Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sofía Aguilar. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sofía, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

I hope my legacy will be an example of community advocacy, representation, and service. Back in January of this year, I was in a writing residency in Mexico on a generous scholarship where we attended craft talks, participated in workshop groups, and had free time to work on our creative projects. In one of those craft talks, an author remarked that they saw writing as nothing less than an act of service, and that is a belief I continue to carry. What is writing if not an act of love for what we believe in, the stories we tell, and the people we write and fight for? What is writing in not a gift of gratitude for the people who have raised us and given us the courage to carry the mic? I hope my legacy is that my writing gave someone else a voice and the courage to find their own.

Sofía, 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 am a Chicana writer and editor based in Los Angeles, California with published work in a variety of genres including fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and journalism. I started writing not long after I learned to read, and I’m lucky to have had parents that read to me and taught me the power of storytelling. As the granddaughter of a creative nonfiction writer and a playwright/theater director, and the descendant of an opera singer, I come from a long line of people who gave their lives to the arts and shared the gift of story in their chosen medium. However, it wasn’t until I read fellow Chicana writers such as Sandra Cisneros that I realized that writing was my lifelong calling, a way for me to make a living and find joy with nothing but my pen. No matter which genre or genres I choose to write on a given day, my first priority is always representation and what nuance, complexity, and love I choose to offer the world. Even as a journalist, I cover breaking news, politics, pop culture, and media and entertainment, all through the lens of representation of marginalized communities. Throughout my career thus far, I’ve been honored to have my words published in a variety of publications including the L.A. Times, Refinery 29, and New Orleans Review, and to have received numerous honors and awards for my work. I have also self-published two poetry chapbooks, STREAMING SERVICE: golden shovels made for tv (2021) and STREAMING SERVICE: season two (2022). But at the end of the day, it’s less about my accolades and more about the gratitude I feel for being able to live my dream life by writing stories for a living.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

This year was a time of major growth for my social media following on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. While I would still categorize my hard numbers as modest, I’ve enjoyed a noticeable increase of interest in my content, due in large part to its variety and versatility, which means there’s a little something for everyone. For a long time, I mostly reserved my social media for selfies and cute photos from my life, too afraid to share my writing in other ways or photos that didn’t feature me in case they didn’t perform well. But after seeing what other writers and creatives were doing on their platforms, I was inspired to create content that I cared about, regardless of what anyone else could possibly think. So while I prioritize my writing identity to followers as soon as you open my page (sharing submission opportunities, posting about my work, uplifting the work of other writers), I also engage with my other artistic interests including sewing, crocheting, reading, and even just snippets from my everyday life. There are multiple platforms where I can be reached and I curate something a little different from each one while not creating something completely different that it results in extra work for myself. On Instagram specifically, I prioritize creating a visually engaging feed, from graphics to reels to IG live videos to standard photos, and use lots of bright colors to reflect my own personal tastes. Whereas on Twitter, it’s mostly about my words, compared to TikTok where I’m able to flex my creative video muscles. However, my approach to social media is never about numbers, and that’s what I would advise to anyone starting to build their social media presence. People can tell when you’re following trends or making content specifically for likes and views, compared to content that genuinely gets you excited and is a joy to make. Being genuine, more than anything else, is what’s important. I also wouldn’t spend a lot of money on content creation if you don’t have to. While I grew comfortable enough to invest in a tripod, I continue using my regular phone as opposed to a fancy film camera. Just a phone can give you more access to tools than you may realize!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is, without a doubt, meeting other creative people. To be in community with and be inspired by brilliant writers, artists, musicians, and more has been a blessing I wouldn’t trade for anything. I find myself continuing to better my craft and storytelling because of what I’m reading and who I’m in conversation with through my work, both established and emerging, classic and contemporary. I am better because of my community, especially my generation of writers. I believe in our brilliance. I believe we will someday change the world and soon, we will be the people the most recent generation will be learning from and about.

Contact Info:

• Website: sofiaaguilar.com
• Instagram: @sofiaxaguilar
• Facebook: @sofiaxaguilar1
• Twitter: @sofiaxaguilar
• Other: TikTok: @sofiaxaguilar

Image Credits
Labeled headshots must be credited to Renee Rodriguez.