Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Natalie Sierra

We recently had the chance to connect with Natalie Sierra and have shared our conversation below.

Natalie, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
Wandering, always. In wandering, you discover new ways of being with yourself. You learn yourself over and over again by observing what you see and your reaction to it. I am always wandering.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello, my name is Natalie Sierra. I’m the first female poet laureate of Pomona. I also run Cafe Con Libros Press, a literary nonprofit in the heart of downtown. I’m a writer, editor, mother, friend.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
That hard outer shell that I used to survive. That young woman guarded a cathedral inside of herself with a shield and sword. I know it’s time to let her rest, but she saved me from so much that it’s hard to part with such a fierce being. Maybe, I can find a way to invite her into the soft palace she guarded so well. We shall see.

When you were sad or scared as a child, what helped?
Literature. My refuge were the books I discovered in the library and the ones I begged my parents to buy for me. I especially found great comfort in horror novels. Horror is such a safe space—you can pit yourself against a monster or villain and work out a way to survive. It was a lifeline for me, always will be.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
I hope they say it’s love. Joy. Freedom of expression. Music and poetry. Being able to be myself unapologetically. They might also say, a good film or book matters to me, and it does, too. I want to say art matters to me, and being able to practice it without restriction. I hope they say the same.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
I think, as an artist, you can’t help but give everything of yourself. Praise from others is nice, but you don’t give away your most secret self solely for the praise of others. You can’t help but bare your soul in the camera, on paper, or however you choose to create art. I give everything I have when I set words down and I will for as long as I have the strength to write.

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Image Credits
Alicia Valle