Platica Y Poetics S3E6 w/ Jessica Betancourt

In honor of National Poetry Month, I began this conversation by reading Dr. Carmen Tafolla’s poem “Fashion Advice to Women over 40” from the SOMOS XICANAS anthology—a reminder that style and self-worth deepen with time, and that fashion can be a radical, poetic act. In this special plática, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Jessica Betancourt, also known as Palo Santo Poet—a San Antonio native, writer, performer, and sustainable fashion stylist who embodies the power of expressive living. Through our conversation, we explored the intimate intersections of fashion, poetics, identity, and resistance. Jessica shared that fashion is a tool for healing—how fabric, texture, and silhouette can hold memory and become part of one’s story. We talked about how clothing, like poetry, is a language of its own—a way to reclaim space, speak truth, and step into confidence. We spoke to the truth about how vulnerability is a key part to reclaiming self agency and how intentional styling can ground your authenticity. Poetry and fashion help us resist imposed identities and encourage us to celebrate the fullness of who we are. As someone who believes deeply in the power of self-expression, I resonated with Jessica’s belief that fashion can be a radical act of self-love, especially for those of us navigating societal expectations around gender, body, and beauty. She reminded that breaking fashion’s gender rules, rewriting the script on beauty, and dressing with purpose are all part of leaving behind a legacy of truth, courage, and artistry.