The Florida Center for the Literary Arts at
Miami Dade College to Host
The HomeGrown Poetry Project: A Celebration of Florida Poets
- Friday, Oct. 5 at 6:30 p.m. at Coral Gables Books & Books -
MIAMI, Sept. 14, 2007 – Over the years, American writers have drawn inspiration from Florida’s flora, fauna, climate, seascape, cultural mix, urban haunts and people to create beautiful poetry. This fall, the Florida Center for the Literary Arts (FCLA) at Miami Dade College (MDC) will host a full schedule of lectures and workshops that will include a celebration of the art of poetry.
The HomeGrown Poetry Project: A Celebration of Florida Poets will bring together acclaimed local and visiting poets, along with students and lovers of the craft in an evening of poetry and music at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 5 at Books & Books, located at 265 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables. This event is free and open to the public.
The semester-long program, which brings established poets into introductory-level college classes, hopes to foster an appreciation for poetry by creating a connection between the students and the place where they live.
Poets Sandra Castillo, Adrian Castro, C.M. Clark, Lola Haskins, Carolina Hospital, Michael Hettich, Campbell McGrath, Reginald Shepherd, Patricia Warman, and Scott Cunningham are among those who will participate in the semester-long effort to infuse poetry into the classroom. They will also teach workshops at select Miami-Dade Public School classrooms.
“So many college students are intimidated by poetry,” explained program coordinator Lissette Mendez. “This initiative is meant to help students find inspiration in their own back yards, as others have done for many years. It is always easiest to approach a subject that is rooted in your own surroundings. We want to also include the entire community in this effort, though, which is why we organized this night of celebration.”
The Trio Oriente will play Afro-Cuban jazz fusion in an evening of celebration of poetry that will include readings by MDC professors Michael Hettich and C.M. Clark, alongside the visiting poets and Miami poets listed above. Popular South Florida bandleader Eddy Balzola’s Oriente band is known for its repertoire of soulful melodies, vivid poetry and rhythmic drive. The evening festivities will start at 6:30 p.m. with a reception.
WHAT: HomeGrown Poetry Project: A Celebration of Florida Poets
WHEN: Friday, Oct. 5 at 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Books & Books, 265 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables
For more information, please call (305) 237-3023 or visit the Center online at www.flcenterlitarts.com.
Media contacts: Beverly C. Rodrigues, MDC director of media relations, 305-237-3949, brodrigu@mdc.edu or Juan Mendieta, MDC director of communications, 305-237-7611.