A letter from VOZ NYC
As we close 2025, it feels important to pause and name the work.
This year marked a significant milestone for VOZ NYC with the release of my first book, Your English Is Great, But… — a project that began as a personal reflection and quickly became a shared conversation about language, identity, grief, and belonging.
What followed exceeded anything I imagined.
Throughout the year, this book traveled with us — through readings, conversations, and community gatherings in New York, Pennsylvania, and Cartagena. Each stop brought new faces, new questions, and new reminders of why stories told from lived experience matter. These moments were not about sales or stages; they were about connection. About sitting in rooms where people recognized themselves in the pages, sometimes quietly, sometimes out loud.
None of that happened alone.
VOZ NYC grew this year through the people who showed up — readers, hosts, cultural spaces, organizers, booksellers, educators, and friends who opened doors and trusted the work. The book lived because it was held by community.
At the same time, our imprint continued to evolve beyond a single title. Our team began developing a children’s coloring and activity book inspired by Your English Is Great, But…, created with care for young readers growing up between languages. This project has been a reminder that voice is something we nurture early — and that representation can be playful, affirming, and accessible.
We are also deep into the writing and shaping of a second book, one that continues to explore memory, place, and the emotional landscapes we carry with us as we move through cities and stages of life. This work is still becoming, and we’re honoring the time it needs.
Looking ahead to 2026, VOZ NYC remains committed to growing as a publishing home, not just a platform. We are beginning conversations with additional writers whose voices align with our values — authors interested in telling thoughtful, grounded stories that live between cultures, languages, and genres. The goal has never been volume. It has always been care.
This imprint exists because we believe storytelling is both an artistic practice and a responsibility. We believe in slow work. In listening. In making space for stories that don’t always fit neatly, but feel true.
Thank you to everyone who read, shared, hosted, listened, and trusted this work over the past year. We carry 2025 with us as foundation — and step into the year ahead with intention.
With gratitude,
José Martínez
Founder & Editor
VOZ NYC
Voices from both sides
VOZ NYC 