Words on a Wire

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón sits down with veteran journalist Robert Moore, founder and CEO of El Paso Matters, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to high-impact local reporting. Together, they trace Moore’s career from writing obituaries at a small-town paper to leading one of the most respected independent news organizations on the U.S.–Mexico border.

Moore shares why he walked away from his role as editor of the El Paso Times, how the 2019 Walmart mass shooting and COVID-19 pandemic shaped his newsroom’s mission, and why storytelling—especially in underserved communities—is central to democracy. The conversation touches on the challenges facing journalism today, from financial instability to political pressure, and the role of local news in countering misinformation and holding power to account.

In this special episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón sits down with four graduating creative writing students from his Senior Seminar at the University of Texas at El Paso: Diego Cerda, Cristina Flores, Sophia Ortega-Carlos, and Jesus Morales. What unfolds is a spirited, funny, and deeply personal roundtable conversation about life, art, and what comes after college.

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host William Alfred Rose speaks with journalist and author Kyle Paoletta about his new book, American Oasis: Finding the Future in the Cities of the Southwest. Paoletta takes listeners on a journey through the urban heart of the American Southwest—El Paso, Albuquerque, Phoenix, Tucson, and Las Vegas—exploring how these desert cities reflect the challenges and possibilities of a rapidly changing climate and culture.

Paoletta, a New Mexico native, shares his personal journey from the mountains outside Albuquerque to the editorial offices of New York, and how that distance shaped his desire to reconnect with the Southwest. The conversation touches on climate change, water scarcity, urban development, and the cultural divide between older, historically Mexican and Indigenous cities like El Paso and Tucson, and newer, booster-built cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas.

In this special episode of Words on a Wire, host Tim Z. Hernandez brings listeners into a moving panel discussion recorded live at the Tucson Festival of Books. Joined by acclaimed authors Rex Ogle (Abuela, Don’t Forget Me) and Melani “Mele” Martinez (The Molino: A Memoir), the conversation dives deep into the role of storytelling in shaping identity, healing generational trauma, and reclaiming cultural narratives.

Through personal reflections and powerful anecdotes, the panelists explore how family histories, community roots, and lived experiences influence their writing. From the quiet resilience of an abuela to the complexities of growing up in multicultural neighborhoods, this episode celebrates the ways stories can preserve memory, challenge stereotypes, and offer transformation.

Tune in for an inspiring conversation about memory, voice, and the many layers of what it means to be a storyteller today.

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón sits down with acclaimed poet, translator, and world traveler Liliana Valenzuela for a rich and reflective conversation recorded just after her return from a silent meditation retreat. Liliana discusses her journey as a “reverse Chicana”—a Mexican-born writer shaped by both Mexican and Chicano cultural traditions—and the ancestral and creative forces that shape her work. From her fascination with Aztec codices to solo travels through West Africa, Liliana shares the stories and experiences that inform her poetry collections Codex of Love and Codex of Journeys. The conversation also explores her influential career as a translator of major Latinx authors, including Sandra Cisneros 

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón talks with debut author Eugenie Montague about her novel Swallow the Ghost, a genre-bending narrative that plays with the conventions of crime fiction, digital life, and storytelling itself.

Montague shares how the novel began as a writing experiment that grew into something larger—originating with the character Jane and evolving into a story told in three interconnected parts. Set in New York City, Swallow the Ghost follows characters navigating identity, routine, and the search for meaning in a chaotic, media-saturated world.

The conversation dives into themes of control, narrative structure, and the addictive nature of both mystery plots and social media. Montague explores the creation of a fictional Twitter character named Rita, whose digital presence begins to shape and disrupt the story in unexpected ways, blurring the line between fiction and reality.

Montague also reflects on her path as a writer, her MFA experience at UC Irvine, and how living in El Paso has influenced her current work—a collection of linked stories set in the border city.

Thoughtful, funny, and rich with insight, this episode offers a compelling look at one of today’s most exciting literary voices.

Mikhail Carbajal es un escritor y educador que ha desarrollado una obra que explora la identidad en la frontera norte de México, y su cultura. Desde hace algunos años también está a cargo de un proyecto muy particular que combina literatura y redes sociales en una plataforma que ha trascendido, hablamos de “La gramática del Meme”.

Mikhail Carbajal is a writer and educator who has developed a work that explores the identity and culture of Mexico's northern border. For the past few years, he has also been in charge of a very particular project that combines literature and social networks in a platform that has transcended, we are talking about “La gramática del Meme”.

This week, our host Tim Z. Hernandez shares a live recording of a panel he was recently on at the Tucson Festival of Books, which took place March 15 & 16. The panel was titled "Unexpected Legacy of History," and features a conversation between Jason De Leon, Lee Hawkins, Tim Z. Hernandez, and moderator, Jill Jordan Spitz. 

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Will Rose speaks with journalist and former El Paso news anchor Stephanie Valle. They talk about Stephanie’s two-decade career at KVIA ABC-7 and her new role at the El Paso District Attorney’s Office.

During her career, Stephanie anchored morning and evening newscasts and often reported her own investigative stories. She turned her passion for reporting into the Borderland Crimes Podcast, which received numerous accolades, including the prestigious National Edward R. Murrow Award in 2024. Now, Stephanie works in the El Paso District Attorney's Office as the Special Projects Administrator. In her role, she’s in charge of releasing case information to news media, managing state and federal grants, and organizing the annual Region 19 High School Mock Trial competition and crime victims remembrance events. 

As a member of the Plaza Classic Film Festival Advisory Committee, she conducts Q&As of the festival’s special guests live on the Plaza Theatre stage during the festival and co-hosts the Plaza Classic Podcast. This mom of two is also proud to serve as a board member of the Center Against Sexual and Family Violence, Jennifer Ann’s Group (a teen dating violence awareness organization), and the regional Make-A-Wish Foundation.

In this engaging episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón sits down with acclaimed poet and author Gume Laurel III to discuss his journey into poetry, the power of storytelling through verse novels, and the inspiration behind his works. From his early resistance to poetry to discovering its rhythm and depth through spoken word, Gume shares how he found his literary voice and carved a space in the young adult fiction landscape.

The conversation explores Samson and Domingo, a modern, queer retelling of the Samson story, and his upcoming novel Solar Punks, a thought-provoking dive into the emerging genre of solar punk. Gume discusses the importance of accessibility in literature, crafting high-interest, low-readability (hi-lo) books for young readers, and the cinematic quality of his narratives—hinting at a future on the big screen.