We promote latino
literature, visual art,
and culture
We cultivate and accelerate Latino Literature, Visual Art, and Culture. Founded in 1998 by Professor Tony Diaz, El Librotraficante, Nuestra Palabra has a profound history of developing art and culture in the community. NP is investing that legacy of work to strengthen the future of Latino Art and Culture with our new logo, website, on-line bookstore, broadcasts, The Global Reading Series, and Texas Barnstorming Tour. Of course, you can continue to expect us to deliver in-person events, workshops, and exhibitions as well.
About the founder
Tony Diaz
Professor Tony Diaz, El Librotraficante, is the founder and director of NP. He was born in Chicago. He moved to Houston to become the first Chicano to earn a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Houston. He planned to leave once he completed his studies, but he fell in love with Houston.
“If an artist is not able to immerse themselves in the vibrant art and culture of Houston, they may believe that there are no opportunities for them here. Let me be clear: The opportunities are not obvious to the naked eye. However, once you learn to read the city, you will see that Houston has cultivated a powerful foundation for Latino Art and Culture. There are so many reasons to stay. Our goal is to make this foundation clear to everyone.”
Meet the Team
Tony Diaz, Executive Director
Lisbeth Atencio, Brand Architect
Clarissa Zubia, Operations Manager
Rodrigo Bravo, Broadcast Producer
Roxana Guzman, Broadcast Assistant
Photographs by Clarissa Zubia
Why buy from us?
At Nuestra Palabra, we are more than just a bookstore. We are a community-driven platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of Latino authors and visual artists and fostering cultural capital within our communities. By purchasing from us, you're not just buying a book or print but investing in a movement. Our curated selection celebrates the rich diversity of Latino literature and visual art, offering narratives that resonate with the experiences and perspectives of our community.
Your support directly contributes to initiatives that promote literacy, education, and cultural enrichment. Join us in this journey of exploration, connection, and empowerment through art.
Join the movement
There is a wave of policies and laws making it difficult for books to get into the hands, minds and hearts of our community. Find out how Nuestra Palabra is making it rain books in book deserts and in the wake of book bans. Discover how NP is spreading visual art. We will ensure that our youth have access to the American Dream through books, visual art, culture, education.
In 2024 Nuestra Palabra has been recognized as a Houston Cultural Treasure by the BIPOC Arts Network and Fund. This comes with two years of funding. NP has invested those funds into creating a new logo, updating its broadcasts, building the new website you are visiting, and to launch its online store for a curated list of Latino Books and Latino Visual Arts. We want to take the work we have done since 1998 and spread it far and wide 24/7. Only Art can save us.
Learn how you can help Nuestra Palabra support Latino Writers, Visual Artists, and community members.
NP Launches Revamped Website at Free People Read Freely Conference. NP Founder and Director Tony Diaz, El Llibrotraficante delivered a keynote speech titled "The American Dream Through Our Books" for The Free People Read Freely Conference at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign sponsored by The University of Illinois Press, The University of Illinois System, and the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois: CARLI. Additional participants included The American Library of America, writers, scholars, artists, librarians, and advocates for Freedom of Speech. This paves the way for collaborations across state lines to make it rain libros in the book deserts. This is part of the NP Speakers Bureau. Email info@NuestraPalabra.org to book a speaker.