State University [May]
Poetry Published
Chapbook: Breathe Liberación, published by Editorial Xingao, March 2025
(Forthcoming)
- “¡Ay! ¡mis hijos!” in Weeping Woman: La Llorona’s Presence in Modern Latinx and Chicanx Lore, anthology edited by Kathleen Alcalá and Norma E. Cantú, Trinity University Press, 2023.(Forthcoming).
- “Ancient Bones” in VOZ, Alebrijes Review
- “Spicy Latina” in Cultura, Alebrijes Review. www.alebrijesreview.com
- “Stereotype Me Sometime” in Somos Xicanas, anthology, Riot of Roses Press.
- “Sacrifice Me Slowly” in Chicana/Latina Studies Journal by MALCS.
- “I Pledge Allegiance to Chicharrones” in Azahares.
- “Here’s to La Familia” in Latino Literatures, Issue 7.
- “My Body is Out of Your Jurisdiction,” “She Wins, We Win,” and “I Am Woman” in Jovita: An Anthology about the Life and Influence of Jovita Idár. Edited by Isaac Chavarría and Christopher Carmona. Slough Press.
- “We Will Continue,” and “Crooked Line,” “Permaneceremos,” and “La línea chueca” in Nos volvimos a pasar/We Crossed Again. Bilingual Anthology Edited by Lori Celaya and R.E. Toledo. Editorial Colibrí.
- “I’m in Love with the Patriarchy” in Santa Clara Review, Volume 110, Issue 1.
• “We Will Continue” and “Crooked Line” (along with Spanish translations) in Nos pasamos de la raya/We Crossed the Line, Vol. 2, Bilingual Anthology Edited by Lori Celaya and R.E. Toledo.
• “I’m in Love with the Patriarchy” in the Santa Clara Review.
2022
• “Tacos de lenguas” in Label Me Latina/o Fall 2022. www.labelmelatin.com
• “Como con las manos” in Somos en escrito. www.somosenescrito.com
• “One Fire” in Harvard’s PALABRITAS, Volume 2, Issue 1.
• "Tongues, Pens, and Brushes," "Love, the Earth," and "Scare Tactics" in Acid Verse Literary Journal Volume II: The Earth Beneath Our Feet, by Los Angeles Poetry Society.
2021
• “Her Name is Freedom” in Red Wheelbarrow Literary Magazine, National Ed, Vol 22: 2021
2020
• “Entwined Roots” in Cæsura 2020, online edition, Poetry Center San José. www.pcsj.org
• “It is I, the Immigrant” Label Me Latina/o Fall 2020. www.labelmelatin.com
• “Ultimas Scars,” “Border-Free,” and “Mexican-American vs. the Math of Education” in Azahares, by University of Arkansas Fort Smith, Spring 2020.
2017
• “Revelations.” Cæsura 2017 Ascent/Descent, Bill Cozzini, Poetry Center San José, 2017, pg 60.
• “We Are the New Colossus.” Label Me Latina/o Spring 2017 Volume VII, www.labelmelatin.com
• “I am Tlazolteotl.” Cheers From the Wasteland, Issue 5: the Resilience Issue www.cheersfromthewasteland.com
2015
• “Danzantes Sin Pies (Footless Dancers).” Nos pasamos de la raya/We Crossed the Line, Lori Celaya and R.E. Toledo, Abismos Editorial, 2015, page 67 (translation: page 195).
Selected Poetry Readings
2025
- Featured Poet- Changes/Cambios, Ave 50 Studio, Los Angeles, CA [March 30]
- LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes with Somos Xicanas, Los Angeles, CA [March 29]
- BOOK SIGNING, AWP 2025 Conference & Bookfair, Los Angeles, CA [March 28]
- Beyond Baroque with Círculo de poetas y Writers, Venice, CA [March 27]
- World Poetry Day Festival, WORKS/San José, San José, CA [March 22]
- Featured Poet – Watsonville Public Library with Somos Xicanas, Watsonville, CA [Feb 20]
- Featured Poet – SF Lit Crawl, Somos Xicanas, at Dog Eared Books, San Francisco, CA [Oct 26]
- Featured Poet – Oakland Museum of California, Oakland, CA [
- Featured Poet – Petaluma Poetry Walk at Petaluma Historical Library, Petaluma, CA [Sept 15]
- Palabras & Poetry – Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, CA [Aug 31]
- Featured Poet – Counter Current at Oakland Secret, Oakland, CA [July 20]
- Featured Poet – Root 24 at Studios 11 Oakland, Oakland, CA [July 27]
- Featured Poet – Eastside Gallery, Oakland, CA [April 7]
- Featured Poet – Latinx Research Center, Berkeley, CA [April 8]
- Featured Poet - Cultura y Corazón – edition of San Mateo Public Library Series by Monica Korde
- Guest Poet – San José Poetry Festival Opening Night with Lorna Dee Cervantes and Matt Sedillo [Sept 7]
- Featured Poet – Cultural Work of Poetry, Culture Counts Reading Series. School of Arts & Culture at MHP, San José, CA [May 6] Featured Poet – Legacy of Poetry, San José State University, Poetry Reading by Culture Counts Reading Series of SJSU and La Raíz Magazine, San José, CA [April 27]
• Featured Poet/Panelist – Weeping Woman: La Llorona, AWP Conference, Seattle, WA [March 11]
2022
• Poetry Reading (Interactive)- Rosemary School, Campbell, CA [Nov 16]
• Featured Poet – Outdoor Poetry Picnic. Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA [Oct 8]
2021
• Featured Poet- Lunada Virtual Literary Lounge, Galería de la Raza. [Oct 19]
• Event Poet- Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence, San José City Hall [Oct 1]
• Featured Poet- One Mic, One Globe, Los Angeles Poet Society. [Sept 30]
• Legacy of Poetry Festival 2021 – San José State University (virtual) [April 18]
• Guest Poet- Chicanx Studies @ Gavilan: Si Se Puede! Gavilan College, Gilroy, CA [March 26]
2020
• Featured Poet- Latinx Heritage Poetry Event. San José State University by MOSAIC Cross Cultural Center, Chicanx/Latinx Student Success Center, Student Union, and CCRS, San José, CA [Oct 8]
• Featured Poet- Speaking Axolotl Chicanx/Latinx Reading Series. [Aug 20]
• Featured Poet- Flor y Canto for Black Lives. Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), Los Angeles, CA [June 20]
2019
• Featured Poet- International Migrants Day. Maiz San José, National Domestic Workers Alliance, International Migrants Alliance [Dec 14]
2018
• Featured Poet- Sonido Clash Music Festival. Mexican Heritage Plaza, San José, CA [Sept 2]
2017
• Guest Poet- Womyns Showcase. The Forager, San José, CA [Oct 15]
2016
• Guest Poet- Womyns Showcase. Mexican Heritage Plaza, San José, CA [Aug 28]
2014
• Guest Poet- Mexika dance ceremony. Outside Mexican Consulate, San José, CA [Oct]
• Guest Poet- Mexika dance ceremony. Parque de los Pobladores, San José, CA [Oct]
Selected Media Features
2021 KQED Bay Area Ofrendas, “Para las Mujeres,” kqed.org [December]
Interview for CONTENT Podcast, CONTENT Magazine, interviewed by Daniel Garcia, [April 6]
Interview for La Hora del Mitote, Teatro Vision, interviewed by Rodrigo Garcia [April 23]
