Alligators, Mermen, and Latine Queer Bookworms, Oh My!

Get ready for a special treat! In this bonus WorldPride 2025 episode, AGG and Sergio go live from DC’s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library with the support of the DC Public Library, Loyalty Bookstore, Capital Pride Alliance, and DC Latinx Pride. Recorded in front of a live audience, this episode features a roundtable discussion with Venessa Vida Kelley, author of When the Tides Held the Moon, and Edgar Gomez, author of Alligator Tears: A Memoir in Essays.Together, they dive into what it means to write at the intersections of queerness, Latinidad, and being broke as hell—touching on everything from storytelling during Pride to deconstructing the so-called “American Dream,” and even airing their grievances about Shakira’s canceled concert.Tune in to get all the chisme.About the Authors:Venessa Vida KelleyVenessa is a Nuyorican author, illustrator, and aspiring mermaid who writes fairy tales about the real world so they can draw them too. They hold a BA and MA in English literature with concentrations in film from the University of Delaware and the George Washington University respectively, and their illustrations have decorated LGBTQ+ books worldwide. Venessa lives in Washington, DC, with their spouse, two sons, and an overabundance of teacups and washi tape.Vanessa’s Book:When the Tides Held the Moonhttps://www.venessakelley.com/when-the-tides-held-the-moonEdgar GomezEdgar Gomez is a queer NicaRican writer born and raised in Florida. He is the author of the memoir High-Risk Homosexual, winner of the American Book Award, a Stonewall Israel-Fishman Nonfiction Book Honor Award, and the Lambda Literary Award. Their sophomore book, Alligator Tears, was released in February 2025 and was called "triumphant, dazzling, and unfailingly stylish" by Publisher's Weekly.A graduate of the University of California’s MFA program, Gomez has written for The LA Times, Poets & Writers, Lithub, New York Magazine, and beyond. He has received fellowships from The New York Foundation for the Arts, The National Endowment for the Arts, and The Black Mountain Institute. He lives between New York and Puerto Rico. Find him across social media @OtroEdgarGomez.Edgar’s Book:Alligator Tears: A Memoir in Essayshttps://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/743399/alligator-tears-by-edgar-gomez/Social Media Handles:Be sure to follow Venessa at https://www.venessakelley.com/ and on Instagram @vkelleyart, and Edgar at https://edgargomez.net/ and on Instagram @[email protected]@adriangaston.garcia@que_viva_sergio_lopezc