³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ

Richie Marrufo '09: Building a Constellation of Voices in El Paso 

December 2025
By Tanya Torres 19, 21

Richie Marrufo ’09 has spent more than a decade amplifying the voices of El Paso’s creative scene. Best known as the project director of the Barbed Wire Open Mic Series (BWOMS), he has helped transform a campus reading series into a grassroots movement that now stands as a cultural staple across the city. 

Origins of BWOMS 

What began as a modest gathering organized by ³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ students, including Marrufo’s friend and mentor Roberto Santos, quickly became a meaningful space where students shared their work each month. When the series ended on campus, its absence was felt deeply within the writing community. Determined to preserve the space it had created, Marrufo and fellow classmates continued the tradition outside ³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ with support from the local nonprofit Border Senses. They moved from venue to venue, searching for a space where creatives felt safe to share. Over time, BWOMS grew into a citywide platform welcoming poets, musicians, and storytellers from across El Paso. 

“One of the goals is to be part of the community, not just in academia but anyone who wants to express themselves,” Marrufo said. 

³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ Foundations 

Born and raised in El Paso, Marrufo found a sense of belonging at ³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ while studying English and American Literature. When he graduated in 2009, he gravitated toward academia, but ³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ offered more than a career path. It showed him that storytelling was not just an art form but also a responsibility to share experience, knowledge, and connection. 

In classrooms and at reading events, he learned how words create belonging, how performance sparked dialogue in quiet rooms full of strangers, and how mentorship shapes identity. These lessons taught him that art should not be limited to academic spaces but should thrive in the broader community. 

“Being able to connect with others is one of my ultimate goals as a performer, and that directly translates to the classroom as well. Learning is a shared act, and my goal is to cultivate a space where people feel seen and heard. As an artist and educator, I set out to lead by example. It’s about the people,” Marrufo said. 

In 2011, he became a lecturer at El Paso Community College, bringing that same openness and collaborative energy into his teaching. Through BWOMS, he honors the creative tradition that began at ³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ by expanding it into a citywide movement that amplifies voices from all walks of life. 

The BWOMS Community 

Walking into a BWOMS event feels like stepping into a tightly knit community. Conversations fade as the artist begins, and suddenly the room belongs to the voice at the center. Whether it is a first-time poet or a seasoned musician, each performance is met with encouragement and understanding. 

“What we’ve built, year after year, is a constellation of voices creating something bigger than any one of us. If people leave feeling a little more connected, a little more possible, then we’ve done something meaningful,” Marrufo said. 

BWOMS continues to grow as a testament to what happens when art is nurtured locally. The city of El Paso even proclaimed December 13 as BWOMS Day, honoring its impact in the creative community.  

Future Dreams and Student Advice 

Looking ahead, Marrufo hopes to see a future where artists no longer feel they must leave El Paso to succeed.  

“Our city has always been rich in talent. What we need is more visibility, more resources, and more ways to sustain the work,” he said. 

His advice to ³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ students is simple: “Meet people, learn about cultures, make friends, and add to the positivity of El Paso. Go out in the community.” 

The same spirit of connection defines BWOMS. For Marrufo, it is more than an open mic. It is a constellation of voices and a living archive of stories that might have gone unheard. It reminds the city that art lives in everyone and that anyone can step up to the mic with courage.