WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:00.600 align:middle line:90%


00:00:00.600 --> 00:00:02.857 align:middle line:84%
OK, so my name is
Cybele Knowles.

00:00:02.857 --> 00:00:04.940 align:middle line:84%
I'm the coordinator of the
Poetry Center's reading

00:00:04.940 --> 00:00:08.580 align:middle line:84%
and lecture series, and I am
very pleased and very honored

00:00:08.580 --> 00:00:12.360 align:middle line:84%
to welcome you to tonight's
event, a reading by poets J.

00:00:12.360 --> 00:00:16.950 align:middle line:84%
Michael Martinez, Carmen Giménez
Smith, and Roberto Tejada.

00:00:16.950 --> 00:00:20.550 align:middle line:84%
This event is one installment
in a national multiyear,

00:00:20.550 --> 00:00:24.300 align:middle line:84%
multi-state reading series
called Latino Latina Poetry

00:00:24.300 --> 00:00:27.360 align:middle line:84%
Now, sponsored by Letras
Latinas and the Poetry

00:00:27.360 --> 00:00:29.580 align:middle line:90%
Society of America.

00:00:29.580 --> 00:00:32.700 align:middle line:84%
We were very excited
when Francisco Aragón,

00:00:32.700 --> 00:00:36.990 align:middle line:84%
the director of Letras Latinas,
contacted us about a year ago

00:00:36.990 --> 00:00:40.170 align:middle line:84%
to see if we would like
to host this reading.

00:00:40.170 --> 00:00:45.240 align:middle line:84%
So our answer was, yes,
totally, and for many reasons.

00:00:45.240 --> 00:00:47.700 align:middle line:84%
Because J. Michael,
Carmen, and Roberto

00:00:47.700 --> 00:00:50.670 align:middle line:84%
are exciting contemporary
poets whom we admire,

00:00:50.670 --> 00:00:53.430 align:middle line:84%
because almost everyone who
will be at this podium tonight

00:00:53.430 --> 00:00:56.700 align:middle line:84%
is published by our own
University of Arizona Press,

00:00:56.700 --> 00:01:00.390 align:middle line:84%
and because this is Arizona,
where Latino writing, art,

00:01:00.390 --> 00:01:04.620 align:middle line:84%
and culture is particularly
important, relevant, present.

00:01:04.620 --> 00:01:07.590 align:middle line:84%
The University of Arizona is
proud to have this opportunity

00:01:07.590 --> 00:01:12.407 align:middle line:84%
to help shine the light on
Latino and Latina Poetry Now.

00:01:12.407 --> 00:01:13.990 align:middle line:84%
We have a full program
tonight, so I'm

00:01:13.990 --> 00:01:16.140 align:middle line:84%
going to keep my
announcements really brief.

00:01:16.140 --> 00:01:19.710 align:middle line:84%
We have over here for
sale books by the poets

00:01:19.710 --> 00:01:21.930 align:middle line:90%
at 20% off the cover price.

00:01:21.930 --> 00:01:24.300 align:middle line:84%
After the reading, they'll
be signing over there

00:01:24.300 --> 00:01:25.660 align:middle line:90%
at those tables.

00:01:25.660 --> 00:01:29.040 align:middle line:84%
So please do buy some books
if you haven't already.

00:01:29.040 --> 00:01:33.390 align:middle line:84%
Get them signed and say hi
to the poets afterwards.

00:01:33.390 --> 00:01:36.150 align:middle line:84%
For making the Poetry Center's
participation in this event

00:01:36.150 --> 00:01:38.800 align:middle line:84%
possible, I thank the
Poetry Center's donors,

00:01:38.800 --> 00:01:42.090 align:middle line:84%
especially the members of
our Walt Whitman circle.

00:01:42.090 --> 00:01:45.360 align:middle line:84%
So how tonight's
event will go is

00:01:45.360 --> 00:01:48.540 align:middle line:84%
we'll have a welcome by
Francisco Aragon, then an

00:01:48.540 --> 00:01:51.540 align:middle line:84%
introduction of the poets
by Joshua Marie Wilkinson,

00:01:51.540 --> 00:01:53.700 align:middle line:90%
and then the readings.

00:01:53.700 --> 00:01:56.130 align:middle line:84%
After the readings there
will be a Q&A session

00:01:56.130 --> 00:01:59.580 align:middle line:84%
moderated by Francisco,
and then the book signing.

00:01:59.580 --> 00:02:02.160 align:middle line:84%
So I'm now very
happy to introduce

00:02:02.160 --> 00:02:04.890 align:middle line:84%
the curator of this event,
the director of Letras

00:02:04.890 --> 00:02:08.460 align:middle line:84%
Latinas, an editor and
translator and teacher,

00:02:08.460 --> 00:02:11.610 align:middle line:84%
a poet himself who is the
author of two books of poetry,

00:02:11.610 --> 00:02:13.890 align:middle line:84%
Glow of Our Sweat
and Puerto Del Sol.

00:02:13.890 --> 00:02:16.020 align:middle line:84%
Please help me welcome
Francisco Aragón.

00:02:16.020 --> 00:02:18.170 align:middle line:90%
[APPLAUSE]

00:02:18.170 --> 00:02:19.000 align:middle line:90%