Why Does Casa de María Exist?

Casa de María was not created as a business alone. It was born from memory, promise, and an unwavering belief in the power of story.

In this opening episode, Dr. Vilma Luz Cabán shares the origin of Casa de María Publisher. She reflects on the personal, cultural, and ethical foundations that shaped its creation, from honoring ancestral legacy and lived experience to building a publishing home rooted in dignity, care, and creative sovereignty.

This episode explores why Casa de María exists as more than a publishing imprint. It is a space for writers whose voices have been overlooked, a refuge for stories shaped by resilience, and a commitment to publishing with integrity, transparency, and respect for author ownership.

Grounded in place and guided by purpose, this conversation invites listeners into the heart of Casa de María. It is an invitation to writers, storytellers, educators, and cultural practitioners seeking a creative home where stories are not rushed, voices are not extracted, and craft is honored with intention.

This is where the journey begins. Visit us at www.casademariapublisher.com

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:06

Welcome to Casa de Maria. This is a space for writers, artists, and cultural storytellers who believe that our words carry memory, meaning, and responsibility. Here we gather to reflect on craft, honored lived experience, and explore ethical pathways to publishing and creative growth. I am your host, Dr. Vilma Luz Gaban, founder of Casa de Maria Publisher, and I am grateful that you are here.

SPEAKER_00 0:51

Casa de Maria was not created as a business first. It was created as a response. A response to writers who felt silenced, rushed, or invisible within traditional publishing spaces. It's a response to creatives who carried powerful stories but were unsure where their voices would be honored with integrity. In this episode, I want to share how Casa de Maria Publisher came into being, not as a business strategy or a trend, but as a promise, a legacy, and a home for stories that matter. When people ask how Casa de Maria Publisher began, I often tell them that it didn't begin with a publishing plan, it began with a promise. My mother carried a lifelong dream of returning to Puerto Rico and living in the home she worked so hard to build in Toalta. That home was meant to be a place of rest, dignity, and belonging. When she passed away, before that dream could be realized, I promised her that I would finish what she started. Right now I'm recording this podcast in that home. I'm grateful for this time. It's not perfect. I can't control natural background sounds or the echoing of the cement walls, but I hope that you can receive me in my authentic space with my authentic self. At the time that I made this promise, I didn't know what that promise would require of me. I didn't know that it would ask me to confront grief, memory, and migration all at once. And I didn't know that it would lead me back to questions about voice, legacy, and responsibility. As I worked to restore that home room by room, I began to understand something deeper. Spaces hold stories, walls absorb memory, and unfinished dreams ask to be carried forward with care. And before I go any further, I just want to invite you to pause with me for a moment. Many of us are carrying a promise. It may be something we said out loud or something we hold quietly inside. A promise to a parent, a child. Maybe it was a promise to your younger version of ourselves. A promise shaped by love, loss, survival, or hope. You may not even yet know how that promise will take form. You may still be in the middle of that promise, or you may be standing at the edge, wondering if you are allowed to honor it now. If that is you, I want you to know this. Promises do not need to be rushed to be real. They only need space, care, and courage. As the physical home of Casa de Maria in Puerto Rico took form, another realization emerged. Writers, like houses, need foundations built on trust. Too many creative spaces asked writers to move quickly, give up ownership, or silence parts of themselves in order to be seen. Casa de Maria was imagined as an alternative, a place where writers are met where they are, a place where reflection comes before production. A place where craft is honored without hierarchy and publishing is guided by transparency. This vision is inseparable from my own journey as a writer and advocate. My lived experience, including surviving domestic violence and navigating systems that did not always protect or listen, shaped how I understand storytelling. Writing was not only creative expression, it was survival. It was to bear witness. It was a way to reclaim my voice. And through that lens, Casa de Maria became more than a publishing house. It became a home for ethical storytelling, a space where cultural memory is respected, where writers are not rushed, and where professional standards coexist with humanity. When hurricanes, global disruption like a pandemic, and uncertainty slowed down my work. The mission did not change. If anything, it became clearer. Writing and publishing are acts of preservation. They help us remember who we are and where we come from. Casa de Maria exists to support writers across stages of their journey. Whether you are just beginning, returning from a long pause, or seeking a more aligned publishing path, this space was created with you in mind. And this podcast is an extension of that home. A place to listen, reflect, and imagine what is possible when stories are treated with care. I invite you to remember my story. Casa de Maria exists to support you, and this podcast is your home.

SPEAKER_01 7:24

Thank you for spending this time with me. If today's conversation resonated, I invite you to explore our free webinars, writing retreats in Puerto Rico, and our curated anthologies at Casa de Maria Publisher. Your voice matters. Your story deserves care. Until next time, write with intention and courage. Pen your passion. Publish your promise at Casa de Maria Publisher.