Bilingualism is an invitation, not a wall

La semana pasada,  la novelista Mathangi Subranian y yo sostuvimos una charla sobre bilingualismo con estudiantes de Creación Literaria de Pacific University Oregon. Fue un evento muy hermoso y agardezco mucho haber sido tomado en cuenta para este diálogo.

Gracias, Beatriz Brenes por la invitación.

Conversation on "Latino Poetry: The Library of America Anthology"

Dear friends/Queridos amigos:

In a few days I will have the pleasure of talking with my friend Rossy Evelin Lima De Padilla about "Latino Poetry: The Library of America Anthology", edited by Rigoberto González. 

All information below. 

Much love and see you on December 5th!

Entrevista a Manuel Iris, por Mónica Morales Rocha (Podcast)

 Queridos amigos,

Hace unos días, mi querida Mónica Morales Rocha me hizo una entrevista para #interseccionesradio, en la que hablamos un poco de las cosas que hago, y del significado que poco a poco uno le va dando a su vida, al escribir. 

Siempre es un gusto regresar a México, aunque solamente sea con la voz.

Para escuchar la entrevista, haga click en la imagen de abajo.

Manuel Iris receives Ohio Latino Award as "Distinguished Hispanic writer of Ohio"

On September 27, 2024, I was honored with an Ohio Latino Award as the "Distinguished Hispanic Writer of Ohio." This recognition fills me with pride, not only for my work in poetry but also for my commitment to the Hispanic community and the Cincinnati community as a whole.

The Ohio Latino Awards (OLA) have been held in Columbus, the capital of Ohio, for a decade now. This year, they have recognized the 10 Most Influential Hispanic Leaders in Ohio, along with 25 leaders and organizations that have made a significant impact on the Hispanic community.

I am truly happy and want to celebrate this moment with all of you. Above all, I am deeply grateful to the State of Ohio and the City of Cincinnati—both of which I call home and hold dear.

More information (in Spanish) about this award can be found HERE

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El pasado 27 de septiembre de 2024, tuve el honor de ser reconocido como "Escritor hispano distinguido de Ohio", lo cual me honra y llena de orgullo no solamente por mis esfuerzos de poesía, sino por mi compromiso con la comunidad hispana y la comunidad de Cincinnati en general.

Desde hace una década se llevan a cabo en la ciudad de Columbus, capital del estado de Ohio, los Ohio Latino Awards, en los cuales se reconoce a personas de origen hispano que han destacado diversas ocupaciones. Por ser éste el décimo aniversario el premio, than decidido reconocer "A los diez lideres con mayor influencia en Ohio, así como a 25 individuos e instituciones destacadas"

Estoy contento, y lo quiero celebrar con ustedes, pero sobre todo estoy agradecido, muy agardecido, con el estado de Ohio y la ciudad de Cincinnati, en donde vivo y he logrado hacer mi casa, encontrar amistades y hacer mi presente.

Pueden leer un artículo con más información sobre el premio haciendo click AQUÍ

Hispanic Heritage Month 2024

 Dear friends,

In the coming days and weeks, during Hispanic Heritage Month in the U.S., I’ll have the pleasure of connecting with some of you in Cincinnati and elsewhere. Here’s a list of activities I’ll be part of—I hope you can join me for one!

• --Friday, September 27: I’ll be at the Ohio Latino Awards in Columbus, the state capital.
• --Monday, September 30: I’m honored to be a special guest for Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations at the UC Blue Ash (Flyer Below)
• --Wednesday, October 2: I’ll be in Los Angeles, California, thanks to an invitation from Loyola Marymount University (Flyer Below)
• --Monday, October 7: I’ll be reading poems at the Poetry Elliston Room, University of Cincinnati, Main Campus. (Flyer Below)
• --Saturday, October 12: I’ll be one of the guest writers at the Hispanic Book Fair at the Columbus Metropolitan Library, Ohio. (Flyer below)
• --October 16-22: I’ll be at a secret location recording an audiobook. I’ll share more about this in the coming months!
• --October 26th and 27th: The musical ensemble OLEA (current artists-in-residence at SOS ART) will perform music inspired by poems from various Cincinnati poets. This beautiful initiative is supported by the indefatigable Saad Ghosn, and one of my poems was selected for the event! The performances are:
• - Saturday, October 26, 7:30-9:30 PM at the Fitton Center
• - Sunday, October 27, 3:00-5:00 PM at the Mt. Auburn
• Presbyterian Church (Social Hall)

I hope to see you there!

Manuel Iris at Hindman Settlement School

 I just got back last night from my days at the Hindman Settlement School. I didn’t know, when going there, that I was going to find so much love, so much friendship, so many talented and kindhearted people among those beautiful Appalachian mountains.

The cohort of creative writing students blew me away. They were intelligent, mature, and had a thirst for learning I have not seen in years. Truly outstanding young writers, proud of their heritage and with the full knowledge that all literature, from anywhere and any time, belongs to them, and they belong to it, too.

We talked much about poetry and life. About how one is the other. They gave me the opportunity pf learning from them.

Melissa Helton, your work goes beyond teaching creative writing and coordinating literary events. You are a community leader, a force of nature. I admire so much of what you, and all people around you, do for Hindman and its people. Thank you so much for thinking of me for this summer course. It was my honor. I’ll keep these days in my heart.

Wislawa Szymborska´s poetry on The Poetry Space Podcast

I really enjoyed being a guest on " The Poetry Space" podcast, organized by Rattle poetry magazine, to discuss the work of the Polish poet Wislawa Szymborska. As I said there, I am not a Szymborska scholar but a very enthusiastic reader of her work. Please, take a moment to listen to Katie Dozier, Timothy Green, Dick Westheimer, #Joe Barca, and myself talking about one of the most luminous poets of the 20th century. 

You can find the link below.

Cheers!

National Poetry Month 2024

 My dear friends,

Today marks the first day of National Poetry Month in the United States, a time of immense excitement and celebration. I eagerly anticipate the opportunity to connect with you at various events throughout this month:

- April 4th, 5th, and 6th: I am honored to be a guest poet for the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. I will engage in creative-writing discussions and classes, poetry readings, and enriching conversations with students throughout these days. My heartfelt gratitude extends to Professor Cristián Gómez Olivares for extending the invitation.

- April 4th: "The Power to the Poets Fundraiser awaits! Revel in live performances featuring poetry, spoken word, dance, and music, complemented by delectable lite bites and more! Although I regretfully cannot attend, as a member of WordPlay Cincy board of Trustees, I assure you that this event promises to be extraordinary, supporting transformative programs within the Greater Cincinnati community. For further details, please visit: https://www.wordplaycincy.org/powertothepoets24

- April 11th: Join me for a captivating Music concert/Poetry reading as part of the Poet & Song Series, curated by the remarkable Roberta Schultz. The musical segment will be provided by Canadian songwriter Noah Zacharin. Doors open at 6:30 pm with the program commencing at 7:00 pm, hosted at the Falcon Theatre in Covington, Kentucky.

- April 24th: Embrace an enchanting evening of poetry through an Online event organized by the Columbus Metropolitan Library. I am honored to share the platform with esteemed poets Scott Woods and Charlene Fix, under the gracious hosting of Darren Demarree. Registration for this event is available at: https://www.crowdcast.io/c/avp2024-poetry-month (Event begins at 7:00 pm)

- April 26th: Indulge in a night of Hispanic poetry in Spanish and English, thoughtfully organized by LULAC (The League of United Latin American Citizens). Poets Mauricio Espinoza (Costa Rica), Ana Maria Molina(Colombia), Adriana Prieto Quintero (Venezuela), and myself will have the privilege of sharing our poetic work. This event serves as a fundraiser, with all proceeds generously matched by LULAC National 0.6 to 1, benefiting the LULAC Ohio Education Foundation, a 501 c(3) charity dedicated to providing Latino students with educational opportunities in our community. Contributions are tax deductible. Secure your registration/donation at: https://cincinnati.lulacohio.org/.../det.../poetry-night-953 (Event commences at 6:30 pm at the Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. (Special thanks to Geoffrey Woolf and Laura Moese for her efforts and generosity).

-Saturday, April 27th, I will finish poetry month with a Poetry Workshop as part of the BookJoy event, Celebrating poetry month at the Fairfield Lane Public Library (Thank you, Odalys Jimenez, for the invitation!)

I hope to see you there, my friends. Happy National Poetry Month!