“I've rarely seen students as thrilled to have a guest join us, as they were for Yosimar when he was the keynote speaker for the state-wide Queer & Trans People of Color Conference at UC Santa Cruz. Yosimar’s powerful, honest and vulnerable performance and storytelling gifts had everyone in the audience laughing, snapping, “yaaas”-ing, shedding tears of laughter, joy and of pain. As one student shared with me after Yosimar’s performance, “I needed those stories and his energy now more than ever, that was like therapy for my queer, undocumented soul!”
— Travis Becker, Director of the Cantú Queer Center, University of California, Santa Cruz
"Yosimar Reyes creatively theorizes and deconstructs the experiences of undocumented folk, queer folk, and Latinx folk is visionary, cutting edge, and so necessary for all to hear. His critiques are sharp, and his approach is loving and joy-filled. His pain is vivid, and still his voice and vision for self and collective healing is unmatched in the creative world, as well as activist and academic spaces."
— Anita Tijerina Revilla, Associate Professor and Chair on Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies and Ex-Officio Co-Chair of the Association of Joteria Arts, Activism and Scholarship
“Yosimar Reyes humanizes the complex experiences of undocumented immigrants living in the United States today, allowing us to look through a lens layered with joy, struggle, resiliency, and hope. His works pushed my students towards a place of advocacy, action, and creation, showcasing how much we can learn when we listen and allow the affected to tell their own stories.”
— Emily Lang, Des Moines Public Schools
“When Yosimar began to speak, the room was packed, and even weeks after his visit, students are still talking about the lasting impression he left on them. His presence on stage, his humor, and his poetry were immensely impactful, moving, and empowering. For those of us who visited, it was easily the best event we saw on campus this year.”
— Gregor Mieder, Director of Immigrant Services Program, DREAMer Network, Gender, Women’s and Sexualities, Metropolitan State University of Denver CO
“Yosimar was really, really wonderful! I've heard from numerous people that they had not planned to stay for the keynote, but after hearing just a few minutes of Yosimar's speech they had to stay! He was great to work with, connected well with the audience, and weaved everything we were hoping for into a very powerful and poignant lecture. Students were lined up afterwards for pictures and autographs. Thank you again for helping us to bring him!”
— Jessika Murphy, Coordinator of Diversity & Inclusion, California State University, East Bay, Hayward CA
