Meet Zehila Lopez Juarez | Zehila Lopez Juarez | Poet

We had the good fortune of connecting with Zehila Lopez Juarez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Zehila, what do you think makes you most happy? Why?
I will say a lot of things make me happy, but the main ones are writing poetry, I love to express myself in writing. For me writing is art. I also love to help others, it’s something I do daily. I love to see people happy and make them feel welcome. I love diversity, I see it as an opportunity to meet new cultures and a different view of the world. I love to take photographs and just freeze the memories in just one picture. My family and small things make me happy. Being alive and having the opportunity to live one more day. Going to church and spending time with people that I care about.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Since I young age, I started to see and learn lessons. My life has been a little unexpected sometimes. Well, it all started when I came to the US, I was 12 and I had to leave my hometown, and it wasn’t because I wanted to it was because I had to. I remember it just like if it was yesterday, it was the 24 of December of 2018, that day my life changed, I stayed in the department of migration the 24 and the 25 we left in busses, except for my older brother, he had to stay there and that was the last time I saw him in person. I talk with him but its not the same as giving a hug in person. Everything changed and at that point I had
no idea of what was going to happen.

I started my first Middle School here in Knoxville it was Holston and I remember how scared I was because I didn’t knew the language, and when I started to make friends, we moved. I had to change school and I went to Halls Middle School and I was lonely there, I had not much friends and I was always lost and then we moved again and I went to South Doyle Middle School, I loved that School with all my heart. I was so happy there and thats when I started to actually learn and understand the language, like the basic things, how to say hi or how are you. But then my parents decided to move again. We moved to Texas because there was more work and then Covid started. Depression started to grow inside me and I got lost, the way I started to express myself was with drawing, I remember drawing everywhere, anytime. My parents decided to move again to Knoxville. Texas was not treating us like we expected and I started high school. I remember going to Central High School with no hopes, at the end it saved me. The teachers helped me without knowing what I was going through. In 2021 I started to write poetry to express my Depression and Anxiety, that exact same year my teachers started to know that I was writing poetry, they helped me contact people, and they started to support me. In 2022 I started to get out of depression and Anxiety. My poetry was improving and in 2022, my ELL teacher helped me met Patricia Robledo a wonderful women who helps hispanic/Latinos, and she helped me meet Rossy Toledo, an amazing writer and now my mentor in poetry. At the beginning I had no idea of what was going to happen, I left my life behind and I had to start from cero, with not a house, or beds. With not a place to call home. My family and I had to leave our lifes and all the things my parents work hard to get. I had to learn a language from cero, and I can definitely say that my story it’s unique in every way, it has helped me learn a lot of lessons. Since I was a child, I saw the world in a very special way, and when my life gave a 360 shift, that made me see the world in a special and unique way. I had learn that no matter who you’re, unexpected things happen and it can ruin your life or improve it, you choose how it’s going to affect you. I want to let world know that life is beautiful and that we have the control of our lives. Never give up, even when things seem foggy and confusing. When you don’t know what to expect or if you have lost something or everything. There is always a new begging or opportunity, and if there are no opportunities, make one. I like to say there is always a way. To do things and make things, and be successful. Now I’m going to graduate from Central High School and I’m trying to publish my book of poetry. I have been acomplishing things little by little. What I have lived helped me grow and also mature. Sometimes I look back and I see that not everything was bad at the end you decide. If you give up or continue fighting for what you want.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I will take my friend to eat at the restaurant called Pacifico, where you can eat seafood. I love Ceviche, and I will probably recommend to eat that. I will take my friend to see the art at the emporium and all downtown but during the night because it’s beautiful. It always fun to walk in parks or downtown. People are always in their own worlds, and it always gets pretty. The people here in knoxville is really sweet. I will invite my friend to my house, the food of my mom is really good. My family is also really fun! I will take my friend to the zoo, some museums and the Sunsphere. I would love to say more places, but Knoxville, it’s a place that I’m still learning about.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family and people that work in Centro Hispano, also Patricia Robledo, Rossy Toledo. Claudia Caballero, Mrs. Nelson, Mrs.Camet, Mrs.Dasilva. There is a long list of people that have helped me grow and succeed, some of them are my teachers and family. Friends and people that I have met along the way to where I am now. I thank God for putting them in my life.

Website: https://www.instagram.com/zehilaa.lj?igsh=MWFoemNyYzdnYTJ2bg==

Instagram: https://zehilaa.lj

Image Credits
The picture where I’m sitting and the other one that I’m with the Camera those were taken by the photographer Jetzabe Lopez Juarez.