Meet Jose Garay Boszeta | Translator & Publisher

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jose Garay Boszeta and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jose, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I was born in Lima, Peru and I consider it to be my closest cultural identity, since I spent most of my formative years and my adolescence in Peru. However, I have always felt like an immigrant, that is to say halfway between places where I have lived, and places from where I come from. My first experience is when I was 5 years old, my family moved to Mexico, first to Mexico City and then to the state of Veracruz. We spent 6 years in Mexico and, although I always felt welcomed by the people, during those years I always had the conscience of being from a different country. Ironically, something similar happened when we returned to Peru, since it was like discovering a new country, somewhat mythical, which I had always heard about but had not experienced directly. Years later, when I moved to the United States, that process has continued, in the different cities and states in which I have lived. I consider myself fundamentally an immigrant. I don’t think I’ve ever lived in the same place for more than 3 years in my entire life. So regarding the subject of literary translation, what interests me most is precisely to bring about the encounter between different registers, whether linguistic or cultural, since it is a matter of finding new ways of seeing the world and approaching literature from these spaces in which codes are mixed and recombined. The idea is to democratize exchanges, to make participation collective and horizontal. And just as in migratory processes, in the field of literary translation there is always the possibility of finding creative forms of expression that are meaningful for groups and populations that, on the surface, do not seem to have much in common. But it is in the encounter and participation that new identities, alliances and gestures of empathy can be discovered.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We are DULZORADA PRESS a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the publication of classic and contemporary Latin American literature and poetry in English translation. We are inspired by the necessity to constantly reevaluate, restore and recover Latin American narratives into their historical context for a diversity of audiences around the world. What makes me most proud and excited is that we are an independent publishing house, with a clear vision of Latin American history and reality, as well as of literary translation in the United States. Although it is not easy to compete in the literary world, I believe that our proposal has been very well received by a diverse audience, which perceives its importance as a legitimate project of cultural representation. There will always be many challenges of all kinds, but in this time I have learned that the most important thing is to stick to our principles, and to be willing to work hard to achieve our goals.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I really like the Lakewood and White Rock Lake area. We would first go for a walk around the lake and then visit the Arboretum. Then we would go to Reunion Tower, which definitely has the best view of the city, and is a great space to relax and meditate as the floor deck rotates 360 degrees. My favorite place to hang out and have a drink is definitely The Wild Detectives in Oak Cliff, where you can always find interesting people and strike out a conversation at any moment. The Bishop Arts area has great restaurants and bars as well. For dinner, I would take them to eat tacos at the Rincon Tapatio on Jefferson Blvd and then to see a classic movie at Texas Theatre.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I first thank all my family and friends, the emotional support network that is essential for work and life. In Dallas I would like to thank our friends at The Wild Detectives, who have always supported our projects and provided us with a space for events and to sell our books. Also to all the authors and translators who have trusted us and with whom we have had unforgettable working experiences. And finally, to all the readers who follow us, and support us day by day with their comments and sharing our work. Thank you very much to all of you!

Website: http://dulzorada.com

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