Platica Y Poetics S3E4 w/ Mx. Ratiqing Rios

In my sit down with Mx. Ratiqing Rios—a poet, artist, teacher, and education advocate a

profound understanding of artistry and advocacy arose. Speaking about how their work bears

witness to the struggles of marginalized youth meanwhile affirming the power of creativity as a

tool for survival and transformation. Their poetry transforms everyday experiences into powerful

narratives of identity, resilience, and community. Our interview opened with Audre Lorde's "A

Litany for Survival," setting the tone for exploration of survival and creativity as acts of

resistance. Mx’s poetry, grounds in their lived experiences as an educator and visual storyteller,

inviting listeners to witness the intersections of socio-economic struggle, gender identity, and the

transformative power of art. We spoke of the playful yet chaotic nature of their artistic process,

emphasizing the power of imagination as both a coping mechanism and a radical act of self-

definition. Their poetry captures the resilience of marginalized communities while exploring the

vulnerabilities of gender-diverse students and the crucial role educators play in fostering safe,

affirming environments. We shared a teacher/activist commonality. Our fierce conviction on the

importance of showing up as one's full self in the classroom. Modeling what it means to advocate

for students' right to express who they are without fear. Throughout the interview, Mx returned

to the idea of play as a restorative act, in both their poetry and teaching, encouraging playfulness

as a means of fostering creativity and resilience, a frame-by-frame cartoon storyboards snapshots

of identity and survival —a testament to the multifaceted roles they embody.