17: How Diego Perez Created “Yung Pueblo” and Went Viral on Instagram by Writing a Poem a Day

The path to self-discovery and self-love is not often a straight one and the theme of our winding journeys as humans is a common one on this podcast. Today's episode underlines this idea, as we are joined by poet, Diego Perez, who is more commonly known as Yung Pueblo. He is the author of the widely acclaimed collection of poems, Inward, and has grown a notable online following, starting from humble beginnings to an Instagram account that is has amassed almost a million followers! In our conversation, we take the scenic route through Diego's life, looking at his childhood in Ecuador, his family's move to the US, and how his public schooling in Boston impacted his worldview. Diego then takes us through the difficulties he experienced during his early adult life, falling into bad habits and drug use while at college as a means to escape his feelings. It took some time, but after Diego hit what he felt was rock bottom, he began on a path to recovery, healthier practices, and a life filled with radical honesty. He talks about what this looked like for him and the important steps in the process, with a big emphasis on meditation. From there, we get into his writing process, how he started out as an online poet, and the way he published his first book. This conversation is truly not to be missed!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Diego's younger years in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and his favorite toys that he remembers. 
• Family life for Diego growing up and the difficult experience of poverty. 
• Diego's schooling and the cultural richness of attending Boston public schools.
• Interests that Diego fostered in high school and his ideas of getting out of poverty. 
• Spanish at home, English in public — how the family adapted to American culture.
• Diego's college application process, hustling for vouchers, and eventually getting a scholarship. 
• The implicit values that were associated with Diego's martial arts practice. 
• How learned repression and avoidant tendencies led to unhealthy habits and drug abuse.
• Difficult years post-graduation and the moment when Diego hit rock bottom. 
• Diego's adoption of healthier practices and a radically honest lifestyle. 
• The move to Portland and the steps that led up to Diego's first Vipassana course.
• The fear that Diego experienced arriving and starting a ten-day meditation retreat.
• Feelings that came up during the process that led to a breakthrough for Diego. 
• Diego's return to Boston and the changes that he began to implement in his life. 
• Moving to New York City and focussing on writing, while continuing important healing and learning. 
• Diego's first forays into posting poetry on Instagram and his thinking around this time.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Yung Pueblo on Instagram

Inward

Clarity and Connection

Yung Pueblo on Twitter

Dragon Ball Z

Wesleyan University

Barnes and Noble

Tufts University

Bhagavad Gita

Youth Against Mass Incarceration

Michelle

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