YVC Hosts Washington State Poet Laureate Claudia Castro Luna
Yakima, WA – The Yakima Valley College English Department will host Washington State Poet Laureate Claudia Castro Luna for events on Friday, May 17, 2019 and Saturday, May 18, 2019. All events are free and open to the public, with a complete list below.
Workshop: Writing Place Poems
May 17, 2019 • 11:00am-12:30pm
Hopf Union Building, Building 9, Quiet Lounge
Participants will have an opportunity to make their own poems with guidance from Claudia Castro Luna. Her workshops feature a bilingual dimension where writers are able to write in English and/or Spanish. She will be encouraging “place poems” for possible publication on the digital map.
Workshop: Writing Place Poems at Inklings Bookstore
May 18, 2019 • 2:00pm
Inklings Bookstore, 5629 Summitview Ave, Yakima, WA
Participants will have an opportunity to make their own poems with guidance from Claudia Castro Luna. Her workshops feature a bilingual dimension where writers are able to write in English and/or Spanish. She will be encouraging “place poems” for possible publication on the digital map.
Reading & Talk
May 18, 2019 • 6:30pm
Deccio Higher Education Center, Building 8, Parker Room
This reading and talk will be a combination of Castro Luna reading her own poems and also sharing information about place poetry.
Claudia Castro Luna left El Salvador at the age of 14 when she came to the United States. Having earned her MFA in poetry and an MA in urban planning, she later became Seattle’s first Civic Poet. Castro Luna is also the author of This City and the Killing Marías collection, and is now the first person of color to be appointed Washington State Poet Laureate by Governor Jay Inslee. Castro Luna’s term will run from February 1, 2018 to January 31, 2020.
In April 2007, the Washington State Legislature passed a bill that recognized the value of poetry to the culture and heritage of the state by establishing the Washington State Poet Laureate. The poet laureate serves to build awareness and appreciation of poetry — including the state’s legacy of poetry — through public readings, workshops, lectures and presentations in communities, schools, colleges, universities and other public settings in the state. The appointed poet laureate serves a two-year term. The poet laureate is sponsored by Humanities Washington and the Washington State Arts Commission, with the support of Gov. Jay Inslee. The position is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities Washington. Poets can self-nominate every two years through an application process.
For more information: mfuzie@yvcc.edu or 574.6800 x 3160.
Press Release Contacts:
Jay Frank / 509.574.6870 / jfrank@yvcc.edu
Stefanie Menard / 509.574.4646 / smenard@yvcc.edu