Today we’d like to introduce you to Ellie Gonzalez Stone.
Hi Ellie , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am originally from Dallas. I grew up in Oak Cliff and moved to Denton 20 years ago. When I moved to Denton, I quickly realized that I was missing the community that I had fostered in Dallas. Specifically, the creative and art community. I felt a really huge disconnect artistically and culturally and felt a really huge need to fill the creative void. Throughout life, I always loved writing poetry but in Denton, I felt the need to let my heart speak my poetry out loud. In January 2014, I founded Lost Poet Lounge out of the need to find and connect with likeminded creatives and poets. Little did I know that my first Lost Poet Lounge show I produced, would lead me to today! Lost Poet Lounge was truly important to me, not just to find community, but I wanted to foster a safe space where people could gather and find their true authentic voice. I truly wanted it to be a creative space where we walked a poetic journey together, learned together, encouraged each other and celebrated poetic victories together. It was important to me to build connection in a world that was so divisive and challenging at times. I am so happy to see it has evolved through the years and I have been so blessed to have made, not just poetic connections but my poetic family.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, it was never a smooth road or without challenges. However, the challenges faced are there for a reason. We may not know or see it that way at that time, but it has a way of fine-tuning you when you least expect it. Producing poetry shows in town, you have many challenging thoughts go through your mind. You want to be taken seriously, you want your work to be quality work, you want to have people notice your event to show up and either participate or enjoy. All of those things are important. However, what was most important was how people felt sharing their poetry or spoken word or how people felt relating to it as an audience member. We live in a world where we face many daily challenges for so many reasons and poetry has a way of building a bridge to people we may not otherwise encounter. Listening to someone be authentic with real feelings on a topic that you may have different views on, can be a challenge for some – but the beauty of it is that when you see and hear someone deliver their story through their eyes, their heart and their tears – as a human being – you cannot deny the power of poetry. And sometimes, that lands that connection, that bridge that someone doesn’t get from what is on social media or television. Poets are real people with real stories with real joy, tears, anger, fears, tragedies and joyous moments. As humans, we can relate to all of those emotions and so many more. Another challenge, especially for someone putting on a show or event – is that some events were full with amazing turn out versus a couple events had one or two people show up. That can be challenging, with all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes. I have told my poet performers, my Lost Poets – if it’s many or one – we are still here to make it what it needs to be for those here. Somehow, someway – it truly was always what it needed to be for those in attendance and sometimes it was an even more beautiful experience due to the more intimate time and attention between a smaller group. Those are things you just have to learn to roll with and keep going. You have to not let it deter you. It’s part of the process and the sooner you accept that it will happen sometimes and not let it get you down, the sooner you get to working on your next event and make another night of magic happen!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I started Lost Poet Lounge in January of 2014. I was really blessed to be able to host a Lost Poet Lounge event at the Discover Denton Welcome Center on the Square in Denton where DentonRadio.com studio was housed. Little did I know that the venue was going to cast my show LIVE on DentonRadio.com on all social media platforms. To my surprise, that led to an unexpected but wonderful opportunity for me. I had joked to the Station Manager after they recorded my event – that if they ever needed a new Radio Show/ Podcast Host to let me know. Soon after that, I was invited to become a new Radio Show/Podcast host producing my own show. I became the Radio Show/ Podcast Creator and Host to The Denton Vibe with Diva Girl Ellie on DentonRadio.com. My show was all about the creative community – in every sense. Artist of all kinds, creatives, musicians – you name it – for 3 years I booked amazing artists, creatives and musicians of all kinds every Tuesday!I have met so many wonderfully, talented people and was so happy to share and celebrate the many gems we have in Denton County! As our world shut down for covid and isolation – my creative mind had to pivot. That is when I started my Lost Poet Lounge podcast. I had to keep my poetic heart flowing and so I started sharing my personal poetry on my podcast. There were no guests, no interviews, no topic discussion. It was just me and my poetry. I am so thankful to have taken that leap to start sharing it on all major social media platforms. I needed it, my heart needed it and I have a lot to say. My poetry on the podcast is meant to be encouraging, uplifting, inspirational to those that feel alone or gets stuck in a feeling of not being able to overcome. My poetry is meant to encourage to keep going. To let them know that they are enough, equipped and able to get to a better place. I want people to FEEL my poetry and leave feeling better after listening. I want people to find a spark within themselves and use that spark to encourage them on their path. I want my spark to be enough to start the fire from deep within – whether it be to share their story for the first time, perform for the first time, heal from a hurt, release pain and anger and know that there is hope, there is love, there is a better day meant for them. I want to be a light to all that draw near – no matter who they are, what they believe or don’t believe in – who they love or how they worship. I want anyone who steps into the Lost Poet Lounge world – to feel welcome and to feel the love. What makes me proud, is to see so many wonderful poets that started out with sharing for the first time, take the stage eventually or write their first poetry book. That makes me proud and I celebrate with them like a proud “Mom”. This year, I started Lost Poet Lounge: Heart Speak – Poetry Book Club and I also had Lost Poet Lounge’s very first Poetry Weekend Retreat with some amazing poets and we had such a wonderful fun and poetic weekend full of amazing memories!
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
First and foremost, I thank God for planting the seed of poetry in my heart. HE is my foundation that I place my poetic heart upon. My family have all been my pillars on that spiritual foundation. My parents play such a huge role in shaping my poetic heart! I used to sneak into my parent’s room and one of my favorite things to do was to pull out all the love letters my Father wrote to my Mother. They were so beautiful, His handwriting was so fancy and the way he wrote his undying love was so poetic. That stayed with me! That and his love for books. Mom taught me how to read and write before I even started going to school. She had me reading all the time. I couldn’t get enough. The first poet I can remember in 4th grade was Langston Hughes, Dreams. I remember being so fascinated by poetry at that age. I soon started writing in my notebooks, diaries and journals. Mom also listens to my poetry often and on repeat. That makes my heart melt! I LOVE that she listens to my poetry on the podcast. My siblings have always been and will always be my “Ride or Die” crew: Anna, Ruben and Raquel. They have always believed in me, my poetic ability, shared my work, encouraged me, gone to travel with me for poetic events, you name it! I do this for all of them but for my nieces and nephews too. So that they know and understand the power of their voice. The power their voice truly has to shape their world and the people in it and to never be silenced. My Husband Uriah has always been my right-hand man behind Lost Poet Lounge. He has always been the muscle behind the madness – the tech/sound man, the man that gets me set up and helps get it all loaded out. He is the one that gets the true “behind the scenes” and real-life outtakes to the woman and poet behind Lost Poet Lounge. At one event a while back, not one person showed up. So, Uriah read his poetry to me, and I read mine to him. That’s what it’s about. Showing up and making it what it needs to be for those that are there! And I cannot be Lost Poet Lounge with Lost Poets! To every single person that has performed at one of my shows or gathered to support all the Lost Poets – because of them – Lost Poet Lounge is what it is today. A special shout out to the Lost Poet Lounge: Heart Speak Book Club for diving into Poetry Books every month to discuss our passion but also celebrate amazing, published poets! Lost Poet Lounge: Heart Speak – Poetry Book Club has had the honor of having a few AMAZING published poets donate copies to our book club for Book of the Month: Marisa Adame, Shanice T. Robinson, Esteban Rodriguez – all supported Lost Poet Lounge and gracefully donated copies of their published poetry books! Definitely my Denton Community and local business that open their doors to me and Lost Poet Lounge! All my friends and poets at heart that support without question. Last but not least, my writer’s group – without my own little secluded place to drop ideas, thoughts, and hot topics – I wouldn’t have written almost 3 binders full of new poetry!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/lostpoetlounge?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=319f8ff6-49df-4248-8244-fb2e3f8a983c
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lostpoetlounge/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/486613301444717
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/7xJcbiMTI6IDVQ2X0pUZBt?si=ffd212abe6b9434a
Image Credits
All Photos: Ellie Gonzalez Stone, except below –
Photo with Florals: Raquel Velasquez, Photographer – Raq.N.Soul Photography
Florals: Vaquero Florero – Rudy Gael Velasquez, Florist
