ABOUT ME

My Journey So Far

Alanis Zoë Castillo Caref (she/ella/they) is a Chicanx writer and poet from Chicago. She received her BA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Communication and Creative Writing. Alanis was a finalist for the 2021 Undergraduate Creative Writing Awards and won second place in The Hip Hop Workshop 2022 Spoken-Word Competition. She also has poetry published in The Fashion Network, AnySquared Projects, and Xochipilli Culture Magazine. Alanis has performed at Story Lab Chicago, Slam Diáspora, Exhibit B, The Chicago Poetry Center, La Hora de Antojitos, and more. Currently, she is a Programming Coordinator at the Guild Literary Complex and the Founder/Host of Mariposas Open Mic.

Tutor

I love tutoring because it is really rewarding to be able to help others further their education and give them the confidence to take control of their own learning. Being a tutor allows me to share with others and help them be successful and feel fulfilled in their own lives.

Visit my Tutor Profile.

Teacher

In summer of 2026, I had the privilege of teaching at Purdue University for the Gifted Education Research & Resource Institute (GER²I) Summer Residential program. During my time, I taught The Right to Write! Writers’ Workshop to gifted students in 5th-6th grade. I curated this course to inspire students’ creativity in a safe and welcoming environment, while also learning about the writing process through journaling, peer feedback, and revision.

Course Description

Programming Coordinator

The Guild Literary Complex is a 35-year-old grassroots literary arts organization creating performance-based events in and around the Chicagoland area. We partner and collaborate with other community groups on social and restorative justice issues, providing arts and advocacy programming for marginalized voices.

Our Story