“Risk is Necessary for Every Writer”: An Interview with Ricardo Cortez de la Cruz II

Ricardo Cortez de la Cruz II is a poet, artist, activist, and a second-year MFA student at NYU. He enjoys playwriting and fiction; he is a musician who loves to produce. He spoke with the Washington Square Review about risk, racism, and notions of literary success.

WSR: How would you describe your experience as an MFA student at NYU’s program?

 Cortez: It's been amazing! From the moment that I stepped in the door, I felt very welcome. It’s been everything I thought it would be. The experience that you get in the program, the insights into so many different materials—that goes from books your professors may give you to networking with other like-minded writers—expand your mind a lot. 

 WSR: What fears do you encounter when writing? 

Cortez: There's nothing I'm afraid of in writing. Risk is always in the back of my mind. The calculation and awareness of risk is necessary for every writer. I also keep the readers and audience in mind and adjust lines accordingly. I always ask myself if a certain line is necessary, be it for personal reasons, commentary, or others. I accept it as it comes. Over the years, I’ve developed a thick skin, which is essential to being a writer. 

 WSR: Do you resist anything in your writing? 

 Cortez: I don't resist it, but I lean away from first-person writing. I'm so focused on activism. I began writing because I wanted to express my environment and aspects of this world, especially as they relate to oppression and social justice. I saw myself in these stories and narratives. For me, “we” and “they” pronouns encompass a larger group of people as well as myself.

WSR: What projects are you working on right now?

Cortez: I'm writing a modern-day Willie Lynch letter in the form of a chapbook. A Willie Lynch letter is basically a letter that was written in the voice of—this is up to debate—a slave master on how to control African slaves. 

It’s a little bit dated; many people don’t know about the letters anymore. I wanted to bring it back to illustrate what Malcolm X and many others have stated: slavery is being upheld today not though chains or the KKK but through new forms such as the police and other institutions. My goal is to use images and stereotypes to illustrate how prejudice and racism operate today. 

I’m also working on my first book. I'll release more details on it later; the book is more of a long-term project, and I’m still working through the details.  

 WSR: What does literary success look like to you?

 Cortez: Everyone has their own idea of literary success; I say this because someone who writes for themselves is less inclined to care about the reactions of audiences or fame. There's obviously a dynamic between the two, a constant pull and tension. I think it’s a struggle that almost every artist faces. Basquiat wanted to create for himself, but he also wanted to be as famous as the artists he watched while growing up.

I think that as long as you are remembered for something, that should constitute success.

Charles Bukowski is a poet, but he doesn’t have an extensive catalog. We know him for the style in which he writes and that has given him a place in history. 

Some people can play the numbers game and have long lists in their catalog that people can reference. Others have one significant achievement that changed writing culture as a whole. Both should be celebrated, shared, and defined as literary successes.