Meet the Guides

The Creator

Melissa Emalia Medina

was born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico and raised in Spanish Harlem during the 1970s and 80s. She received a National Writer’s Award at the age of 7 and has been a lover of the written word since she could write.

Aware that there were no books that she could culturally relate to as a child, Emalia decided to write her own version of animal domestication in the backdrop of her beloved Island; Boriken, and her cherished ancestry of the Taino people. How wildcats and wolves became cats and dogs is a children’s book written in poetic form. The main character, Sani (The Old One) takes the reader on a poetic adventure that leads to life-long friendships.

Emalia has performed some of her poetic pieces at the Nuyorican Poets Café and The National Black Theater. She is described as a low-key poet with a lot of real-life personal experiences to share. Her words tend to hit deep, sometimes painful but always honest.

“I would leave letters around the house as a child expressing my feelings each time I was angered or hurt. My timid voice never felt heard. But when my words hit paper, I roared.” `Emalia

“I thank you for trusting the space.”

Rosalynn Diaz

is a Puerto-Rican poet raised in the Bronx. She’s passionate about law, social justice and helping people. By profession, she aims her advocacy efforts toward reunifying “broken” families. However, her passions influence her career and her poetry alike.