Poet Leaders: A Letras Latinas Reading and Discussion

Saturday, March 29 1:45-3:00 p.m. PT

Petree Hall C, Los Angeles Convention Center, Level 1

How do you maintain an artistic practice while being in a leadership role like poetry editor at a publisher, founder of a literary journal, executive director, or senior poetry consultant for a major poetry festival? Three poets share their experiences as literary citizens and leaders. Opening with a reading of their work, they will then participate in a conversation about their varied roles championing literature, challenges they faced, and ways to get involved in the literary community.

Panelist Bios:

Ysabel Y. González, a native of Newark, New Jersey, holds a BA from Rutgers University and an MFA in poetry from Drew University, and serves as senior consultant for the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and Dodge Poetry. González has been invited to attend VONA, Tin House, CantoMundo, and BOAAT Press workshops. Her work explores her neurodivergence, Borinquen roots, and how to engage with tenderness in a complicated world. A Pushcart nominee and author of Wild Invocations (Get Fresh Books, 2019), she lives in New Jersey with her husband and two furbabies. Visit YsabelGonzalez.com for more.

Sebastián Páramo (he/him) is the author of Portrait of Us Burning (Curbstone Books, 2023) and was named a finalist for the 2023 Best First Book of Poetry from the Texas Institute of Letters. He cofounded the Pegasus Reading Series in Dallas, running the series for six years, and Deep Ellum Lit Hop. Previously, he served as the production and managing editor for American Literary Review. He is also the founding editor of The Boiler, a past poetry editor for Deep Vellum, and a lecturer at Southern Methodist University.
Photo Credit: Paxton Maroney

Ricardo Alberto Maldonado, born and raised in Puerto Rico, is the author of The Life Assignment, a finalist for the Norma Farber First Book Award, one of Remezcla’s best books, and a silver medalist for the Juan Felipe Herrera Best Poetry Book Award. He is the translator of Dinapiera Di Donato’s Colaterales/Collateral, coeditor of Puerto Rico en mi corazón, codirector of 92NY’s Unterberg Poetry Center, board chair of the Poetry Project, and a board member of NYFA and the Brooklyn Book Festival’s Poetry Committee. The recipient of various fellowships, he is part of El proyecto de la literatura puertorriqueña. Recent collaborations include “You Are the Prelude” with Angélica Negrón.