Getting on stage in front of 1,200 passionate young leaders with this kind of energy will never get old. What an honor and joy to be your keynote for #PNWDCon2024 in Portland at the @oregonconventioncenter Hope to see you all again soon.
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Reflecting on my Arts Envoy trip to ព្រែកទាល់ Prek Toal, Cambodia
I am reflecting on my awe-inspiring week in Cambodia as part of the Great Lake Poets Express, alongside Wayne McCallum, Kosal Khiev, and Kristin Schuster (from Writing Through).
I’ve worked with thousands of students over the years, but I have never encountered the kind of meteoric growth over such a short span (three days) as we saw in the students from Prek Toal. At the beginning of the first workshop, the students were understandably shy and hesitant. By their second performance of their original poems on the evening of the third day, nearly half read poems in English that they had translated on their own shortly before the event. Nearly all of the students worked non-stop, through the breaks we gave them, rewriting, revising, and rehearsing. A couple memorized their poems entirely. Ones they had just written the day before. Can you imagine where these brilliant students will be ten years from now? What transformative work they might lead in twenty?
One of the most poignant moments came after our event in the floating village at the end of the second day, when a local politician, on the verge of tears (his voice breaking at several points), shared how inspired and awed he was by the students’ poems. How his own education ended after fifth grade. How he felt so moved by the event that he planned to introduce legislation to counteract pollution and reduce noise from the motor boats on the Tonlé Sap Lake. And who says a poem does nothing? Cannot catalyze systemic change?
It was an honor to be an Arts Envoy in the Literary Arts for this historic collaboration. My heartfelt gratitude to the Embassy of the United States, Phnom Penh, in particular to their passionate and committed Cultural Affairs Officer, Amparo Garcia, and her colleague, Samphos Pin. I was so touched that Amparo attended both of our events on her day off (this past Saturday). She truly represents the best of the U.S. Department of State.
I hope to collaborate again soon. For now though, just gratitude for radical work that transcends our wildest hopes and dreams, rippling outward for years to come.
My brain is already buzzing with ideas about where the Poets Express might stop next…
World premiere of our concert film, “The Next Movement” (now airing on PBS!), at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights!
What a balm to celebrate last Tuesday night at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights for the premiere of our concert film, “The Next Movement” (now airing on PBS!).
We had a fantastic panel and closed things out with a performance. I am so honored to be a part of this project. Endless gratitude to Faith Carmichael & the entire Next Atlanta team, and my fellow artists: Jon Goode, CC Sunchild, Melissa A. Mitchell, & Okorie Johnson. I remain awed by the abundance of talent, generosity, and my profound connection with everyone in this group. I can’t wait to see what we do next…
So special to share last night with family, friends, & supporters who packed it out.
PS: You can watch the film here: https://www.pbs.org/video/the-next-movement-ch1uta/
(Photos by Empress Iyahdae Rose)
“Fractures” is the winner of the 2023 Rubery International Book Award!
Like many artists, I have a fraught relationship with accolades. Or, as one of my brilliant mentors, Alan Shapiro, once called them: “cotton candy…they disappear almost as quickly as you taste the sweetness.”
That being said, I’m extremely humbled by the news that “Fractures” is the winner of the 2023 Rubery International Book Award for Poetry. This is the 6th book award for “Fractures,” which is absolutely mind-blowing to wrap my head around.
To even get published at all is a Herculean task, so to find out my book was picked from hundreds of entries across the world is a tremendous honor. I am so grateful to the judges, Paul McDonald and Clare Morrall, for their care and this recognition of my work.
And—I would be remiss to not say—a moment like this makes me think about all of the groundbreaking art that gets chronically overlooked and goes unacknowledged, whether because it challenges the status quo, subverts the dominant canon, perhaps is far beyond its time.
Many of the best artists I’ve encountered are relatively unknown or wildly less celebrated than they should be. I know what it feels like to not know if something you’ve given years of your life to (I spent 5 years on “Fractures”) will find a venue worthy of the time and effort you gave it.
The manuscripts for “Fractures” and “Hijito” received more than 60 rejections over the three years I submitted them. Since being published, they’ve gone on to win 10 book awards (2 international book awards between them) and have gone through several (3+) print runs each.
Let me be clear though: neither the accolades nor the book sales are what give them their credibility. However, on this winding, often ruthless, artistic path where everything feels so hard-won, any kind of celebration of your work is something worthy of celebration. Every time.
Which is all a long and winding way of me saying: believe in the work that most compels you, even when few believers see your vision. Most of my rejections were from emails addressed to “Dear Submitter…” There were many days that a publishing deal felt out of reach.
Ultimately, as my dear mentor, C. Dale Young says, “It begins and ends with the work.” So back to sweeping the temple stairs and walking out to the field.
This next book needs to get finished. Only two years in, but more to be done.
Back to work.
#NextBookOnDeck
#RuberyInternationalBookAwards
#Poetry
#SpokenWord
#InternationalBookAward
#CarlosAndrésGómez
Rooted.
Purpose is the driving force of my life: I have always moved with intention, intensity, even a voracious deliberateness. Like others, these tendencies are perhaps now supercharged by the confluence of griefs, losses, and existential crises of the past few years.
Which is all to say, I’ll be catching up to the experiences of this past month for the rest of my life: celebrating my 10th wedding anniversary with my love in La Ciudad de Panamá (& 16 years together this Aug.), finally bringing my kids to Colombia to spend time with family, celebrating my father’s 75th with a mariachi band, my sister’s birthday, seeing where my grandparents were born and grew up outside of Medellín, the school where my tías went, the square where my papi played marbles, taking in the breathtaking food, the mountains, the old city in Cartagena, the laughter, charisma, and joy of a home I’ve spent far too long away from.
I feel more rooted than I have in a long time. My kids finally feel connected to one of the sources of who they are.
I can’t wait to get back.
#76