Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ana A. Cavazos. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Ana A. , appreciate you joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
Hi,
I am not earning a full-time living from creative work; however, the speaking engagements associated with or relevant to my book topics are generating some income for me. I truly believe that the message and stories I share bring me greater pleasure and reward, as I wish someone had done that for me when I was a young girl.
Some speaking engagements are motivational or have to do with writing workshops. Other speaking engagements relate to my author’s journey or are informative as to how to write, publish, and market my books. Several authors speak to the fact that it is the speaking engagements that bring in better pay instead of just selling our books. Many times we visit schools and pre-sell books before a visit.
Ana A. , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I was born in Los Angeles California and raised in Rio Grande Valley. I have been an educator most of my life and have spent the majority of my career advocating for literacy, and curating collections which meet the needs of the communities I serve, especially the children of the Rio Grande Valley. Being a native of the area and having gone through the school system as a student, teacher, and librarian, my power is that I am familiar with the literacy needs of our children and the gaps in the books that reflect their lives are what sets me apart from others.
I am most proud of being a first-generation college grad with a master’s degree. My daughters have continued on that path and the expectations for our granddaughters are above and beyond anything I could have imagined for myself.
My books contain stories I have captured about the bits of the unique culture that is the Rio Grande Valley culture. There are no stories of the daily life of my ancestors, and I would have liked to take a glimpse at how they lived. I hope to launch a collection of stories as a cultural piece for future generations in my family and maybe others to look back on.
My focus is family life, and cultural aspects of Mexican American culture, especially in the Rio Grande Valley. I hope to inspire others to tell their stories as well.
My inspiration is my family and the experiences I have gone through. I also hope to find more information about our ancestors to give my descendants a stronger starting point.
My mission is to let children and young adults know that they too can write and capture history for their future generations to have. I recommend that they interview their grandparents and older people in their lives and write their stories. I recommend that students learn as much as they can even if it isn’t “their job” or their “assigned project.” because knowledge is power. In addition, I also promote to the students I visit that they must be mindful of all that they do and learn now because it will affect them for the rest of their lives.
I am an author and a poet, retired teacher and librarian, and VP of Publicity for the Valley Byliners of the lower Rio Grande Valley. https://www.
Ana A. Cavazos: https://linktr.ee/
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
I strongly believe that as a society, the arts need to have a different focus, if one at all. Children are not exposed to art, as it is not a tested subject in schools. It is, therefore, pushed aside and given minimal to no time at all.
Parents and/or teachers should introduce the different arts and promote creativity; thus nurturing an appreciation and love for painting, sculpting, creating, etc. Parents can also nurture and validate children’s creations when they begin creating.
Society could use and display local art and sculpture in their businesses to promote a connection between artists and the world they live in.
At the city level, promoting events such as literacy nights or art nights is a great way to get young children, young adults, and even adults to appreciate others’ creations. Local authors, writers, artists, and creatives are a treasure to be embraced by local town leaders and offer a special ambiance and acknowledgment of works.
Our town sponsors, “Art Night” in the evening, and there is much going on while artists share their works. businesses are open, lights create a peaceful ambiance, and artists display and share their works. Businesses are open late, food and drink are sold and enjoyed throughout the night. Other vendors offer their wares and music permeates the entire area.
Can you share your view on NFTs? (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)
I am conflicted about NFTs, or “Non-fungible tokens, as they are fairly new, but quickly enveloping all that is. An NFT can be anything digital, and that includes drawings, paintings, music, writings, etc.
I strongly believe that NFT’s are someone’s creation and should be respected as such. There is a certain component, idea, or message that the user is sending or sharing that cannot be replaced by AI, but is enhanced by AI, albeit, sometimes at a higher level of education or knowledge. I am conflicted with their use, distribution, and sharing.
It is in this stage where copyright is muddled and that is where the creator could be wronged. I have no problem with creators getting a translation or idea when creating, but I do believe that an entire work created by AI leaves much to be desired and should be declared an AI-generated work. We as a society are still not sure what is actually the artist’s creation and what is generated digitally by AI. Then there is the much more impactful side of AI-created works, PSA’s, or advertisements that are created to harm, discredit, or change a narrative that is something we need to be wary of, that is, if we can tell it is an AI-generated work or piece.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=794227498977559&set=a.546973183702993
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rgvauthorana/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acavazosrgvauthor
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-a-cavazos-79568332/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ana_A_Cavazos
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdOPJ_yxJzOwkPq-hcFO1XQ
Image Credits
Ana A. Cavazos