Say what you will about this conference, it’s the one I look forward to every year. And I hope to see you there. I’m on two panels this time around, and I’ll spare you the details. I’d rather promote other happenings, like the annual Con Tinta Pachanga, one of the many off-site events made possible because the Chicano/Latino writers wanted to have a community space of their own during this reunion-at-large of writers. All are welcome.
Two years ago in Austin we celebrated Chicano writers Rolando Hinojosa-Smith and raúlrsalinas; last year in Atlanta we honored Puerto Rican writer Judith Ortiz Cofer; this year, we pay homage to New York luminaries Tato Laviera and Sandra María Esteves.
Tato Laviera, born in Puerto Rico but a New Yorker since 1960, has been called “a chronicler of life in El Barrio.” His three collections of poetry (including the classic AmeRican) and his numerous plays are certainly evidence of that since his works capture the linguistic, political, social and cultural tensions and shifts in Spanish Harlem. Known as a tireless mentor of emerging talent, he has nurtured many of the Nuyorican voices of the next generation and continues to be recognized for his ground-breaking use of Spanglish.
Sandra María Esteves is a “Puerto Rican-Dominican-Boriqueña-Quisqueyana-Taino-African-American,” born and raised in the Bronx. She’s one of the notable founders of the Nuyorican poetry movement, and has published six poetry collections, including the classic Bluestown Mockingbird Mambo. An important activist and feminist in the New York literary scene, she’s been a key organizer of numerous arts and education programs in spaces such as the Caribbean Cultural Center and El Museo del Barrio. Sandra María is also celebrated as a great champion of young talent rising from the spoken word and theater scene. Her energy, commitment and love for her community are legendary.
So come on by during dinner time (6-9 pm) on Thursday, January 31st at Mojito’s Bar and Grill, 227 East 116th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. Best way to get there from The Hilton: cab it! Or walk over in the freezing cold to the subway on Lexington Avenue & 53rd, take the 6 Uptown to 116th Street. Head east once you exit.
Thanks, Rigoberto, for letting us know about this reading of poets essential to the Nuyorican poetry movement.
Holy Howl, though! The poetry invasion of New York City seems to be happening all on one night. I count 23 different poetry readings listed here.
Emily
Looking forward to Con Tinta and AWP. You and Rich Yanez have done a wonderful job of keeping this event going year after year.
I’ve been wondering (just in general) why are experimantal poets involved in the AWP?
Isn’t that contradictory?
Jennifer,
This is an interesting question. It requires a definition of experimental, a functional one, before it can be answered.
I can say that my experience of AWP is one in which a lot of small presses spend the little money they have in order to show their wares, like any trade show, with the hope that perhaps their list may get a little coverage or some sales. AWP is one of the few marketplaces available to so-called experimental and non alike to get their books and magazines out there.
I understand what you mean. Defining experimental is a difficult thing, and one feels that whatever one writes, they’ll be accused of being wrong. I don’t mean small presses. I mean poets and editors that reject the workshop poetics and then jump at sign up for AWP, which is all about workshop poetics. I gave an example on my blog today.
I’m not out to attack people, and there are so many fine people involved in AWP. But, why do people who reject ’straight;’ poetry want to go to a conference where Pinsky and Gluck are major speakers?
Jennifer–
Do the poets who get called, or who claim to be, experimental really reject workshop poetics? Seems to me most experimental or would-be experimental poets have been to or teach in creative writing school, or both. Is there really anything more academic than 21st Century experimental poetry? I agree that “can real experimentation happen in the academy?” is a good question. I don’t mean to be making judgments about the quality of the work of individual poets who do or don’t get called experimental.
Daisy
Hey Daisy,
To be blunt, I’m talking about groups or magazines which publicly reject workshop poems: i.e. Rebecca Wolff, Silliman, and language poets. Some remain consistent in their criticism, others just to join AWP after rejecting the workshop poem. Are you with us — or against us?
AWP is far too big and unwieldy an event to be simply labeled as being “all about workshop poetics.” Whatever that even means. There are so many panels, platforms, side events, and participating writers of every imaginable stripe, that a publisher would be foolish not to at least consider a table, or just mill around to meet people. Publishers need readers, and AWP has em. It’s a big ole trade show. It may as well have been held at the Javits Center.
Lest we forget, there are just a LOT of people hiring, whispering about hiring, publishing, whispering about publishing, networking, getting friendly, and hobnobbing with other people who happen to work in the same industry they do. Even L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E poets gotta E=A=T, right?