New Mexico State University’s literary magazine, Puerto del Sol, has found a new home on campus.
After more than 50 years, the magazine is making the jump from NMSU’s English department to the CMI department. While the publication has offered the opportunity to showcase different types of work, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and reviews, this change will allow more flexibility for magazine staff to tailor their degrees and writing to their individual interests.
“It gives our graduate students more opportunities to work in film, and to do script writing or screenwriting rather than just fiction writing,” said Brandon Hobson, Puerto del Sol Editor-in-Chief and NMSU Professor. “More than ever, it’s great for creative writing. It’s just better opportunities and more opportunities for graduate students.”
Boasting various “fresh and innovative” works, the publication is run by NMSU grad students and has published works by students, international writers, and award-winning artists such as poet Joy Harjo. Now, the magazine staff is aiming to make Puerto del Sol more well-known within the community at large.
“While Puerto has existed for a very long time, you know, if I were to walk up to any general student, I don’t think most of them would know what it is, much less what a literary magazine is,” said Kathy Key-Tello, Puerto del Sol’s Managing Editor. “It’s a very niche thing that feels very insular to writing communities. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be. I want it to be something that is open to all students.”
In spirit of this, the magazine hosted an event on Friday, Jan. 26 to celebrate Puerto del Sol and its recent relocation. In addition to food and a raffle at Pete’s Patio, there was also an open mic for anyone to come recite their poetry or stories, even if they had no affiliation with the publication.
“There’s opportunity for everyone’s voices to be heard, because we’re reading from the magazine, but we’re also reading from people’s personal writing,” said Gabriel Silva, Puerto Del Sol Assistant Manager. “So, I think it’s a great ecosystem for writers to meet and hear from each other.”
NMSU graduate student Abeiku Arhin Tsiwah heard about the event and decided it was a great platform to share his own work with the NMSU community.
“I think that for someone like me, not everyone knows about Ghana, or African poetry,” Arhin Tsiwah said. “You know, you don’t find them over here. I think that’s been part of this event, it gives me a new way to express and share my work, as well.”
Moving forward, Puerto del Sol is looking to continue fostering creativity within the community. While staff writers are NMSU graduate students, anyone can submit their work to the magazine at any time to be reviewed and potentially published in the next issue.
“You don’t have to be out there in LA, doing Hollywood related things for your work to matter,” Key-Tello said. “And so that’s what this kind of event is meant to represent. It’s a place for you to come and see that you’re not alone and what you do matters and what you do is awesome.”
For more information about past and upcoming Puerto del Sol content, visit their website.
