Dear reader friends,
As we enter the last month of summer in Spain (and the last month of winter in Brazil), between heat and cold, I realise that this has been for me a season of luminous closures, which in turn have paved the way for new adventures and creations. Today, I am delighted to invite you to accompany me in this transition, with the presentation of my book in Madrid (Spain) and my participation in an exhibition and a collective book in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), where a poem and a photograph of my own creation were selected.
In addition, I share with you my new poem: “Pas de deux of the tearful Ballerina” (Pas de deux da bailarina chorosa), With Spanish subtitles and English automatic captions, now available on YouTube and Spotify (Portuguese only).
With affection,
Alan Leites 🌻🐾
Meeting with Alan Leites: «Raji, My Family» (Madrid, Spain)
I am pleased to share that it is a true honour to have been invited by the José Hierro Public Library (Usera) to present my book “Raji, My Family: A Story of Immigration, Resistance, Courage and Love”.
The event will take place on Thursday, 25 September, from 18:30 to 20:00, and will consist of a talk with me and a guest, where we will explore the themes developed in my work: immigration, adoption, multispecies families, speciesism, resilience, life in Brazil, LGBTIQ+ experiences, intersectionalities, and the defence of animal rights.
At the end, there will be a book signing session. Entry is free until capacity is reached.
Meeting with Alan Leites
Date: Thursday, 25 September
Time: 18:30–20:00
Venue: José Hierro Public Library (Usera)
Address: Avenida de Rafaela Ybarra, 43, 28026 Madrid, Spain
Free entry until capacity is reached
Exhibition and Book “Foco na Poesia 4” (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
This September, I have the honour of participating in Foco na Poesia, which celebrates its fourth edition with a collective exhibition and book. I am presenting a poem and a photograph of my own creation, both entitled (Eu), in which I transform my experience of forced migration into poetry. This is my first work published in Portuguese, where I share an intimate and profound account of love, resilience, courage, and overcoming adversity.
My works will be part of the collective exhibition Foco na Poesia at the Sueli Pontes Cultural Centre (Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), which will open on 13 September, and will also be included in the eponymous book, published by Dowsley Editorial. The project curation is led by my dear friend, poet, journalist, and actress Lucilia Dowsley. Entry is free and open to the public.
Exhibition and Book “Foco na Poesia 4”
Date: Saturday, 13 September
Time: 11:00
Venue: Sueli Pontes Cultural Centre
Address: Avenida Celso Kelly, 378, Piratininga – Niterói – Rio de Janeiro – Brazil
Free entry until capacity is reached
“Pas de deux of the tearful Ballerina” by Alan Leites (English automatic captions).
The poem “Pas de deux of the tearful Ballerina” (Pas de deux da Bailarina chorosa) is a lyrical ode to inner strength, to art as a refuge, and to the resilience expressed through dance. The tearful ballerina, who at first appears fragile, is revealed in the verses as a vast and powerful being, capable of transforming pain into beauty.
The poem is also a defence of art against hostility: it invites us not to listen to those who do not know how to “dance” and, as in Plato’s allegory of the cave, to open our eyes to the light and truth of the world. With delicate yet powerful imagery, the work conveys hope and reaffirms the importance of artistic creation as an act of resistance and as a space of spiritual communion between those who dance and those who watch.
Besides YouTube, you can now also listen to my poetry on Spotify (Portuguese only)!
Just click the icon below.
Copyright © 2025 Alan Leites. All rights reserved.
If you enjoy my work and want to support me so I can keep creating, click the button and buy me a coffee! Thank you for your affection and trust.
My First Book
I am very pleased to share with you that my book “Raji – My Family: A Story of Immigration, Resistance, Courage and Love” is still available (although stock is running low) and can be purchased on Amazon, through my online store, as well as in two physical shops in Madrid: Santa Y Pura and Dolce & Vegana.
This project was very special to me, and although it was a challenge to write about such important topics as love, veganism, immigration, LGBTQI+ experiences, and multispecies families in a foreign language, I am very excited to be able to share this story with all of you. Thank you for accompanying me on this journey!
Copyright © 2025 Alan Leites. All rights reserved.
