PHOTOS OF LOOPTOPIA

Looptopia at Harold Washington College

It was a pleasure to read with colleague and writer Marcy Henry and check all the action downtown. It was BIG and exciting!!!

Looptopia at HWC

Looptopia Events at Harold Washington College

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
1 hour
HWC Jazz Pop Ensemble

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
2 hours
Short Suite (music sequences, dramatic dialogue, spirit songs)

8:00 PM - 9:00 PM
1 hour
Writing Latina (Book/Poetry Reading)
Marcy Rae Henry, The CTA Chronicles
Johanny Vazquez, Streetwise Poems: Poemas Callajeros

9:00 PM - 10:30 PM
1.5 hours
Sculptured Word (Student Dramatic Readings)

10:30 PM - 11:00 PM
.5 hours
Kevin Williams (Student Comedian)


11:00 PM - 12:00 AM
1 hour
Jeff Hunter Quintet (Latin Jazz)

12:00 AM - 1:00 AM
1 hour
DJ Hot Rod (Student Music Showcase/Eclectic)

1:00 AM - 2:00 AM
1 hour
Shawn Salmon Trio (Jazz)

2:00 AM - 2:45 AM
.75 hours
KWE (Afro Roots Hop)
Pierre Tchetgen

2:45 AM - 3:30 AM
.75 hours
Animated Ideas (film clips)
Bernie Roddy presents and discusses animated films

3:30 AM - 5:00 AM
1.5 hours
Split Pillow 360, Chicago 360 v.2 (documentary film)

LOOPTOPIA

Dear Friends:

I want to invite all of you to Looptopia, America's first all-night cultural celebration, tomorrow Friday, May 11th, from 5pm to sunrise.

I will be reading from 8:00-9:00pm at Harold Washington College, 30 East Lake Street, Chicago, IL.

For other scheduled events go to:

http://www.looptopia.com/

This is a great event to start enjoying the summer.

Book Review by Marc Zimmerman

"POEMAS CALLEJEROS / STREETWISE POEMS" BOOK REVIEW
BY MARC ZIMMERMAN

Chair, Dept. of Modern & Classical Languages at the University of Houston

Director of Comparative, Critical & Cultural Studies (CCC) and

The Latin American Cultural Activities & Studies Arena (LACASA)

A veteran of the Chicago women and Latino poetry scenes, Johanny Vázquez Paz (aka Johanny Vázquez-Nieves), is one of a handful of recent educated Chicago Ricans who have been giving new life to Rican poetry but clearly moving away from the street poetry model developed by the Nuyorican poets and David Hernández’s early Chicago group. Her new collection, Poemas callejeros/ Streetwise Poems includes a broad selection of poems each presented in Spanish and English, covering a wide range of urban themes flirting with but ultimately diverging from David Hernández’s Chicago thematics through her own female and feminist perspectives. Section I, "Tránsito pesado / Heavy Traffic" presents this "hija de la ciudad" walking through streets and alleyways, or riding on the el, always moving with "paso firme," even as she meditates about Latino family and self, as she makes her way through Chicago. Section II, "Adoquines / Paving Stones" contains meditations on birth, life, African dimensions of identity, the problems of using words, of missing her island home and family; but it also contains poems about the Puerto Rican island of Vieques and the sea that remind us of one of her favorite poets, Julia de Burgos. Section III, "Calle sin salida / Dead-End Street," returns us again to the city and its rough streets, but with heightened subjectivity in relation to themes of longing and loneliness, the tedious routines of everyday life, moments of passion and indifference. Section IV, "Luz verde / Green Light," returns to African associations to speak sensuously of the body, dance and sexual adventures. It affirms sexual revolution in a post-revolutionary era. There’s a poem about "the morning after," another relating the island to body geography, another expressing the plight of a passionate woman. This, then, is a collection which brings together the work of a poet who has finally found her voice and who speaks out from her urban space, projecting us toward her Caribbean and African roots, and the broader world beyond.

"Poemas callejeros / Streetwise Poems" Book Release - Presentación del libro

El sábado, 10 de marzo de 2007, fue la presentación de mi libro "Poemas callejeros / Streetwise Poems" (Mayapple Press, Michigan, 2007) en el Teatro Aguijón (2707 N. Laramie, Chicago). Fue una noche especial llena de magia y alegría. Gracias a todos los amigos y familiares que me acompañaron, especialmente a mi esposo Wilfredo, a mi hermana Vivian quien vino de Puerto Rico, y a Rosario y Augusto del Teatro Aguijón.

Saturday, March 10th, 2007, was the presentation of my book "Streetwise Poems / Poemas callejeros" (Mayapple Press, Michigan, 2007) at Aguijón Theater (2707 N. Laramie, Chicago). It was a very special evening full of happiness and magical moments. Thanks to all the friends and family members who accompanied me, especially my husband Wilfredo, my sister Vivian who came from Puerto Rico, and to Rosario and Augusto from Aguijón Theater.





Con mi gran amiga Rosario Vargas de Teatro Aguijón.
With my good friend Rosario Vargas from Aguijón Theater.






Con mis compañeras Adriana Tápanes-Inojosa y Marta Lacorte de Harold Washington College.
With my co-workers Adriana Tápanes-Inojosa y Marta Lacorte from Harold Washington College.




Con el poeta/actor/artista Miguel López-Lemus y su hermosa familia.
With the poet/actor/artist Miguel López-Lemus and his beautiful family.

Firmando la copia del libro de Rodrigo Caramiñana del Centro Cultural Latino de UIC.
Signing Rodrigo Caramiñana's (from the UIC's Latino Cultural Center) book copy.

Mi hermanita Vivian.

My sister Vivian.

Con mi estudiante Lidiya y su novio.

With my student Lidiya and her boyfriend.

Con mis compañeras Adriana Tápanes-Inojosa y Margarita Chávez de Harold Washington College.
With my co-workers Adriana Tápanes-Inojosa y Margarita Chávez from Harold Washington College.

Con Carlos Cumpián, poeta y fundador de MARCH/Abrazo Press, y el poeta/actor Gregorio Gómez quienes tuvieron una participación especial en la presentación.
With Carlos Cumpián, poet and founder of MARCH/Abrazo Press, and the poet/actor Gregorio Gómez who had a special participation during the presentation.

Con los poetas Mary Hawley y Mike Puican del Guild Complex.
With poets Mary Hawley and Mike Puican from the Guild Complex.

Mi cuñada Gloria Dillard y Gregorio Gómez.
My sister-in-law Gloria Dillard and Gregorio Gómez.

Con la poeta Liliana Bilbao, el artista Gamaliel Ramírez y el maestro de ceremonias de la noche Lito Barraza.
With the poet Liliana Bilbao, the artist Gamaliel Ramírez and the emcee of the evening Lito Barraza.

¡Divirtiéndonos!
Having a good time!

Nelson, de La Voz Hispana, y su compañera.

Rosario, Augusto y su hermosa familia.

Después de la presentación, bebimos vino, comimos y compartimos entre amigos.

Mi querida amiga Livier Barreda. Gracias por el pastel, Livier!

Con los actores y cantantes Ramón y Elisa.

Con Mitsi, Angelina y Gaby.

Thanks Mitsi for helping selling the books!

Con Wilfredo y Arturo. Gracias a Arturo por la ayudita que nos dio.

Con la linda familia Nieves.

Maribel Sánchez-Pagán en/in Chicago

La poeta puertorriqueña se presentó en el Restaurante La Encantada (3437 W. North Avenue, Chicago) y nos leyó poemas de su libro "Ese hombre" (Editorial Torremozas, España, 2007).

The Puerto Rican poet presented her book "Ese hombre" (Torremozas Press, Spain, 2007) at La Encantada Restaurant (3437 W. North Avenue, Chicago).

Maribel y su esposo Rafa.

Maribel and her husband Rafa.

Irma prepara una bebida especial de La Encantada.

Irma prepares a specialty drink from La Encantada.

Johanny, Maribel y Frank Díaz.

Maribel firma copias de su libro "Ese hombre".
Maribel signs copies of her book.

Maribel con Augusto y Rosario (de Aguijón), el poeta Lito Barraza,

el artista puertorriqueño Gamaliel Ramírez y Javier Enríquez.

Wilfredo, Johanny, Maribel y Gamaliel.

Johanny, Maribel and RosarioVargas from Aguijón Theater.

Buy The Book

To buy a copy of Poemas Callejeros / Streetwise Poems please go to:

http://www.mayapplepress.com/

NEW BOOK: Poemas Callejeros / Streetwise Poems

Poemas Callejeros / Streetwise Poems

New poetry book published by Mayapple Press (Michigan).