May Brings Music and Poetry in Santa Barbara

Melinda Palacio, Santa Barbara Poet Laureate

 In one of my busiest weekends, Saturday began with the high energy needed to entertain folks at the Farmers Market. I played music with the Ladies Social Strumming Club, the group of all women string-instrument players. I feel fortunate that Maria Cincotta, who also founded the Brasscals, put together a group of supportive women who gather every other week to learn new songs on guitar, bass, or ukulele. Maria is patient teacher and band leader. I’m not always available to join, but she allows me to drop in whenever they can. Playing music with other women has improved my guitar skills. Saturday morning was my third time performing with the lady strummers. Our set this year consisted of 12 songs; last year, we only had six tunes to offer. We’ve come along way together. 

 

A few hours later, I resumed my Poet Laureate duties at the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara (AFSB). Last month, I received a phone call from Bay Hallowell, Gallery Committee member. She heard the suite of poems that I wrote for Colleen Kelly’s Dichotomy of Laundry exhibit and asked if I would write some poems for the Ruth Leaf collection. In our conversation, we decided to invite more poets to participate. I was able to include 11 poets. It was a special event with Ruth’s family in attendance of the closing reception. Ruth’s daughter told us that the art exhibit represented her late mother’s soul, something that is evident in her hand-colored etching and woodcuts. Hearing excerpts of her letters and the poems inspired by her art was a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

 

I was happy to discover the cozy gallery at the AFSB. The corner house at 229 E. Victoria is easy to miss, but worth exploring the Santa Barbara treasure that is only open on Saturdays from 1-4pm. Ruth Leaf’s art exhibit is no longer on display, but you can sign up for their mailing list or visit the website to find out about future exhibits in the beautiful space. 

 

My day ended with an assignment for the Independent to review Cody Jinks at the Santa Barbara Bowl, always a fun time at the outdoor music venue. 

 

Next weekend may be Memorial Day and a holiday weekend for most, but poetry continues with the Mission Poetry Series, this time via zoom at 1pm. Hear inaugural poet Richard Blanco and the winners of the Alta California Prize: poets Fred Arroyo and Amelia Rodriguez.

 

This year, I will be participating in the I Madonnari, not as a chalk artist but as a poet and musician at the stage at 1:45 to 2pm, in a short fifteen-minute set. If you miss this short window, I hope to see you at First Thursday in June, where I will join other poets in offering typewritten poetry on demand. Come and receive a free, personalized poem in front of Old Navy on State Street from 5-8pm. 

*an earlier version of this column was published in the Santa Barbara Independent

Cuarta Página Reading Series – Latino Writers Collective

guest column by Xánath Caraza

The Latino Writers Collective (LWC), Kansas City, MO, has been very active at the end of winter this year. As part of the Cuarta Página Reading Series, and in an attempt to contrast the long winter in Kansas City, the LWC has brought color, empowerment, poetry, fiction, and exquisite discussions through the presentations and words of Fred Arroyo and Demetria Martínez.

In chronological order, first, the LWC, in partnership with Kansas City’s Riverfront Reading Series, invited Fred Arroyo for the evening of February 26, 2010 at the Writers Place. Fred Arroyo is a professor at Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa. His novel, The Region of Lost Names (University of Arizona Press, 2008) was a finalist for the 2008 Premio Aztlán and a finalist for the 2008 One Brown Book, One Nation Reading Program. Arroyo read exerpts of his novel and his new short story A Case of Consolation.

The Writers Place had a full house the evening of the event. An exquisite Q&A session followed Arroyo’s reading to finalize the night with a book signing session. The next day, February 27, the LWC met with Arroyo again at the Writers Place for a friendly potluck and discussion session. LWC members were enthusiastic with their questions about habits needed to develop as a writer. Arroyo, a renaissance man himself, very graciously shared his own experiences in becoming a writer with LWC members.

“Inspiration is always welcome but developing your own rituals as a writer is an important part of becoming one” in Arroyo’s words. Miguel Morales, a LWC member, asked Arroyo about telling stories that have already been told many times in the past by others. What Arroyo shared with the LWC was that even while some of the experiences of Latinos are similar and may have been written before, Latino authors have to keep telling these stories because each author adds freshness and insight out of the unique experience and perspective of the author.
LWC members always enrich and grow as writers from the opportunity to exchange experiences with and listen to established authors such as Fred Arroyo and Demetria Martínez.

LWC’s next Cuarta Página event was the evening of March 3rd in collaboration with the wonderful Kansas City Library Team. LWC thanks Henry Fortunato, Director of Public Affairs, Kansas City Public Library, and Margaret Clark, a member of the Public Affairs Department, for their valued support and participation with the LWC to bring Kansas City the opportunity to listen to Demetria Martínez.

Demetria Martínez, a Chicana de mucho corazón, activist, writer, journalist, and poeta is a living example of the statement that words are power. Martínez is the author of Confessions of a Berlitz-Tape Chicana (University of Oklahoma Press, 2005), (Ballentine, 1994), Mother Tongue (Ballentine, 1994), Breathing between the Lines: Poems (University of Arizona Press, 1997), and The Devil’s Workshop (University of Arizona Press, 2002). She also writes a biweekly column for the National Catholic Reporter, Kansas City, Mo.

Through her writing, Demetria Martínez has explored feminism, identity, and the creative process in and of itself. For example, in her essay “Confessions of a Berlitz-Tape Chicana”, she explores language and cultural awareness of the diverse experiences of Latinas with Spanish and English.

I love how she starts her essay, “We’re everywhere, and it’s time to come out of the closet: I speak of the tongue-tied generation, buyers of books with titles like Master Spanish in Ten Minutes a Day while You Nap. We’re the Chicanas with cassettes in our glove compartments; commuting to work, we lip phrases for directing an Argentine cabbie to a hotel or ordering tapas at a bar in Spain.” (2005)

During the Q&A session, Martínez explored questions of witnessing life’s events and translating these events into creative words. Demonstrating the importance of selecting words, Martínez has said that “As witnesses of events, many times words are all that we have left”. As adults, our minds are full of childhood songs, family recipes, colors, feelings, and fragrances which we translate into words. These words have an impact in our listeners, whether we are aware of it or not. Finally, I want to add that I personally call Martínez la sacerdotisa de las palabras, the priestess of words.

The LWC is motivated to continue writing after these two incredible events. On behalf of the Latino Writers Collective, I cannot thank both Arroyo and Martínez enough for their seasoned experiences and willingness to share with the LWC y con esto me despido.
Keep on writing; words are power!
Ciao, chao.

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Fred Arroyo y Demetria Martínez:
En la serie de lecturas Cuarta Página del Latino Writers Collective, Kansas City, Mo.
por Xánath Caraza

El Latino Writers Collective (LWC), Kansas City, MO, ha estado muy activo al final del invierno de este año. Como parte de la serie de lecturas Cuarta Página y en un intento para contrastar el largo invierno en la Ciudad de Kansas, el LWC ha traído color, fuerza, poesía, ficción y discusiones exquisitas a través de las presentaciones y palabras de Fred Arroyo y Demetria Martínez.

En orden cronológico, primero, el LWC, en colaboración con Kansas City’s Riverfront Reading Series, invitó a Fred Arroyo la noche del 26 de febrero de 2010 al Writer’s Place. Fred Arroyo es profesor en Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa. Su novela, The Region of Lost Names (University of Arizona Press, 2008) fue finalista para el Premio Aztlán 2008 y finalista para el 2008 One Brown Book, One Nation Reading Program. Arroyo leyó partes de su novela, y su reciente cuento A Case of Consolation.

El Writers Place tuvo casa llena en la noche del evento. Una sesión exquisita de preguntas y respuestas siguió a la lectura de Arroyo para finalizar la noche con una sesión para firmar sus libros. Al día siguiente, el 27 de febrero, el LWC se reunió con Arroyo una vez más para una amistosa comida informal y una sesión para discusión. Los miembros del LWC estuvieron entusiasmados con sus preguntas acerca de los hábitos que un escritor necesita desarrollar. Arroyo, un hombre por sí mismo renacentista, amablemente compartió su propia experiencia al convertirse en escritor con los miembros de LWC.

“La inspiración siempre es bienvenida pero desarrollar tus propios rituales como escritor es un parte importante para convertirse en uno” en las palabras de Arroyo. Miguel Morales, un miembro del LWC, preguntó a Arroyo acerca del hecho de contar historias que han sido contadas muchas veces antes en el pasado por otros. Lo que Arroyo compartió con el LWC fue que aunque algunas de las historias de latinos son similares y hayan sido escritas antes, los autores latinos tienen que seguir contando estas historias porque cada autor agrega frescura y reflexión a su experiencia y perspectiva única.

Los miembros del LWC siempre se han enriquecido y crecido como escritores por las oportunidades de intercambio de experiencias y las posibilidades para escuchar a escritores establecidos como Fred Arroyo y Demetria Martínez.

El siguiente evento del LWC para Cuarta Página fue la noche del 3 de marzo de 2010, en colaboración con el maravilloso equipo de la biblioteca de la Ciudad de Kansas. El LWC agradece a Henry Fortunato, el director de asuntos públicos de la biblioteca pública de la Ciudad de Kansas, y a Margaret Clark, un miembro del departamento de asuntos públicos, por su valioso apoyo y participación con el LWC por brindar a la Ciudad de Kansas la oportunidad de escuchar a Demetria Martínez.

Demetria Martínez, una chicana de mucho corazón, activista, escritora, periodista y poeta es un ejemplo vivo de que las palabras son poder. Martínez es la autora de (University of Oklahoma Press, 2005), Confessions of a Berlitz-Tape ChicanaMother Tongue (Ballentine, 1994), Breathing between the Lines: Poems (University of Arizona Press, 1997) y The Devil’s Workshop (University of Arizona Press, 2002). También escribe una columna quincenal para el National Catholic Reporter, Kansas City, Mo.

A través de su escritura, Demetria Martínez ha explorado el feminismo, la identidad y el proceso creativo en sí mismo. Por ejemplo, en su ensayo “Confessions of a Berlitz-Tape Chicana”, explora el lenguaje y la adquisición de conciencia cultural provocadas por las experiencias diversas de las latinas con el español e inglés.

Me encanta cómo empieza su ensayo, “We’re everywhere, and it’s time to come out of the closet: I speak of the tongue-tied generation, buyers of books with titles like Master Spanish in Ten Minutes a Day while You Nap. We’re the Chicanas with cassettes in our glove compartments; commuting to work, we lip phrases for directing an Argentine cabbie to a hotel or ordering tapas at a bar in Spain.” (2005)

Durante la sesión de preguntas y respuestas, Martínez exploró el hecho de ser testigos de eventos de la vida y traducirlos a palabras creativas. Para demostrar la importancia de la selección de palabras, Martínez ha dicho que “como testigos de eventos, muchas veces las palabras son todo lo que queda”. Como adultos, nuestras mentes están llenas de canciones de niñez, recetas familiares, colores, sentimientos y fragancias que traducimos a palabras. Estas palabras tienen un impacto en nuestro público, estemos o no conscientes de ello. Finalmente, quiero agregar que personalmente llamo a Martínez la sacerdotisa de las palabras, the priestess of words.

El LWC está motivado para continuar escribiendo después de estos dos eventos increíbles. De parte del Latino Writers Collective, no puedo acabar de agradecer tanto a Arroyo como a Martínez por sus experiencias sazonadas y deseos de compartirlas con el LWC y con esto me despido.
Sigan escribiendo.
¡Las palabras son poder!
Ciao, chao.