In this special episode of Mormon Stories podcast Lindsay Hansen Park (Sunstone, Year of Polygamy, Color of Heaven) interviews Edyka Chilome about Mormons and Colonization.
Edyka’s bio:
Edyka Chilomé, born Erica Granados – De La Rosa, is a queer woman of color writer, artist, social justice educator, and spiritual activist. She is the daughter of Salvadorian and Mexican spiritual, intellectual, and community leaders. Her many years of experience passionately walking and building with women, young people, and communities of color in the U.S. and Latin America have deeply informed her fusion of art, scholarship, and what she defines as her spiritual {art}ivism. Edyka has published numerous articles, essays, and poems including a collection of poetry that explores queer mestizaje in the diaspora entitled She Speaks | Poetry, praised by the founder of Democracy Now en Español as “…a must read for those yearning to discover new ways to open up to deep personal and global transformation.” She has been invited to share her spoken word poetry and speak on social justice issues around the country including The Texas Democratic Convention, TEDx, National Public Radio, and the Huffington Post. Edyka currently serves on the steering committee for Human Rights Dallas and is an instructor for Free Minds Dallas at El Centro College, host of the presidential award winning initiative The National Clemente Course for the Humanities.
This was a paradigm-shifting interview for me. Thank you for hosting it.
Thoughtful, Beautiful, Life/mind changing. Thank you.
Is it possible to obtain a copy of the powerful poem Edyka read?
Very thought provoking stuff. It’s astonishing how a person, myself, can spend a lifetime literally be surrounded by these colonial bigotries and yet be utterly blind to them until someone takes the time to shine a light on them. Thanks to everyone involved for the education.
That was the most beautiful, inspiring, thought provoking episode I have heard. Edyka’s words were so spiritually refreshing. You are the young theologian this world needs. Thank you Edyka for your wisdom and your poetry!