Hi! My name is Mateo Perez Lara. I want to say that I reside in Bakersfield, California. My writing background consists of getting an MFA from Randolph College in 2020.. A BA in English at CSU Bakersfield. I am 31.

My life has consisted of taking care of my grandma, who is eighty-two. I live with her along with three cats. I also help take care of my mother and sister. My sister has ataxia. My mother has recently had heart surgery after a stroke. She is recovering and we have been helping her in that.

I currently help pay bills by doing tutoring, and working as an after-school program coordinator, and taking side-jobs as a copyeditor and manuscript editor.

Currently, my work with schools, which as of writing this, the hours for that have been cut because of the Government shutdown. Finances have been tighter, so being able to do any residency has been hard. But I am trying and I am writing.

But, to be honest, I love poetry, and the community that it has brought to me.

It gets me through the depression and the chaos we are thrusted into, currently.

I maintain hope by hosting in Bakersfield, every month, an art event called Blastbones, which brings local talent and also talent from around California.

We pay first-time artists for their participation, which is a big deal to me, because poets, writers, musicians, should be paid for their art. I have been doing this since March 2024, out of pocket. It’s a labor of love. We also launched our first Blastbones Zine, this October 2025. You can check it out on my Instagram @teoflirtswithhorror.

What it means to me to be a poet is step into language and imagery that terrifies but also heals. I love horror movies and dream vividly every night. I am open to collaboration, criticism. I’m open to experimentation and learning ways to break the craft and devices and build them again, and I adapt to new situations.

I just want to attend this residency without having to worry about it financially especially for my family who I also help. Please consider it a Christmas gift, or just a way to be in community. Thank you.

The deadline to submit fees is January 10th. Thank you again.

all donations go to fees for residency and any materials associated.