MAKE Literary Productions

Created in collaboration with the Poetry Foundation, this Lit & Luz podcast episode features Iván Perez, Assistant Editor of the Foundation’s Poetry magazine, in conversation with writer & educator Diego Báez, 2024-25 Lit & Luz Collaboration Cohort alum. Together, they engage in a wide-ranging discussion about place, practice & collaboration 💭

Báez reflects on his writing practice, tracing his early encounters with poetry, his work in fiction & literary criticism, & the nonlinear path that led to the publication of his poetry collection ‘Yaguareté White’ (University of Ariza Press, 2024).

Pérez & Báez share their experiences as writers, exploring the role of political urgency in reactivating creative work & the interdependence of reading & writing, & what it means to write across genres, across borders, & in collaboration with others.

Hear the full episode by clicking the link in our bio 🔗

Tell us about your favorite Lit & Luz Chicago 2025 moment! ✨

Whether it was a powerful reading, an unexpected collaboration, or a spark of inspiration that stayed with you, we want to hear the moments that made this year’s festival unforgettable.

Share your thoughts by writing a comment below or filling out our survey in the link in bio 🔗

Image: Live Magazine Show audience at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA), Lit & Luz Chicago 2025. Photo by Natasha Moustache

Our electrifying Live Magazine Show at the MCA during the Lit & Luz Festival brought audiences into a vibrant cross-cultural exchange where literature, art, and performance converged on stage 🤩

Artists, writers, musicians, and visual storytellers from Chicago and Mexico City shared bold new work, weaving languages and genres into an unforgettable collaborative spectacle ✨🎉

Images: Lit & Luz 2025–26 Collaboration Cohort performances at the Live Magazine Show, MCA, 2025. Photo by Natasha Moustache