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Texas Southmost College hosted its 22nd annual Binational Literary Conference on Friday, February 16, 2024, at the SET-B Auditorium.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This year\u2019s conference,\u00a0<\/span>Letras en Estuario<\/span><\/em>, brought together a wide range of poets and authors from Mexico and south Texas to share their written works, all of which share a creative core inspired by the cultural heritage of the border region as well as the poetic theme of limits and borders.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The event featured keynote speaker Dr. Benjamin Valdivia, a Corresponding Member of the Mexican Academy of the Language and a Corresponding Member of the North American Academy of the Spanish Language. A recipient of international distinctions in Spain, Italy, France, Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Panama, and the Czech Republic, Dr. Valdivia has received over twelve awards in essays, art criticism, playwriting, novels, musical composition, and poetry in Mexico, and his published work covers the genres of essay, novel, theater, short story, and poetry, including 60 individual books, 20 collective or collaborative books, and many more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Among the other presenters were independent authors and visiting university professors, but some of TSC\u2019s faculty members, such as Dr. Diana Cortez-Castro, also had the opportunity to present their works.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Dr. Cortez-Castro, an instructor in Teacher Education, was the very first presenter for the event, sharing a prosaic work entitled\u00a0<\/span>Jugando con ideas, preguntas y respuestas sobre la edad y sabiduria.\u00a0<\/span><\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis piece is a critical narrative that aims to invite readers to ponder and reflect on different existential questions related to age and wisdom,\u201d said Dr. Cortez Castro, adding that a core component of her creative works stems from her\u00a0<\/span>vivencias<\/span><\/em>, or life experiences, as a Latina woman, teacher, author, and scholar. \u201cMy aim is to always play with diverse ideas, teach, and learn through the process of each scholarly endeavor.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The conference has successfully run for over two decades, and a large part of its longevity can be attributed to the careful planning that goes into the event\u2019s organization, a task that Juan Antonio Gonzalez has assisted with since the beginning. Currently a Spanish professor at TSC, Gonzalez has participated in countless creative circles whose members have often been called upon to participate in the conference over the years.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe most significant challenges have been to make and keep contact over the years with this circle of authors and friends who enjoy presenting their works in a variety of different venues,\u201d said Gonzalez. \u201cThere are, of course, other challenges that come with the organization of this event, but the goodwill and hard work of the members and institutions participating always manage to overcome such eventualities.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Historically, a great deal of attention has been paid to facilitating a forum in which creatives can present their works, but there has always also been an emphasis on having the event celebrate literature in such a way that it pulls in attention from would-be spectators, especially students.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n