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Alejandro Heredia ’16 Shares His Journey at Cogan Alumni Fellowship Talk 

by Alex Sonfield '25

Alejandro Heredia ’16 recently returned to ºìÐÓÖ±²¥app as this year’s Cogan Alumni Fellow. He spoke with students and faculty about writing, identity and life after college. In a lively discussion led by Professor of Creative Writing Susan Perabo, Heredia, a writer and a community organizer, shared how his experiences at Dickinson shaped his journey to publishing his debut novel, Loca. 

For Heredia, Loca is a deeply personal novel. Much of his inspiration came from his parents, Dominican immigrants who taught him about resilience, community and identity. He spoke about how their struggles and experiences in the United States influenced the novel’s main characters, Sal and Charo, two best friends trying to find their place in the Bronx as the 2000s approached. 

“I was born to poor people and meant to live a very particular life,” Heredia reflected. “Through the accidents of life and my parents working very, very hard, I was able to escape the fate that was laid out in front of me.” His novel captures both the hardships and joys of being part of an immigrant community, especially one where race and queerness add extra layers of complexity. 

Heredia credited Dickinson with helping him grow as both a writer and a thinker. He described the English thesis seminar as a key moment in his development. The experience gave him space to explore ideas and develop his own voice. “It is such a gift to be told, ‘Hey, you are really smart. Here are two semesters where you have some parameters, some guidance. Now go do your own thing,’ ” he said. This creative freedom became the foundation for his writing career. 

At the same time, he emphasized that his time at Dickinson was about more than academics. As a student, he was highly involved in campus life, leading multiple student organizations and advocating for change. Looking back, he admitted, “I spent so much time trying to fix the world that I wish I had let myself just be a student sometimes.” His advice to current students was to find a balance—taking advantage of Dickinson’s opportunities while also allowing time for learning, growth and self-care. 

One of the most engaging parts of the conversation was Heredia’s thoughts on writing as a political act. He acknowledged that writing can have a political impact, but he also pushed back against the idea that writing alone is activism. “Literature is not the protest. It’s not the community garden or universal health care,” he said. “It’s literature.” However, he also recognized that good writing can inspire people to take action. “Reading is a beginning, not an end,” he explained, encouraging students to think critically and engage with the world beyond the page. 

Heredia also shared how writing helped him understand himself. As a young person, he often felt ashamed of parts of his identity—being Dominican, queer and from the Bronx. But through writing Loca, he found pride in those very things. “Writing this novel allowed me to see all the beautiful and challenging things about where I come from without shying away from the truth,” he said. 

When asked what advice he had for aspiring writers, Heredia was straightforward. “Figure out your writing practice,” he said. He emphasized that every writer needs to develop their own process, from deciding what time of day they write best to learning how to keep going even when self-doubt creeps in. 

He also urged students to read widely, not just modern books but older works as well. “Our entire society is set up so that you are distracted from your life,” he said. “Turn off the phone every now and then, and read something from at least 50 years ago.” 

As the evening came to a close, Heredia spoke about the importance of community, something he found both at Dickinson and beyond. He reflected on his time as a Posse Scholar and how that support system helped him succeed. “Posse saved my life in so many ways,” he said, recalling how his peers supported him when he needed it most. 

His visit was a reminder of the lasting impact of Dickinson’s English department and the Cogan Fellowship. The program continues to highlight the many paths an English degree can lead to. Heredia’s journey from college student to published novelist serves as an inspiration and proof of the power of storytelling, resilience and finding one’s own voice. 

The Cogan Alumni Fellowship program is named in honor of Eleanor Cogan, honoring her extraordinary commitment to lifelong learning and to the study of English literature. 

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Published February 26, 2025