I'm Massiel Alfonso, a Dominican poet, award-winning author, storyteller, and someone who believes words can heal wounds we didn't even know we had. I started writing poetry when I was eleven, not because I thought I'd become a poet, but because I needed somewhere to put all the things I couldn't say out loud. The page became my safe space to figure out where I belonged, to dig into memories that shaped me, and to survive the parts of growing up that nobody really prepares you for.
My debut book, Handful of Poems, won First Place at the Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards and received an Honorable Mention at the International Latino Book Awards. I focus on writing stories that document my existence and all of its parts. One piece that really connected with people is Pelo Malo (Bad Hair). It's this silent conversation I had with a hairstylist about curly hair and all the complicated feelings we carry about beauty in Dominican and Latinx communities. It's a personal yet universal story that many of us with textured hair have experienced. This piece was important for me to write because I needed others to understand that our hair is more than just hair. It's a connector, a representation of who we are, and a reminder of where we come from.
I'm not just a writer. I am a curator of experiences. I also lead creative workshops and events that create spaces where people can share without judgment and write their life experiences freely. Curating exhibitions like my Letters To My Younger Self was one way I brought people together through poetry, visual art, and storytelling. I want to show that creativity has no limits. These events aren't just about art, they're about self-love, intergenerational healing, and reminding each other that we exist and our art should too.
For me, storytelling isn't entertainment. It's raising awareness. It is the truth, and when we share our truths, we create room for others to do the same. Every workshop circle, every poem, every performance is about saying: your voice matters, your story has power, and healing happens when we do this work together. At the end of the day, I'm here to remind people that their stories matter. That speaking up is an act of resistance. That we can write and create our way toward healing, together.