Anel Flores

LGBTQIA+ Author and Artist

Do you have any projects on which you’re currently working? If so, what are they?

Yes, I'm currently immersed in several exciting projects that reflect different facets of my artistic and literary practice. One of the main works in progress is my hybrid graphic memoir, Painted Red. This project is a deep dive into my personal history, told through visual art and narrative, where I explore identity, memory, queerness, and survival. Through this memoir, I aim to push the boundaries of traditional storytelling by merging text and image in a way that speaks to the complexity of lived experience, especially as a queer Latinx individual. I aim for it to be received as a powerful meditation on home, trauma, resilience, and the interconnectedness of queer kinship, all against the backdrop of the landscapes of our borderlands and the identities that come with grounding into it.

Alongside Painted Red, I'm working on the bilingual edition of my book Empanada: A Lesbiana Story en Probaditas with maestra and dear friend, Mariana Romo-Carmona - author of LIving at Night, Speaking Like an Immigrant and others. Bringing it into a bilingual format feels like a reclamation of cultural and linguistic identity for me, filling a community, a family who has asked for it. The book digs into the relationships at odds with our queerness on the border, is a celebration of queer, Latinx lives, and I hope this new edition allows it to expand even beyond the realities we know.

In community, this year I exhibited my artistic retrospective, I Am Home, at the Mexican Cultural Institute, and currently I am preparing for the release of my novel, Curtains of Rain, in quarter 1 of 2025, with Jaded Ibis Press. 

These projects, though distinct, all connect through a shared mission: to amplify queer voices, to challenge societal norms, and to create spaces where marginalized stories can thrive. Each piece of writing, each canvas, is an invitation to explore those places we are often told not to go—the places where queerness, transness, and cultural identity meet, transform, and empower.

What does this project mean to you?

These projects hold profound meaning for me, both personally and as an artist. Each one is a reflection of my journey, my community, and the stories that have shaped me as a queer, Latinx individual. With Painted Red, my hybrid graphic memoir, I’m diving deep into my own history, peeling back the layers of identity, queerness, memory, and survival. This work is a labor of love that pushes beyond the boundaries of traditional storytelling, using both art and narrative to capture the complexity of lived experience. It’s not just my story—it’s the story of all of us who carry the weight and beauty of living in the in-between: between genders, between cultures, between lands. I hope it stands as a powerful meditation on home, trauma, resilience, and the sacred bond of queer kinship, especially in the context of the borderlands.

Similarly, working on the bilingual edition of Empanada: A Lesbiana Story en Probaditas with my dear friend and maestra Mariana Romo-Carmona feels like a reclamation of my own cultural and linguistic identity. This project fills a gap that many in my community have asked for, offering them a piece of work that reflects the duality of language and the nuanced lives we lead. Bringing this story, which celebrates queer, Latinx existence, to both Spanish and English readers is deeply meaningful. It speaks to a truth that transcends language—about the relationships, the love, and the tensions that exist on the borders of our queerness.

Beyond these literary works, my artistic retrospective I Am Home, exhibited at the Mexican Cultural Institute, and my upcoming novel Curtains of Rain, all tie together a singular mission: to amplify the voices of our queer, trans, and non-binary communities, to challenge the limitations society places on us, and to carve out spaces where marginalized stories can thrive. Each of these projects is an invitation to explore the parts of ourselves and our world that are often silenced—places where our queerness, our transness, and our cultural identities intersect in transformative and empowering ways.

Together, these works are a celebration, a challenge, and a reminder that our voices matter, that our stories are necessary, and that we, too, are home.

What made you go into your field of career?

I think storytelling chose me before I knew how to choose it. Growing up, I was surrounded by powerful storytellers—my grandmother, my tias, my neighbors. They wove stories into everyday life. For me, writing became a way to hold onto those stories, to make sense of the world, and to create space for voices like mine—queer, Latinx, and non-binary—that are often left out of mainstream narratives. Visual art came first, in my dreams, doodled over textbook paragraphs about dead presidents - as the first language. Art has always served as a way to extend my storytelling, to add layers that words alone couldn’t capture; and the words do the same the other way around. I found that both writing and art allowed me to break through limitations and express the complexities of identity, culture, and lived experience.

Do you have any advice you’d like to share with UIW’s current undergraduate students who are interested in your field?

My biggest piece of advice is to stay curious and fearless. Don’t be afraid to take risks with your work, whether it’s in content, form, or approach. Embrace the moments that challenge you creatively—they are the ones that will push you to grow. Also, build a community of fellow artists, writers, and creatives who uplift and inspire you. Having people you can trust, collaborate with, and share ideas with will keep you grounded and help you through difficult times. Lastly, listen to your gut. Your voice, your perspective, your lived experience is valid and valuable. The world needs your stories.

What do you hope your audience takes away from your current project?

I hope that my audience, especially queer and trans people of color, feel seen and heard through my work. I want them to recognize the power in their own stories and experiences. For others, I hope my work opens a window into worlds they may not have encountered, offering understanding and empathy. Ultimately, I want people to walk away with a deeper appreciation for the resilience, beauty, and complexity of queer communities, and a desire to challenge their own perceptions.

 What are your methods for getting into a creative headspace?

My creative process is often intuitive, but I’ve developed a set of practices to help me get into the right headspace. Waking up early, between 4 and 6 a.m., when the world is still quiet, helps me connect with the deeper, quieter parts of myself. I’ll meditate, burn copal, or pull oracle cards to ground myself before writing or painting. Sometimes, just sitting in the sun or staring into a tree helps me reset. It’s about creating space for creativity to flow without forcing it, allowing the universe to whisper its messages through stillness.

What are some challenges that you have faced in your career?

One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced is navigating spaces that weren’t designed for queer, Latinx, or non-binary people. It’s often a struggle to find acceptance or visibility in industries that prioritize cisheteronormative narratives or that commodify our stories without honoring their full complexity. Another challenge is the ongoing work of balancing creativity with life’s demands—especially as someone with ADHD, staying focused and on track requires a lot of intentionality. But I’ve learned to find tools and communities that help me stay grounded in my work.

Do you hope to contribute to a broader conversation with your work? If so, what is the conversation?

Absolutely. My work is part of a larger conversation about queerness, identity, and the intersectionality of our lives as people of color. It’s about challenging the mainstream narratives that erase or diminish our voices and creating a space where our experiences are not just included, but centered. I hope to contribute to the growing body of work that amplifies LGBTQIA+ BiPOC voices, that demands visibility, equity, and justice, and that ultimately transforms how we think about community, love, survival, and resilience.