Felicia is a founding and coordinating member of In Lak Ech, a Xicana spoken word, poetry, song and drumming collective founded in 1997.
In Lak Ech is a Meso-American concept meaning “you are my other me” tu eres mi otro yo. In the flesh, In Lak Ech is a performance poetry collective composed of Liza Cohen Hita, Marisol L. Torres, Felicia Montes, Claudia A. Mercado, Cristina Gorocica Gallegos, Rachel Thorson Veliz and Marlene Beltran, all Xicana multi-media artists, writers, mothers, teachers, and organizers uniting to tell Her-story through poetry and song: in xochitl, in cuicatl. Their words & songs are used to bring awareness and empowerment to the issues of women, family, humanity, and mother earth. Based in Los Angeles, California, the women of In Lak Ech not only perform poetry and song but also organize cultural celebrations, participate in conferences, and conduct workshops for diverse communities. These performances are used as tools for expression, healing, communication, and organizing at various community centers, festivals, high schools, universities, and indigenous ceremonies.
Since ‘97 the women of In Lak Ech have been performing spoken word, singing songs, and telling herstory from the concrete jungle of Los Angeles to the jungles of Chiapas. Their latest CD “Mujeres Con Palabra” (Women of & with Word) is the product and documentation of those 10 years. It is available at http://www.urbanxic.com
In Lak Ech is available for performances at colleges, conferences, classrooms, and community festivals.
Performances
In Lak Ech – Xicana Poetry, Drum & Song (partial list)
Sacred Music Festival Leimert Park, CA 5/2026
UC Riverside Riverside, CA 2/2026
Cal State University Channel Islands Ventura, CA 10/2024
Oakland Museum of CA Oakland, CA 9/2024
Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural Sylmar, CA 6/2024
Femme Fest Los Angeles, CA 6/2024
Mujeres de Maiz Book Celebrations CSULA, Fullerton College, CSULB Spring 2024
UC Riverside Riverside, CA 11/2023
COLEGAS Conference Long Beach, CA 11/2023
Fullerton College President Induction Fullerton, CA 10/2023
Day of the Dead at CSUN, Cal Poly Pomona Los Angeles, CA 11/2011
Semana de la Xicana at Univ. Of Urbana-Champagne Urbana, Illinois 3/2011
Farce of July Tucson, Arizona 7/2010
Hemispheric Institute International Conference Bogota, Colombia 8/2009
UC Irvine, Keynote Closing Event/Performance Irvine, CA 5/2009
Tucson High School Unity Festival Tucson, AZ 4/2009
CAL ARTS, Art & Activism Performance Valencia, CA 12/2008
MEChA Statewide Conference 2008 Van Nuys, CA 10/2008
University of San Diego San Diego, CA 10/2008
University of Arizona, Tucson Tucson, AZ 4/2008
University of CA, Riverside Riverside, CA 3/2008
Day of the Dead at Self Help Graphics LA, CA 2003, 2006, 2007
Day of the Dead at Cal State Northridge Northridge, CA 2002, 2007, 2008
“Mujeres Con Palabra/In Lak Ech CD Release LA & Oakland, CA 2007
Native American Unity Concert @ UC Davis Davis, CA 2006
Reel Rasquache Film Festival @ CSULA Los Angeles, CA 2005
Semana de la Xicana @ University of Colorado Boulder, CO 2002
MALCS Conference @ Cal State Northridge Northridge, CA 2001
Chican@/Indigenous Gathering/Festival Chiapas, Mexico 1997
In Lak Ech is available for performances at colleges, conferences, classrooms,
and community festivals.
CONTACT: info@mujeresdemaiz.com (subject: In Lak Ech Booking)