Letras Latinas, the literary program of the University of Notre Dame’s Institute for Latino Studies (ILS), in partnership with the Poetry Society of America (PSA), has published an online roundtable on Latino poetry and poetics, with participants from around the United States.
The online discussion is the latest collaboration between Letras Latinas and the PSA. On Feb. 28, the PSA and Letras Latinas presented a program in Washington D.C., featuring three contemporary Latino and Latina poets, introduced and moderated by Francisco Aragón, director of Letras Latinas.
“The Poetry Society of America is thrilled to partner with Letras Latinas in our programming efforts,” said PSA Program Director Rob Casper. “Our online forum and our event at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington offer two engaging ways to champion emerging and established Latino poets to a national audience.”
The Latino poetry roundtable was curated and moderated by poet and editor Maria Melendez and featured participation by a noted and diverse group of writers: Raina León, Hope Snyder, Albino Carrillo, Felicia Gonzalez, Mark Smith-Soto, Blas Falconer, Juan Morales, Roberto Tejada, Emma Trelles and Elena Minor.
“The participants brought a range of perspectives,” Melendez said. “I curated for variety in terms of location, ethnicity, gender, sexuality and age. These voices are new to the PSA website, and each participant plays the dual role of poet and poetry promoter, conveying a unique sense of working at both the micro and macro levels of poetry.”
The online roundtable discussion can be accessed at the PSA’s website
Letras Latinas seeks to enhance the visibility, appreciation and study of Latino literature, both on and off the Notre Dame campus, with a focus on projects that identify and support emerging Latino writers.
The nation’s oldest poetry organization, the PSA was founded in 1910 for the purpose of creating a public forum for the advancement, enjoyment, and understanding of poetry. Through a diverse array of programs, initiatives, contests and awards, the PSA works to build a larger audience for poetry, to encourage a deeper appreciation of the art, and to place poetry at the crossroads of American life.
Contact: Francisco Aragón, faragon@nd.edu