Raquel Salas Rivera

Last updated

Raquel Salas Rivera
Raquel Salas Rivera 3022140.jpg
Born1985 (age 38–39)
Mayaguez, Puerto Rico
OccupationPoet
Notable worksCaneca de anhelos turbios, tierra intermitente, lo terciario

Roque Raquel Salas Rivera (born December 26,[ citation needed ] 1985) [1] [2] is a bilingual Puerto Rican poet who writes in Spanish and English, focusing on the experience of being a migrant to the United States, the colonial status of Puerto Rico, and of identifying as a queer Puerto Rican and Philadelphian of non-binary gender. [3] He has a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature and Literary Theory from the University of Pennsylvania [4] and was selected as the fourth Poet Laureate of Philadelphia in 2018. [3] He currently lives in Puerto Rico.

Contents

Education and early life

Raquel Salas Rivera was born in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico [5] and moved to Madison, Wisconsin when he was 6 months old. [6] During his childhood years, he lived in California, Nebraska, Alabama, and Texas. He returned to Puerto Rico during his teenage years and young adulthood, moving to Philadelphia for graduate studies. [3] [7] His grandfather, Sotero Rivera Avilés, was a Puerto Rican poet belonging to the Guajana Generation, as is his mother, linguist Yolanda Rivera Castillo. [5] [6] [8]

The poet attended the Universidad de Puerto Rico at Mayagüez for his undergraduate degree, and had an instrumental role in organizing student protests at that campus in 2010. [5]

Career and writing

External videos
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg “Gringo Death Coloring Book by Eric Mena, Mariana Ramos Ortiz, and Raquel Salas Rivera"
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg "Raquel Salas Rivera Reads Four Poems in Spanish and English", October 23, 2018, Poets.org
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg "Raquel Salas Rivera - Philadelphia's Poet Laureate", February 28, 2018, AL DÍA News Media

Salas Rivera's writing emphasizes movement and often deals with themes of migration. In speaking about his heritage, the author acknowledges that migrating people have multiple homes and allegiances, and states that "My home is Philadelphia, and my home is Puerto Rico.” [7]

He prefers to write in Spanish, and later sometimes translates his works to English. For public readings, he often recites works only in Spanish. [7] According to the poet, "It's a political act" to have an audience of non-Spanish speakers listen to a language they don't understand, because the momentary discomfort echoes the everyday struggles of immigrants who don't yet understand the language of their new country. [9] In his writing, he often leaves some words untranslated, which he refers to as "knots" that "resist assimilation and loss" because language and experience can be so tightly bound as to defy separation. [10]

His work lo terciario/the tertiary focuses on the Puerto Rican debt crisis and the economic and social impact of the 2016 United States congressional measure called the PROMESA Law that transferred control of the island's finances and outstanding debt to an external control board. Salas Rivera titled each book section after Marxist economic ideas from Das Kapital: “The Debt-Production Process,” “The Debt-Circulation Process,” and “Notes on a Derailed Circulation", beginning each poem with a quote by Karl Marx, as both a critique and a subversion of Marxist language. [11]

The poet identifies as non-binary gender and refers to himself with the pronoun "he". [7] [1] He has adopted the Spanish word "buchipluma", in as a neologism for a "non-binary feathered butch" to describe his gender identity. [12] One of his inspirations is the Puerto Rican Latin trap singer Bad Bunny. [12] To Salas Rivera, poetry has given him "an inside", "an outside", and "a means for talking about things", referencing gender identity. [4] Acknowledging a historical lack of transgender persons' voices in literature, Salas Rivera has attempted to "navigate" this gap by speaking from a transgender perspective. [4] Through his writing and civic activism, he seeks to "engage people throughout Philadelphia neighborhoods" and "make a Philadelphia that is safe for difference". [10]

During his tenure as Poet Laureate of Philadelphia, Salas Rivera created a multilingual poetry festival called "We (Too) Are Philly" inspired by the work "I, Too" by the African-American poet Langston Hughes. [3] The summer 2018 festival, co-organized with poets Ashley Davis, Kirwyn Sutherland, and Raena Shirali, featured Philadelphia-based poets of color. [10] [13] The goal of the organizers was to diversify the poetry scene to encourage the mixing or desegregation of audiences, while selecting locations of significance to particular Philadelphia neighborhoods that usually do not host poetry readings. [14]

Personal life

Salas Rivera lives in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 2017, Salas Rivera and Allison Harris raised thousands of dollars to assist lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Puerto Ricans who were impacted by Hurricane Maria that year. [15] Through his efforts, he was able to bring 5 queer/transgender persons to the United States and support them, with assistance from the Mazzoni Center. [5] That same year, Salas Rivera, alongside Ricardo Alberto Maldonado, Erica Mena, and Carina del Valle Schorske, published Puerto Rico en mi corazón, a series of bilingual broadside of contemporary Puerto Rican poets. All profits from the sale of the broadsides were donated to the grassroots organization Taller Salud, in order to aid with recovery after the devastation caused by the impact of hurricanes Irma and María.

Works

Books of poetry
Artist books
Editorial works
Contributor to anthologies

Salas Rivera has also published in periodicals such as the Revista del Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, Apiary, Apogee, BOAAT, and the Boston Review . [16]

Awards and honors

He was a resident artist of the 2018-2019 Kimmel Center Jazz Residency, [17] a 2019 Playwright Fellow at the Sundance Institute Theater Program, [18] a 2020 writer in residence for the Norwegian Festival of Literature, and a 2020 resident artist of the MacDowell Colony.

Salas Rivera was a 2018 fellow of the CantoMundo Poetry Workshop to develop Latinx poets and poetry.

Salas Rivera was chosen as the fourth poet laureate of Philadelphia in 2018, under the auspices of the Free Library of Philadelphia. [16] According to the selection committee, the poet was chosen because of his desire to use poetry to engage the subject of diversity in Philadelphia and its Puerto Rican community. [7]

He received the 2018 Ambroggio Prize from the Academy of American Poets, honoring poets whose first language is Spanish, for his manuscript x/ex/exis (poemas para la nación). [19]

His work lo terciario/the tertiary was longlisted for the National Book Award for Poetry in 2018 [20] [21] and won the 2018 Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Poetry.

In 2019, he won the Laureate Fellowship from the Academy of American Poets.

His work while they sleep (under the bed is another country) was longlisted for the 2020 Pen America Open Book Award.

He is a 2019-2021 Writer for the Art for Justice Fund at the University of Arizona Poetry Center.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nuyorican</span> Puerto Rican located in or around New York City

Nuyorican is a portmanteau of the terms "Nueva York", the Spanish name for "New York", and "Puerto Rican" and refers to the members or culture of the Puerto Ricans located in or around New York City, or of their descendants. This term is sometimes used for Puerto Ricans living in other areas in the Northeastern US Mainland outside New York State as well. The term is also used by Islander Puerto Ricans to differentiate those of Puerto Rican descent from the Puerto Rico–born.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reggaeton</span> Music genre

Reggaeton, also known as reggaetón, reguetón and reggüetón,, is a modern style of popular and electronic music that originated in Panamá during the late 1980s, and which rose to prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s through a plethora of Puerto Rican musicians. It has been popularized and dominated by artists from Puerto Rico since the early 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">José de Diego</span> Puerto Rican politician and writer (1866–1918)

José de Diego y Martínez was a statesman, journalist, poet, lawyer, and advocate for Puerto Rico's political autonomy in union with Spain and later of independence from the United States who was referred to by his peers as "The Father of the Puerto Rican Independence Movement".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nuyorican movement</span> Cultural movement for Puerto Ricans living in or near New York City in the late 1960s / early 1970s

The Nuyorican movement is a cultural and intellectual movement involving poets, writers, musicians and artists who are Puerto Rican or of Puerto Rican descent, who live in or near New York City, and either call themselves or are known as Nuyoricans. It originated in the late 1960s and early 1970s in neighborhoods such as Loisaida, East Harlem, Williamsburg, and the South Bronx as a means to validate Puerto Rican experience in the United States, particularly for poor and working-class people who suffered from marginalization, ostracism, and discrimination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puerto Rican literature</span> From oral story telling to its present-day

Puerto Rican literature is the body of literature produced by writers of Puerto Rican descent. It evolved from the art of oral storytelling. Written works by the indigenous inhabitants of Puerto Rico were originally prohibited and repressed by the Spanish colonial government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pedro Pietri</span> Puerto Rican writer (1944–2004)

Pedro Pietri was a Nuyorican poet and playwright and one of the co-founders of the Nuyorican Movement. He was considered by some as the poet laureate of the Nuyorican Movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martín Espada</span> Puerto Rican poet

Martín Espada is a Puerto Rican-American poet, and a professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he teaches poetry. Puerto Rico has frequently been featured as a theme in his poems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sylvia Rivera</span> American LGBT rights activist (1951–2002)

Sylvia Rivera was an American gay liberation and transgender rights activist who was also a noted community worker in New York. Rivera, who identified as a drag queen for most of her life and later as a transgender person, participated in demonstrations with the Gay Liberation Front.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in Puerto Rico</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) persons in Puerto Rico have almost the same protections and rights as heterosexual individuals. Public discussion and debate about sexual orientation and gender identity issues has increased, and some legal changes have been made. Supporters and opponents of legislation protecting the rights of LGBT persons can be found in both of the major political parties. Public opposition still exists due, in large part, to the strong influence of the Roman Catholic Church, as well as socially conservative Protestants. Puerto Rico has a great influence on the legal rights of LGBT citizens. Same-sex marriage has been legal in the commonwealth since July 2015, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges that same-sex marriage bans are unconstitutional.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tato Laviera</span> Puerto Rican writer

JesúsAbraham "Tato" Laviera was a Latino poet and playwright in the United States. Born Jesús Laviera Sanches, in Santurce, Puerto Rico, he moved to New York City at the age of ten, with his family, to reside in the Lower East Side. Throughout his life he was involved in various human rights organizations, but was best known as a renowned Nuyorican poet. An obituary for NBC Latino describes him as "one of the greatest representatives of the Nuyorican movement."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willie Perdomo</span> Puerto Rican poet and childrens book author (born 1967)

Willie Perdomo is a Puerto Rican writer. He is the author of Smoking Lovely: The Remix, The Crazy Bunch, The Essential Hits of Shorty Bon Bon, a National Book Critics Circle Awards finalist, Where a Nickel Costs a Dime, a Poetry Society of America Norma Farber First Book Award finalist, 1996), Postcards of El Barrio, and Smoking Lovely, which received a PEN Beyond Margins Award. His children's book, Visiting Langston, received the Coretta Scott King Honor. Winner of the Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship, the New York City Book Award (2019), and the Foundation for Contemporary Arts Cy Twombly Award for Poetry, Perdomo was also the recipient of a New York Foundation for the Arts Poetry Fellowship in 2001 and 2009. He is currently an Instructor in English at Phillips Exeter Academy and was appointed State Poet of New York, 2021-2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawrence La Fountain-Stokes</span> Puerto Rican author, scholar, and performer

Lawrence La Fountain-Stokes is a gay Puerto Rican author, scholar, and performer. He is better known as Larry La Fountain. He has received several awards for his creative writing and scholarship as well as for his work with Latino and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students. He currently resides in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Luz María "Luzma" Umpierre-Herrera is a Puerto Rican advocate for human rights, a New-Humanist educator, poet, and scholar. Her works pans a range of critical social issues, including activism and social equality, the immigrant experience, bilingualism in the United States, and LGBT matters. Luzma has made significant contributions to literature, authoring six poetry collections and two books on literary criticism, in addition to having many essays featured in academic journals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT in Puerto Rico</span> Overview of LGBT in Puerto Rico

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Puerto Rico have gained some legal rights in recent years. Same sex relationships have been legal in Puerto Rico since 2003, and same-sex marriage and adoptions are also permitted. U.S. federal hate crime laws apply in Puerto Rico.

Angelamaría Dávila Malavé was a Puerto Rican poet and writer who explored themes of love, relationships, and womanhood. She is an Afro-feminist and Afro-Caribbean poet and visual artist who identified her black Puerto Ricanness as a defining characteristic of her work and personal identity.

Mario Rivera Martinó was a journalist, sports writer and President of the Puerto Rico Boxing Commission. In 2006, he was inducted into the Puerto Rican Sports Hall of Fame. In December 2018, the International Boxing Hall of Fame announced that Rivera Martinó would be inducted into their hall of fame during their 30th annual induction ceremonies which were held from June 6 to 9, 2019 in Canastota, New York.

Poet Laureate of Philadelphia is a civic position in the City of Philadelphia. The Poet Laureate has been described as an "Ambassador of Poetry". The holder of the position is expected to actively promote literacy and encourage expression in the city. As part of their position, they participate in service work, workshops and readings. One of their commitments is to mentor the Youth Poet Laureate of Philadelphia.

References

  1. 1 2 "Roque Raquel Salas Rivera". Roque Raquel Salas Rivera. Archived from the original on June 25, 2020. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  2. ↑ Raquel Salas Rivera, Your Daily Queer, Tumblr. Retrieved Nov 13, 2022
  3. 1 2 3 4 Timpane, John (January 8, 2018). "Meet Philadelphia's new poet laureate, Raquel Salas Rivera: Poet, migrant, bridge-builder". www.philly.com. Archived from the original on February 14, 2019. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 AL DÍA News Media (February 28, 2018), Raquel Salas Rivera - Philadelphia's Poet Laureate, archived from the original on July 15, 2020, retrieved February 18, 2019
  5. 1 2 3 4 "'Queer', latina e intensamente boricua: Así es la nueva poeta laureada de Filadelfia". AL DÍA News (in Spanish). February 28, 2018. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  6. 1 2 "LA HISTORIA DE LA SOLEDAD/THE (HI)STORY OF SOLITUDE, by Yolanda Rivera Castillo". The Wanderer. September 4, 2017. Archived from the original on April 8, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "Philadelphia names new poet laureate". WHYY. Archived from the original on November 6, 2018. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  8. ↑ Perez, Yali (January 28, 2018). "Interview: Raquel Salas Rivera, the 2018-2019 Philadelphia Poet Laureate". CityWide Stories. Archived from the original on March 6, 2019. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  9. ↑ Regan, Margaret. "Poetry Both Passionate and Political". Tucson Weekly. Archived from the original on October 22, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  10. 1 2 3 Gomez, Rodney (March 22, 2018). "Interview with Philadelphia Poet Laureate, Raquel Salas Rivera". Latino Book Review. Retrieved February 18, 2019.[ permanent dead link ]
  11. ↑ Crimmins, Peter (April 26, 2018). "Philly poet laureate writes verse on Puerto Rican debt". WHYY. Archived from the original on October 20, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  12. 1 2 "Streets Dept Podcast, Episode 9: Philadelphia's New Poet Laureate, Raquel Salas Rivera, Talks Poetry, Activism, and Puerto Rico". Streets Dept. January 30, 2018. Archived from the original on February 15, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
  13. ↑ Salas Rivera, Raquel (February 27, 2018). "We Too Are Philly - The Schedule". Raquel Salas Rivera. Archived from the original on May 3, 2019. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  14. ↑ "The Citizen Recommends: We (Too) Are Philly". The Philadelphia Citizen. May 30, 2018. Archived from the original on August 9, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  15. ↑ Wehner, Brittany M. (January 11, 2018). "Queer writer named 2018 Philadelphia Poet Laureate". www.epgn.com. Archived from the original on March 6, 2019. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  16. 1 2 "Philadelphia Poet Laureate". Free Library of Philadelphia. Archived from the original on January 25, 2020. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  17. ↑ "David Allen / Raquel Salas Rivera / Diane Monroe Residency Kick Off - Kimmel Center". www.kimmelcenter.org. Archived from the original on September 23, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  18. ↑ "Sundance Institute Theatre Program Unveils 2019 Participants". The Hollywood Reporter. January 14, 2019. Archived from the original on January 17, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
  19. ↑ nparedes (August 6, 2018). "The Academy of American Poets Announces the Recipients of the 2018 American Poets Prizes". The Academy of American Poets Announces the Recipients of the 2018 American Poets Prizes. Archived from the original on November 5, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  20. ↑ Dwyer, Colin (September 14, 2018). "Here Are The 2018 National Book Award Longlists, Featuring A Fresh Category". NPR.org. Archived from the original on February 25, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
  21. ↑ Murrell, David (January 20, 2019). "Philly's Poet Laureate on the Difference Between a Philadelphian and an American". Philadelphia Magazine. Archived from the original on February 25, 2019. Retrieved February 19, 2019.

Interviews

Performances

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.