Spanish Poetry Workshop

media release: Midwest Mujeres Inc. is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded a significant grant from the Library of America's Latino Poetry Initiative and Anthology. To honor this initiative, Midwest Mujeres will host a special poetry workshop in Spanish followed by a reading and open mic event on Saturday, Nov 16, 2024, at Centro workshop beginning at 1 PM, and we plan to have an open mic at 3:30 PM at Centro Hispano, 2403 Cypress Way, Madison, WI 53713.

Midwest Mujeres, in partnership with Madison Public Libraries and Lotus Legal Clinic, is excited to support this event. Thank you to Centro for opening space for this special Spanish poetry workshop and open mic. Attendees will be able to delve into this rich collection of Latino poetry. Copies can be purchased online at: https://www.latinopoetry.org/

The poetry reading will focus on the intersectionality of the Wisconsin landscape and Latino identity. We welcome all Spanish speakers and poetry enthusiasts to join us. The open mic event promises to be an inspiring evening featuring local Spanish speakers, bilingual folks, first-generation people, immigrants, and community members sharing their own poetic expressions.

Our poetry workshop will provide a safe space to explore and express personal experiences with racism, sexual/physical assault, violence, and microaggressions, fostering healing through creative expression.

"We are honored to receive this grant and be part of such a meaningful initiative," said Araceli Esparza, founder of Midwest Mujeres. "This event celebrates Chicana voices and stories from Wisconsin, and we look forward to engaging our community in this important conversation."

The poets will also read from the anthology Latino Poetry: The Library of America Anthology, part of the Places We Call Home initiative.

This initiative invites participants into a nationwide conversation about Latino poetry, celebrating its distinctive rhythms, candor, and lyricism. The book engages deeply with historical and mythic pasts, the complexities of language, land, and identity, and envisions a nation enriched by the stories of immigrants, exiles, refugees, and their descendants. Presented by the Library of America, this project is supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities and Emerson Collective.

For more information about the event or to inquire about partnership opportunities, please get in touch with Araceli Esparza at info@midwestmujeres.com

About Midwest Mujeres Inc.:

Midwest Mujeres Inc. is dedicated to closing the gender wage gap through professional development. We help women increase their income streams by teaching them how to use their lived experiences for empowerment.

About Lotus:

LOTUS Legal Clinic invests in survivors of sexual violence and human trafficking through an innovative blend of civil legal services, victims’ rights representation, and therapeutic art programming. LOTUS’ mission is grounded in the belief that everyone, regardless of income, gender identity, sexual orientation, or immigration status, has a right to dignity, safety, and a pathway to justice that is both healing and equitable.