Thursday, December 8, 2022

Afro-Latinx Poetry Now: A Photo Essay in 30 Images

 


There are many ways people come together to share poetry. And for each way we come together, there is a coinciding label: reading, lecture, festival, etc. The Afro-Latinx Poetry Now 
gathering
 was a two-day multifaceted experience. The purpose of this photo essay is to capture the many aspects of the gathering; it was more than what viewers can see in the recordings of the six sessions. In other words, although the gathering included vibrant talks by scholars and enthralling poetry readings—what one might typically expect to experience at a poetry event—it also included classroom visits, breakfast with MFA students, book signings, and dinners with poets and scholars. When I think of the term community, this gathering is now what comes to mind. Community requires coming together, both formally and informally, to share, to nurture, to give, to learn. I hope these photos help convey the sense of community we shared over the course of those two enriching September days at The University of Notre Dame in South Bend Indiana.
Brent Ameneyro 
2022-2023 Letras Latinas Poetry Coalition Fellow


Day 1


The beginning of the gathering: poets and scholars getting to know one another at breakfast



TV screens around campus flashed the headshots of the poets, and attendees were welcomed by a large printed poster outside the hall where poets and scholars presented


Francisco Aragón introducing Yesenia Montilla, Darrel Alejandro Holnes, and John Murillo at the start of Session 1



Darrel Alejandro Holnes paying homage to Lorenzo Thomas’s book 



Yesenia Montilla presenting on the poetry of Aracelis Girmay


John Murillo presenting on the poetry of Nancy Morejón



Francisco Robles presenting on the poetry of Yesenia Montilla


John Alba Cutler presenting on the poetry of John Murillo with John Murillo himself sitting front row



Wisdom and beauty being shared between poets around the dinner table



The evening audience gathering in anticipation of the poetry reading


Darrel Alejandro Holnes performing his poetry



Yesenia Montilla performing her poetry



John Murillo performing his poetry



Darrel Alejandro Holnes responding to audience Q&A with John Murillo and Yesenia Montilla supporting him in the background


Yesenia Montilla, Darrel Alejandro Holnes, and John Murillo signing books


Day 2



Jasminne Mendez presenting on the poetry of Dianelly Antigua



Roberto Carlos Garcia presenting on the poetry of Willie Perdomo



Raina J. León presenting on the poetry of Alán Pelaez López



Scholar John Alba Cutler engages the poets during Q&A



Jasminne Mendez, Roberto Carlos Garcia, and Raina J. León responding to audience Q&A



Judith Rodríguez presenting virtually on the poetry of Jasminne Mendez



A captivated audience listening to Marisel Moreno presenting on the poetry of Roberto Carlos Garcia



Yomaira Figueroa-Vásquez presenting on the poetry of Raina J. León



One of many moments of joy and laughter around the dinner table



Jasminne Mendez performing her poetry center stage



Roberto Carlos Garcia performing his poetry at the podium


Raina J. León performing her poetry with a visual accompaniment



Jasminne Mendez, Raina J. León, and Roberto Carlos Garcia responding to audience Q&A after the evening poetry reading



Raina J. León, Roberto Carlos Garcia, and Jasminne Mendez signing books



All six poets lounging on a couch after a successful day of presentations and performances


To read the testimonios of the event participants, please visit http://letraslatinasblog.blogspot.com/2022/12/afro-latinx-poetry-now-testimonios.html


Video recordings of all six sessions of the Afro-Latinx Poetry Now event are available to view at the following link: https://latinostudies.nd.edu/news-events/events/afro-latinx-poetry-now/

No comments:

Post a Comment