Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Welcome July! - ¡Bienvenido Julio!

 Reflections by Maritza Martínez Mejía

Welcome July! Unbelievable, half a year has passed. Six months ago we set up goals. Have we accomplished some of them? Maybe. The present situation may have not allowed it, but it is time to re-think what we would be able to accomplish for this year. Establish your objectives and follow the path to reach them. The future is in your hands. 


Work for your dreams!


¡Bienvenido Julio! Increíble, medio año ya ha pasado. Hace seis meses nos planteamos unas metas. ¿Hemos cumplido algunas? Tal vez.  La presente situación quizas no lo ha permitido, pero es tiempo de replantear que pudieramos lograr en este año. Establece tus objetivos y sigue un camino para cumplirlo. El futuro está en tus manos. 
¡Lucha por tus sueño

Thank you for your support!🌷 #LuzDelMes 🌠

ACTIVIDADES GRATIS EN: www.luzdelmes.com

Maritza Martínez Mejía

Mother, Author, Educator, Translator and Publisher
Member: FWA, MCBD Board of AdvisorsANLMI Delegate
International Read to Me! Day Ambassador.
Received Crystal Apple Award, VCB Poetry Award, Latino Book Awards 2016 & Author’s Talk

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Online Experience during Pandemic Times

Online Experience during Pandemic Times

Since March 13th, 2020 when the quarantine began in the United States, I had a calendar of events set up for the whole year 2020-2021. Slowly the conferences were postponed, events were cancelled, and trips suspended. The sense of despaired inundated the social media with predictions and fake news. I try something new! 

 began online classes to refuge myself from the outside world and terrifying news take advantage of the time. For a long time, I have the desire to finish a Master Degree. I was fortune to find a fully online program and venture to register for a Graduate Certificate for Catholic Educators.  The hours of intense study made my days and weeks more manageable while in mandatory quarantine  during the uncertain moments that the world was witnessing. The studies and circumstances helped me become more aware of ever of healthy habits by eating and sleeping well while praying and walking around my house.

A year later, I have realized that the new norms were here to stay. Even though, I was not familiar with online programs like Zoom and Goggle meet. I slowly adjusted to a new reality and accepted invitations to join online chat meetings. It is a matter of time, collaboration, patience and implementation of worldwide protocols to move into a technological age and move forward as we had done in the past. 

What I have learned about these online programs is that they are similar, easy to handle, have a free section to test how it works, you can record the meeting and save it as audio or video. It is a good tool to present a book, read poetry, present a conference, listen a lecture, and chat with authors, or simply just share time with family and friends. The most important thing is that you can explore and find which one fits best your needs. Do not isolate yourself, find ways to communicate, keep writing, and stay away from too much information that can create anxiety and frustration.  Let’s make the change to an online program. Give it a chance!

Today, I received the Graduate Certificate for Catholic Educators. I have never imaged to study online to obtain a degree, but I did during the pandemic years. Thank you Catholic Distance University for the opportunity to study fully online. Now, I am one step closer to my Master's Degree of Theology and Educational Ministry. 

Catholic Distance University - Graduate Certificate for Catholic Educators. 

Thank you for your support!🌷 #LuzDelMes 🌠

ACTIVIDADES GRATIS EN: www.luzdelmes.com

Maritza Martínez Mejía

Mother, Author, Educator, Translator and Publisher
Member: FWA, MCBD Board of AdvisorsANLMI Delegate
International Read to Me! Day Ambassador.
Received Crystal Apple Award, VCB Poetry Award, Latino Book Awards 2016 & Author’s Talk

Saturday, June 26, 2021

Poetry for Peace ~ Poesía por la paz

Poets around the world have defined PEACE in different ways using various literary images. It can mean world peace, peace between friends, family, or inner peace. Whichever meaning of peace you're looking for, LuzDelMes project is sharing a moment to reflect on the meaning of PEACE throughout POETRY. Join us the last Saturday of each month at 10:00 a.m. ET via Zoom & Instagram.

The Objective: Reach inner peace throughout poetry.

During the month of January, we read poems by Rabindranath Tagore. On February, Black History Month, I chose Maya Angelou. During March, I quoted a poem by Emily Dickinson "I Many Times Thought Peace Had Come," and on April exploring the Japanese philosophy and idiom proverb from the 1400,s  "Kacho-Fuugetsu" 花鳥風月, May the poetry of Pablo Neruda (Chilean Poet) & Thomas Merton's reflections and June "The Peace-Pipe" by Henry Wadswoth Longfellow, 1855. It tells an origin story of the peace-pipe of the indigenous Americans before the European settlers arrived.

"O my children! my poor children!
Listen to the words of wisdom,
Listen to the words of warning,
From the lips of the Great Spirit,
From the Master of Life, who made you!
"I have given you lands to hunt in,
I have given you streams to fish in,
I have given you bear and bison,
I have given you roe and reindeer,
I have given you brant and beaver,
Filled the marshes full of wild-fowl,
Filled the rivers full of fishes:
Why then are you not contented?
Why then will you hunt each other?
"I am weary of your quarrels,
Weary of your wars and bloodshed,
Weary of your prayers for vengeance,
Of your wranglings and dissensions;
All your strength is in your union,
All your danger is in discord;
Therefore be at peace henceforward,
And as brothers live together.

This poem is part of the longer epic narrative poem "The Song of Hiawatha"

¡Poesía por la Paz!
Ver reflexión en:


Los poetas alrededor del mundo han definido la PAZ de diferentes formas usando  diversas imágenes literarias. Puede significar la paz mundial, paz entre amigos, en la familia, o paz interior. Sea cual sea el significado de paz que esté buscando, el proyecto LuzDelMes está compartiendo un momento para reflexionar sobre el significado de la PAZ usando como medio la POESÍA. Acompáñanos el último sábado del mes a las 10:00 a.m. ET vía Zoom & Twitch. TV/ LuzDelMes. 

En enero exploramos la poesía de Rabindranath Tagore el poeta bengalí, premio nobel de literatura 1913. En febrero, Mes de la Historia Negra,  seleccioné a Maya Angelou, celebre poeta y activista Afro-Americana.  En Marzo dedicamos a la poeta Estadounidense Emily Dickinson con el poema: Muchas veces pensé que la paz había llegado, 1863En Abril, exploraremos el conepto Japónes: 花鳥風月 (Kachou Fuugetsu). El profesor y filósofo, Masashi Nakamura nos dice que significa: "conocerse a sí mismo a través de la naturaleza. En Mayo exploramos la poesia de Thomas Merton (USA, 1915-1968) y Pablo Neruda (Chile, 1904-1973) y Junio "La pipa de la paz" (The Peace-Pipe) por Henry Wadswoth Longfellow escrito en 1855 y Poema Pazalma de Roberto Abril.

Pazalma
Guerra interior libra el alma;
La paz busca guerra consigo mismo;
Para quitarse los silbidos de las balas o
De los dardos que achican su cabeza;
Y escudriña con preguntas el batir de sus alas;
Con ojo de águila y con garras inquiere:
¿Qué adicción u obsesión tienes?
¿Es de avaricias tu cuello y tus cienes?
¿El egoísmo... lo hiere, el corazón y el vientre?
¿Es de complicidad la envidia de tus bienes?
¿Detecta tu conciencia al marginado y al explotado?
Vió un león en un espejo con melena vanagloriosa;
Vió su lengua serpentina, bífida, engañosa, venenosa, mediática..
El que quiera detener la explosión del bombazo destructor;
Y ser poderosos agente e instrumento para la paz...
Ha de lidear, con águilas, leones y serpientes...
Pues es una guerra espiritual antes que una guerra mundial...
Tres CCC: Competencia, Conflicto, Cooperación... ¿Qué harás?
Hay historias de Justicia;
Hay historias de amor y la verdad;
Hay traidores de su historia.
...Somos la historia de nosotros mismos.
¡Haz la paz contigo mismo!
Guerra interior lleva el alma...
Jesús, en su vida, y a tu alma, le propuso: <<Bienaventurados los que trabajan por la paz, porque ellos [así] serán llamados, hijos de Dios>>.
Mat 5:1-11

                        Thank you for your support!🌷 #LuzDelMes 🌠

ACTIVIDADES GRATIS EN: www.luzdelmes.com

Maritza Martínez Mejía

Mother, Author, Educator, Translator and Publisher
Member: FWA, MCBD Board of AdvisorsANLMI Delegate
International Read to Me! Day Ambassador.
Received Crystal Apple Award, VCB Poetry Award, Latino Book Awards 2016 & Author’s Talk

The Poetry Marathon 2021

I am excited to be part of 2021 Poetry Marathon.  I had participated in the Half-Poetry Marathon 2016, 2019 & 2020 and complete Poetry Marathon 2015 & 2017. This phenomenal event is organized by Caitlin Jans (Thomson) and Jacob Jans, two writers and web publishers. The complete poetry challenge consists on writing 24 poems in 24 hours and the half-marathon on writing 12 poems in 12 hours. Every hour, you receive a prompt with images or even music to inspire you to write your poem.  It is an exciting event!

Photo cortesy: The Poetry Marathon
What is you preparation?...
Based on my experience, this is how I prepare for a Poetry Marathon:
1. Set up Poetry Marathon Website in advance - Be familiar how to post.
2. Sleep well the night before. 
3. Join and follow Facebook Group Posts, days in advance. 
4. Check Prompt every hour and create my poem to post in that hour.
5. Write poem on a word document before publish it to the website.
6. Read and comment other's poems.
7. Best of all, HAVE FUN!

What to do in between hours? 
Prepare an easy meal, drink herbal tea, do yoga, listen to music, do small shores at home, and the most important, don't forget to check the prompts each hour. At the end of this experience you will be proud to receive a lovely certificate.

 Poetry Marathon Challenge - June 27th, 2020 is done!



Thank you for your support!🌷 #LuzDelMes 🌠

ACTIVIDADES GRATIS EN: www.luzdelmes.com

Maritza Martínez Mejía

Mother, Author, Educator, Translator and Publisher
Member: FWA, MCBD Board of AdvisorsANLMI Delegate
International Read to Me! Day Ambassador.
Received Crystal Apple Award, VCB Poetry Award, Latino Book Awards 2016 & Author’s Talk

Friday, June 25, 2021

Feria Internacional Virtual del Libro 2021

Hemos tenido el honor de participar en la Feria Internacional Virtual del Libro 2021 organizado por la Academia de Literatura Latinoamericana SMGE San Luis Potosí, Pandero cultural y FEM International Magazine & TV. Agradecemos ésta invitación. Felicidades a los organizadores de éste excelente proyecto literario y participantes. Enhorabuena

La academia Latinoamericana de Literatura es un proyecto cultural, que difunde la lectura y la literatura, en sus diversos proyectos culturales. Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)

FEM International magazine es una revista de colección y FEM International TV es un complemento de la revista para dar a conocer variedad de temas de interés de toda la comunidad y promocionar a la comunidad y patrocinadores.

Ver video completo en
Recuerda que este año la feria es 100% virtual y estará disponible desde el 25 de Junio al 2 de Julio.
#PanderoCultural #FILNJ2021 #FEMInternational #LuzDelMes ✨

Participantes - Foto promoción #PanderoCultural

Foto cortesía #FranciscoHIsla

Thank you for your support!🌷 #LuzDelMes 🌠

ACTIVIDADES GRATIS EN: www.luzdelmes.com

Maritza Martínez Mejía

Mother, Author, Educator, Translator and Publisher
Member: FWA, MCBD Board of AdvisorsANLMI Delegate
International Read to Me! Day Ambassador.
Received Crystal Apple Award, VCB Poetry Award, Latino Book Awards 2016 & Author’s Talk