"PALABRISTAS: Latin@ Word Slingers"

Carl Marcum and Lorena Duarte
(photo credit: Emmy Pérez)

Emmy Pérez, Urayoán Noel, Francisco Aragón,
Carl Marcum, Venessa Fuentes, Lorena Duarte
(photo credit: Jerod Santek)

Aside, of course, from the readings themselves, The Wind Shifts TOUR aims to provide occasions for anthology contributors to connect with one another---particularly among those who haven't met or those who have, but barely.

If the reading in Palm Beach in February allowed the featured poets to connect with fellow anthology contributor Richard Blanco, and local poets Emma Trelles and Rita Marie Martínez, the reading in Minneapolis introduced us to fellow anthology contributor Venessa Fuentes, and local poets Lorena Duarte (a board member of The Loft, and gracious Minneapolis tour guide) and, later in the evening, Rodrigo Sanchez-Chavarria---both of them contributors to a chapbook anthology called Outside the Lines, and edited by Brandon Lacy Campos, Lorena Duarte, Tatiana Ormaza, and Rodrigo Sanchez-Chavarria and featuring "PALABRISTAS: Latin@ Word Slingers." (Rodrigo also gifted a number of us with his spoken word CD, DESCONOCIDOS, which I had the pleasure of listening to last night).

The preface to Outside the Lines, titled "Somos," articulates, towards the end:

"Palabristas formed to solidify our connection as Latino writers. But, it also formed with a desire to be teachers, activists, and truth-tellers. With a dedication to our community, we sought to form a group that would not only echo the hearts of Latino people, but also serve to share the beauty of our voices with the broader community. Our histories are mixtures of this land and El Salvador, Peru, Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, and Puerto Rico. Our words are mezclas of Spanish, English and mismatched dialects from anywhere we called home."

Próxima Parada: Seattle.