This Year’s Opening Track

Community, Heritage, and What’s Next for Letters from The Safe House

Hello friend,

It’s a new year and a new moment for Letters From The Safe House. I’m so excited about what’s in store—some of which you’ll hear about in today’s newsletter. This new season has me reflecting on the threads that hold us together when everything else is spinning. For me, that answer is community. In 2025, I’m leaning all the way into it—sharing more about my roots, my family, and the stories that shaped me in hopes they resonate with you, too.

One thing I’m grateful for in my family and community upbringing is the endless laughter and peculiar stories we all have from over the years. I’ve shared a few stories before if you’d like to dive into the archives and read them:

"No Place Like Home"

How 'The Safe House' Earned Its Name

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A Song for the Opening Credits (In 2025)

There’s a song recently that spoke to me, and depending on how much time you spend online, you’ve probably come across Bad Bunny’s latest song (thank you, TikTok - RIP… kinda??). “DtMF” was the last song to blow up on TikTok, and to me, it served as an outro to the last moments before the “ban.”

Listening to “DtMF " brought back tender memories of my feelings about home: life in NYC, Aruba, my Nana, and my overall identity and heritage, which I’ve been trying to make sense of my whole life.

I enjoy reggaeton music, but I’ve never listened to a full album. I’m glad I gave Bad Bunny’s “Debi Tirar Mas Fotos” a complete playthrough. Every song on the album purposefully conveys a sense of time and place about the Puerto Rican experience on and beyond the island—a true dedication to his home.

For me, “DtMF” represents the beauty of music, the feeling of understanding a language you don’t yet speak or an instrument you love but cannot yet play. I would say that’s exactly how I’ve come to relate to my Caribbean heritage as a first-gen American kid; music fills the gap you feel in your heart when you’re longing for a sense of home… a place you know with every ounce of your DNA but cannot fully claim. Like Benito, I wish I had taken more photos.

Have you listened to “DtMF”? What feelings did it bring up for you?

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Open Now: Subscriber Chats (All Subscribers)

Something I’m intent on leveraging more this year is Subscriber Chats. If you’re hanging out on the Substack app, you can now join free-form discussions with me and other readers—no matter your subscription tier. Think of it as our cozy online hangout, like sitting on the lanai at The Safe House, where we can trade garden tips, gush about inspiration on our Pinterest boards, or chat about life’s unexpected curveballs. Community thrives when we all speak up—so come be a part of it, whether you’re gardening from a small studio or dreaming of owning a sprawling farm one day.

Coming Soon: Garden Gossip 🗣️🌿 (Paid Subscribers Only)

Mark your calendars for February—I’m bringing back Garden Gossip! If you caught the “Birds vs. Palms vs. Jess” edition last year, you know the tea was piping hot (quite literally, since it involved Florida’s blazing sun and mischievous cranes). That post is now tucked away in the Safe House archives, exclusively for paid subscribers and it’s just a sip of what’s to come. People loved it for the offbeat humor and the surprisingly relatable battle between me and my feathered friends.

This next edition is shaping up to be even juicier! Think garden secrets, uninvited critters, a few unexpected twists, and a healthy dose of my dark-humored inner monologue. You won’t want to miss it.

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I am so excited for this coming year for Letters from The Safe House! There are so many new pieces to share with you, some in different formats too like audio, video, more poetry and prose. But more importantly, I plan to speak to you more in my language, and I hope you choose to do the same. Speak to me in your language, I’ll be all ears, no translation is needed.

What does it mean to you to “speak your own language,” and how do you share it with others? Let’s discuss it in the Subscriber Chats or wherever you feel most at home.

Much love,

Jess