[Stefanie DeMaria]

This truly felt like a prayer, Jennifer. Touching on the rough dynamics of needing to go off on your own, despite the culture saying you need to be there for your mother. Touching on rough family dynamics of family members not speaking to each other and trying to still find connection to them.
“And I am learning to loosen the hold that pain, and the collection of other pains and scars and tender spots haunting our family have had on my being. I am learning how to recognize vergüenza’s face and refuse to confuse it for my own.” —I feel this so much. Hand on my heart, truly. I’m with you there.
I’m not going to say there’s anything more that I’d want of this piece, other than to say that you’d make a pretty bomb lyrical memoir or fictionalized piece if you ever wanted to pull from this in the future. I’d love to see it.

[Stefanie DeMaria]

Julián, thank you so much for sharing this with us. You tapped into adoption trauma and wonder in such a heartfelt way. “This belly aching laugh that brings people together and provides permission to laugh, did I get that from you?” is so tender, yet so full of ache. Reading the end when you are speaking directly to her in Spanish makes me feel like I’m intruding on something so private because it is so concentrated of heart and soul. It makes the reader almost feel unworthy of witnessing such a beautiful thing.
I can’t wait to see what you submit next.

[Stefanie DeMaria]

Maria, you have a way with describing memories that leaves my breath stolen. I can see your Abue’s hands right with you and feel the weight of their memory. The last paragraph is so touching and yet filled with such ache. I’d love to see you tap into more memory work if that is something you feel compelled to do in future prompts. I’m so excited to see what you write next.

[Stefanie DeMaria]

Reading this lit. me. up.
It felt like you were taking me on a journey with the way you wove in quotes, anecdotes, poems as you pondered the sin vergüenza title. I love how free and unfiltered it felt while also hitting home at the same time. Similar to what G said, I would love see more detail so I can see and feel more of the moments you share. I also wanted to say that your style is inspiring me to experiment with a stream of consciousness style that this flash write reminds me of. Sometimes its easy to think rigidly about we want our writing to look like, and your writing reminded me to unclench a little more next time I write. Thanks for that. I can’t wait to see what else you write over the next few weeks.

[Author]

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