Salvadoran American's poetry makes amends for silence over civil war
William Archila
September 9, 2010
Adolfo Guzman-Lopez
"Many of Southern California’s Salvadoran immigrants arrived about three decades ago, driven here by a bloody civil war in El Salvador between leftist guerrillas and the country’s U.S.-supported right-wing government. Poet William Archila is one of a handful of Salvadoran American writers beginning to document his compatriots’ immigrant experience." [...]
Guzman-Lopez's segment goes on to weave his reporting, snippets of William's story, and William's poetry into what I found to be a seamless moving piece of radio. You can hear the segment HERE.
There is also a video with William being asked a few questions by Guzman-Lopez, as well as reading one his poems HERE.
In short, KPCC 89.3, an NPR station in Southern California did a really nice job. Here is comment posted at the foot of the print story that caught my attention:
"Louie Interiano
4 days, 14 hours ago
On my commute to work I listened and found myself compelled to respond. I am a 39 year old Salvadoran-American. I am a working professional with higher degrees in the field of allied medical health and education. I concur with the observations that Mr. Archila has made and commend him on his work. I look forward to reading his book and have already spread the word to family members. I have not returned to my homeland since I was 8 years of age. Mr. Archila has sparked an interest in reconciling with my native land. Thank you Mr. Guzman-Lopez for this story and Mr. Archila for sharing his gift."
***
Letras Latinas
will be bringing William Archila
to the Univeristy of Notre Dame
on November 8, 2010
to visit a class called "Migrant Voices,"
where The Art of Exile is being taught.
He will also give a reading in the afternoon.
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