Meet Alexandra Villasante

We were lucky to catch up with Alexandra Villasante recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alexandra, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

I didn’t. I’m not sure Imposter syndrome is something you overcome, once and for all. Imposter Syndrome comes from inside and outside; my inner critic tells me I don’t belong out of fear that I’ll be rejected. Outside voices and institutions tell me I don’t belong because I’m a woman, the daughter of immigrants, queer, or any number of other nonsense reasons. It’s not easy to dismiss imposter syndrome, but it I’ve found it is possible – through uplifting others.

Here’s how that works; I look at my writing community, whether with Las Musas, The Latinx Kidlit Book Festival, The Highlights Foundation or The Latinx Storytellers Conference, and tell them “I *see* you.” I see the stories they’re trying to tell, stories that didn’t exist for them growing up, the ones that speak to their experience. I say to them, “your stories have the power to change the trajectory of a child like you. Don’t give up!” I teach and mentor and celebrate the successes of others with honesty and sincerity because it’s so clear to me how amazing they are, how much they belong.

Then, I try and apply that same open heartedness to myself. It’s not easy! But it works.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

Somedays, it feels like I’ve got side hustles to my side hustles! I see myself primarily as a storyteller. I write for children and teens and love creating worlds that speak to the way kids love, their inherent sense of justice and the possibilities that exist within them.

My first book, The Grief Keeper was about two sisters from El Salvador who flee their homeland due to violence and enter the US as unaccompanied minors. When they’re caught by ICE, they’re given a stark choice; be immediately deported or participate in a clinical trial for a device that transfers grief from one person to another. I wrote this book after the 2016 election and my hope when it published was that it would, eventually become more science fiction than fact. Unfortunately, we’re living in times where we continue to see immigrants – children, families – as ‘other’.

Since then, I’ve published five short stories in YA anthologies, each one very much about Latinx families, identities and culture – I even published on story about a child-stealing bogeyman that takes place during the dictatorship in Uruguay, in 1977.

I’m a word nerd and, being bilingual, I love investigating how language creates connection and conflict and how words can get us in—and out—of trouble. My next book comes out in August 2025 and centers around these themes of speech (title hasn’t been released yet!)

My advocacy work includes co-founding the Latinx Kidlit Book Festival (https://www.latinxkidlitbookfestival.com/) and the Latinx Storytellers Conference (https://www.latinxkidlitbookfestival.com/2024-storytellers-conference). The Festival, which I co-founded with Mayra Cuevas and Ismeé Williams is a free, virtual festival during Latinx & Hispanic Heritage Month, which is geared towards educators, parents and kids, and seeks to amplify the work of Latinx authors and illustrators. We’ve had some amazing guests join our festival, including Justice Sonia Sotomayor (2023) and Meg Medina, the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature!

Now that the festival is in its fifth year, we wanted to turn our attention to Latinx creators who are pre-published and who need access to industry leaders, community building and professional craft development. Mayra Cuevas and I co-founded the Latinx Storytellers Conference in order to do just that – and our inaugural program takes place in September in New York City.

I also have a full time job as Program Manager at the Highlights Foundation (see what I mean? Side-hustles!) My work at Highlights is just another layer to the work I love to do; helping people write and illustrate for children in a way that truly and fully represents them. At the Highlights Foundation (https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/) we educate authors, illustrators and poets on craft, while helping them build community.

When I’m not doing all that, I sleep, feed my kids empanadas and play Bananagrams with my family!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I remember my father saying to me when I was younger, ‘no te achiques’ which means, don’t make yourself smaller – to fit other people’s expectations of what you can or can’t do. I think that’s one of the most important qualities that people of marginalized identities can have – the world will want you smaller, quieter, erased. Don’t let them.

At the same time I think humility is truly important – knowing that the greatest work that you can do is to serve and love others, in whatever way you are passionate about.

Finally, be curious. Curiosity, asking questions, being open to the things you don’t know or understand can lead to a beautiful, creative life. Be curious about yourself, about others, about the natural world—about everything!

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

When I am overwhelmed, I breathe. I intentionally breathe, in and out; I close my eyes and focus on my breathing. I remind myself that I have a body that feels overstimulated by the world and I need to take care of it.
I know this sounds like a non-answer – duh! breathe! but we are so used to finding solutions outside of our own bodies, and I’m trying to focus on how I can care for my body, how I have the tools I need. I just need to take the time for it.

Beyond that I try to move – walk, kickboxing or anything else I can do to shake out my frustration. I also like to sketch or paint when I’m overwhelmed, as I have an art background. There’s something really calming about focusing on brush strokes and line work!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.alexandravillasante.com
• Instagram: @magpiewrites