Latino Poets Build Careers Through Social Media Platforms Like Instagram and TikTok
Latino poets have utilized social media to break through traditional publishing obstacles. Yesika Salgado, 41, hailing from Silver Lake, has amassed over 170,000 followers on Instagram thanks to her book "Corazón," which reached No. 3 on Amazon's Hispanic American bestseller list. Meanwhile, Celia Martínez, 26, from Los Angeles, boasts over 5 million followers across TikTok and Instagram, resulting in four published works, including "A Magnificently Ordinary Romance," set for release in 2025. Vianney Harelly, 30, from Tijuana, engages 220,000 followers with her Spanglish poetry videos, selling her books directly. Patrícia Lino from UCLA highlights how trends like "Instapoetry" have made poetry more accessible for Latinos, who represent 7% of U.S. writers. These poets will join panels at the 2026 Festival of Books at USC, organized with L.A. Times en Español.
Key facts
- Yesika Salgado's book "Corazón" reached No. 3 in Amazon's Hispanic American bestseller subcategory.
- Celia Martínez has over 5 million followers across her social media accounts Diary of a Romantica and Power House of the Cel.
- Vianney Harelly grew an audience of over 220,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok.
- Latino writers make up 7% of U.S. authors according to a 2022 Government Accountability Office report.
- Yesika Salgado worked as a cashier for ten years before achieving social media success.
- Celia Martínez's 2025 book "A Magnificently Ordinary Romance" is distributed by Simon and Schuster.
- Patrícia Lino is an associate professor of poetry and visual arts at UCLA.
- The Festival of Books 2026 will feature panels with Julio Vaqueiro, Quiara Alegría Hudes, Carolina Ixta, and Yesika Salgado.
Entities
Artists
- Yesika Salgado
- Celia Martínez
- Vianney Harelly
- Patrícia Lino
- Julio Vaqueiro
- Quiara Alegría Hudes
- Carolina Ixta
- Gloria Calderón Kellett
Institutions
- UCLA
- USC
- L.A. Times en Español
- Simon and Schuster
- U.S. Government Accountability Office
- San Francisco State University
- Yale
- Festival of Books
- De Los Stage
- CVS
Locations
- Silver Lake
- Los Angeles
- California
- United States
- El Salvador
- Tijuana
- Mexico
- Bay Area
- San Francisco
- Boyle Heights
- L.A.'s Fashion District