Meet Karla Lamb of East Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Karla Lamb.

Karla, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born in Mexico City and grew up drawing and writing on anything I could find—receipts, old calendars, the backs of books. Poetry became my way of making sense of the world, of balancing life between two languages.

I moved to Pittsburgh for my MFA and found myself working at City of Asylum, helping provide sanctuary for writers seeking refuge. I saw firsthand how powerful and necessary storytelling is.

During the pandemic, I co-hosted Charla Cultural, a bilingual podcast spotlighting underrepresented literary artists. Eventually, I sacrificed everything I had in Pittsburgh and moved to L.A. to be closer to family. Now, I produce an award-winning open mic called Verse4Verse, a queer poetry event in East LA.

My work has been published in various literary journals, and I’m currently working on my first full-length manuscript. Writing is what I do, but more than that, it’s how I build community—one poem, one story, one voice at a time.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Living with an autoimmune disorder has made things unpredictable, and finding a secure job—whether in the nonprofit sector or something that utilizes my master’s degree—has been a constant struggle. At times, I’ve barely been surviving, trying to make ends meet on a freelancer’s income while pursuing my passion.

Leaving Pittsburgh wasn’t easy. I had stability there—an amazing job at City of Asylum, a salary, a 401k, healthcare, a car, and affordable housing. Moving to L.A. was a reality check in discomfort—all of that security disappeared. I don’t subscribe to the rhetoric that “this city will spit you out.” I’m more in the fake it till you make it camp—it’s about believing in your own hype while staying authentic. L.A. hasn’t spit me out, but it has slapped me in the face a few times. I’ve had to start over, rebuild from scratch, lose and make friends, and grow in ways I never expected. I even got cast in a queer reality show, which feels ironic because I never set out to “make it” in that way.

Despite the hardships, there have been plenty of good times. I’ve reconnected with my family, met my amazing partner, and been embraced by L.A.’s queer creative community. I’ve written some of my best poems here, pushing my art to new levels. Every sacrifice has been worth it—I appreciate each one because they’ve brought me closer to the creative life I want to live.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in creating spaces where underrepresented voices—especially queer and sapphic voices—are heard, seen, and celebrated. I’m most proud of co-hosting Charla Cultural, a bilingual podcast that amplifies marginalized literary artists, and running Verse4Verse, an award-winning queer poetry open mic in East L.A. Verse4Verse recently won Sapphic.LA’s Best Open Mic award, and I was honored to be named Best Sapphic Poet in that same city-wide poll.

I’m deeply passionate about Queer liberation and practice trans-inclusive feminist intersectionality in both my art and the events I produce. One of my proudest endeavors is being cast in “Queer Joy,” a reality TV show that celebrates the queer experiences of four L.A.-based creatives—a poet (me!), a musician, a chef, and a comedian. We’ve filmed the pilot and shared teasers online; the first full episode will premiere once we reach 500 followers on YouTube. “QueerJoy” isn’t your typical reality show—it’s not a competition or dating game. Instead, it’s a docu-series that shines a light on the realities of our lives as QTBIPOC individuals, showcasing our talents, stories, and journeys, and highlighting how we experience joy in a world that—more often than not— tries to erase us. The show emphasizes the richness of our community, our resilience, and how we take up space as survival and celebration. It’s not just entertainment; it’s insurgent art.

While I’m not the only queer Chicana poet fostering community, my focus on inclusivity and authenticity is at the heart of everything I do. Through this, I strive to transform both personal and collective experiences into powerful expressions of resistance, healing, and joy. Speaking of which, I’m beyond excited to be collaborating with New Words Press for the next installment of Verse4Verse on March 26th. It’s truly an honor to feature such incredible poets: L.A.’s own Raquel Gutiérrez, Skye Jackson reigning in from New Orleans, Farrah Fang repping Houston, Rose Jenny from Miami, and Brooklyn Baggett from NYC. The energy is going to be electric. I can’t wait to showcase these brilliant Queer voices. With such a powerful range of talent, I know this will be a night to remember. And if even one person in the audience resonates with our work, then we’ve done our job.

What makes you happy?
Spending time with my family and my partner Vanessa—it’s the little things that make me feel rich: dancing in my tiny studio to Mexican female rap artists at full blast in the middle of the afternoon, with the Scientology sign ominously glaring in my window. Watching Yellowjackets with Vanessa and coming up with fan theories. Nerding out about poetry, music, politics, and what it means to queer the status quo. Oh, and taking naps with my cat Fulano. I love deep conversations after brunch at my parent’s house, after getting bloated on my mom’s homemade enfrijoladas. These moments don’t need a price tag to remind me what truly matters.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @vinylown and @perverse4verse

Image Credits
Black Pug Films
De La Rose Photography
Bold Vision Photography