Aly Acevedo is a Puerto Rican and Vietnamese poet, educator and speaker based in the Kansas City area. Her debut collection, My Dear Cult Leader (Button Poetry, 2026), examines the long shadows of a toxic relationship and the aftermath of sexual assault, weaving personal history with persona poems that explore power, trauma and reclamation. Her writing has been featured in Frontier Poetry, TRASH MAG, Ink and Marrow, Anti-Heroin Chic and elsewhere.

Beyond the page, Aly is a lover of fantasy novels, licorice root tea and admiring the birds that visit her back porch. She lives with her husband, two cats and dog. Find her on Instagram at @_AlyAcevedo_.

My Dear Cult Leader

My Dear Cult Leader (Button Poetry, 2026) by Aly Acevedo is a haunting yet empowering exploration of trauma, survival, and reclamation. Through raw and unflinching poetry, Acevedo examines the lasting effects of sexual assault and toxic relationships on the body and mind—while tracing her journey back to love and self-empowerment. Threaded throughout the collection is a chilling series of persona poems between a cult leader and his follower, a dynamic that eerily mirrors the cycles of abuse. Despite its heavy themes, My Dear Cult Leader strikes a remarkable balance between devastation and hope, revealing moments of levity and joy amid the darkness.

Praise for My Dear Cult Leader

  • "This book is brimming with empathy, for everyone involved in the cult, and it's Aly's ability to fully illustrate everyone's perspectives that makes her collection stand out.

    Neil Hilborn, About Time

  • “With stark clarity, Acevedo exposes the violence of a patriarchal world that seeks to control women’s bodies. Searing, carnal, true. This is triumphant poetry."

    Josh Tardy, Smut Psalm

  • With piercing clarity, these poems lay bare the unspoken violences of intimacy and the strength it takes to reclaim what was lost. My Dear Cult Leader is for anyone finding their way back to themselves."

    Sierra DeMulder, Ephemera

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