Alejandro Heredia's writing uplifts and expands the narratives presented about his community. The Dominican Republic-born, Bronx-raised writer initially pursued community organizing before having an epiphany at a fateful city council hearing — that community building and writing go hand-in-hand. With an MFA from Hunter College under his belt, Heredia shifted into full-time writing, with fellowships from Lambda Literary, CUNY’s Dominican Studies Institute, and most recently, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ Black Mountain Institute, where he was a Shearing Fellow. The Gold Line Press Fiction Chapbook Contest winner’s work has been featured in Teen Vogue, the Lambda Literary Review, and The Offing. This year, Alejandro released his critically acclaimed debut novel, LOCA, following the lives of two Dominican best friends in New York City in 1999. The novel has received rave reviews for capturing the heartbreak of LGBTQ+ youth and Dominican culture. And with it centering the story of two Dominican protagonists striving to grow beyond the worlds they know, the novel brings to the forefront Heredia’s goal to tell unexpected and imaginative stories about Black, Latino, and queer identity.