I am a cultural weaver.

I am a Guayaquil-born writer, translator, performer, facilitator, speaker, and researcher based in Orlando.

My practice connects seemingly disparate fibers, thematically and modally, to reimagine richer relationships to ourselves, each other, and our world. Drawing from Andean wisdom, in my transgressive and disabled body, my work weaves grief with hope, moving us away from colonialism toward greater personal alignment, collective empathy, and environmental responsibility.

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River Coello

Writing & Translation

My creative writing often dances between ancestral and personal memory, documenting spiritual discoveries through magical realism and in the languages where I have found homes. My other writing typically highlights and celebrates the stories and experiences of historically disenfranchised communities and/or individuals.

With bookends of a lunar calling and an earthly reminder, HAMPI chronicles a fantastical journey of recovering one’s buried parts to embrace the blessings of ancestral medicine. Concocted between the United States, Ecuador, and Peru, its photography captures the beauty of these heart homes. Its writing in English, Spanish, and Quechua features lessons from sacred guides, gone ancestors, and other loved ones on the journey to a fuller kind of bravery. HAMPI is published by For the Birds Trapped in Airports.

Recognition:

Performance Creation

My live readings borrow from my poetry collections and my personal essays.

As a performer, whether on stage or on set, my work mindfully navigates context, language, and emotion in scripted stories. My accessible devising practice employs both creative writing and movement.

As a facilitator, I explore works that are alive in diverse bodies and move audiences toward greater collective empathy. I prioritize process with authentic creation and support care with community-oriented practices.

Speaking & Facilitation

In speeches, presentations, workshops, and interviews, I invite groups to grapple with systems and connect across differences. I also help institutions identify and improve efforts connected to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Additionally, I design and facilitate generative spaces for learning and growth. Learning topics include intergroup relations, multimodal storytelling, and mixed-methods research. Coaching spaces support transitions through integrative practices.

Social Research

I have managed mixed-methods research projects, from ideation to dissemination, with a particular interest in the fields of health and education, and their intersections. I have also long advocated for increasing access and success for marginalized communities in these fields.