California Poetry Out Loud - 2014 State Finals

2014 State Finals

California Poetry Out Loud March 23, 2014 4:00 p.m.

The Sheraton Grand Hotel March 24, 2014 8:00 a.m.

The California State Senate Chamber at the Capitol

Past Champions California Poetry Out Loud 2006 Ken Huffman Sacramento County 2007 Karen Hong Sonoma County 2008 Roshawnda Bettencourt Placer County 2009 Spencer Klaven Santa Barbara County 2010 Morgan Brown Monterey County 2011 Robert Marchand Monterey County 2012 Corbin Gomez El Dorado County 2013 Arwa Arwan Monterey County

Schedule of Events March 23 Sheraton Grand Hotel, Sacramento 1:00 Check-in at registration table at the Sheraton Grand Hotel 2:00 Falor Room: County champions’ warm-up, photos 4:00 Magnolia Ballroom: Welcome by Kristin Margolis,

California Poetry Out Loud Coordinator 4:15 Introduction of Judges 4:20 Certificates presented 4:30 Round One 7:00 Dinner

March 24 Senate Chamber, State Capitol 7:15 Falor Room: Voice/Performance Warm-Ups 7:30 Champions escorted to the Senate Chamber 7:50 Champion photos at microphone in Senate 8:10 Welcome: Kristin Margolis, Competition Moderator 8:15 Round Two Presentation of “Hero Award” 10:40 Intermission (time approximate) 10:55 Group photo; announcement of Round Three participants 11:00 Round Three 12:15 Winners announced, awards presented, photos taken

Welcome to the 9th Annual California Poetry Out Loud Recitation Contest!

California Poetry Out Loud is the largest Poetry Out Loud competition in the nation, and 2014 is our largest contest yet. Thirty-five California counties participated in Poetry Out Loud this year. One of the county champions here today will be chosen to represent California in the national finals and be flown to Washington D.C. next month, courtesy of the National Endowment for the Arts, to compete against winners from all the other states and U.S. territories. It’s an exciting and tense couple of days for us here at the California Arts Council—our favorite two days of the year! We couldn’t be prouder of the exceptional young people we honor today in Sacramento.

The students whose competition you are about to witness are all outstanding. Over forty thousand California high school students participate in California Poetry Out Loud, and of those forty thousand, only thirtyfive have made it to the state finals. At this level, the judges have the toughest job in the room.

We are grateful to the generous friends who enable us to enrich the experience of the state finalists who have worked so diligently to excel.

This year, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and Christopher Coppola’s PAH Nation have donated additional funds for travel, hotel rooms, a celebratory dinner, awards, and a priceless opportunity for the county champions to get to know each other. It is these sponsors who help us transform the state finals into the celebratory event the finalists deserve.

The California Arts Council is pleased to partner with the National Endowment for the Arts in producing California Poetry Out Loud. We greatly appreciate the dedication and hard work of the local arts councils, district offices of education, high school teachers, California Poets in the Schools, parents, and—most of all—the tens of thousands of participating students. We thank our sponsors, our expert panel of judges, all those who made Poetry Out Loud possible, and California Arts Council staff member Kristin Margolis, who so ably and enthusiastically leads the program.

We’re delighted to welcome you to this extraordinary event.

Craig Watson Director California Arts Council

California Poetry Out Loud 2014

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Alameda County champion School Oakland Military Institute Poem 1 The Albatross by Kate Bass Poem 2 The Affliction of Richard by Robert Bridges (Pre) Poem 3 The Layers by Stanley Kunitz (25) Teacher Natalie Garcia

Dylan Romero "I feel that the Poetry Out Loud competition is a great opportunity for me to show the passion I have for the literary arts and gives me a sense of joy while representing my school in a creative and artful way."

El Dorado County champion School Charter University Preparatory Poem 1 Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold (Pre) Poem 2 Monet Refuses the Operation by Lisel Mueller Poem 3 A March in the Ranks Hard-Prest, and the Road Unknown by Walt Whitman (Pre) (25) Teacher Kate Wells

Connor Ricketts “I am thankful for the opportunity to be able to bring life and emotion to these poems through the venue of Poetry Out Loud.�

California Poetry Out Loud 2014

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Contra Costa County champion School Las Lomas High Poem 1 The Destruction of Sennacherib by Lord Byron (George Gordon) (Pre) (25) Poem 2 Miniver Cheevy by Edwin Arlington ` Robinson Poem 3 The Poet at Seventeen by Larry Levis Teacher Wendy Reeves-Hampton

Victoria Baca "To me, the arts mean expression. I’ll always remember Mom’s storytelling that taught me how to get my point across with words. I’ll never forget Dad’s use of The Temptations to teach me that song lyrics and rhythm help bring sense to unexplainable emotions. I’m forever grateful to my drama teacher, Ms. Margie, who used acting to help me tap into freedom in one of its most concentrated forms. I thank God for my English teachers who introduce me to beautiful words that have the power to make you feel.”

Humboldt County champion School Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy Poem 1 Requests for Toy Piano by Tony Hoagland Poem 2 The Maid’s Lament by Walter Savage Landor (Pre) Poem 3 Reverie in Open Air by Rita Dove (25) Teacher Jean Bazemore

Nicolas Krell "I am constantly in awe of the incredible tactility words can possess; poetry is terribly indulgent in that way. And this opportunity to share and enjoy that indulgence at such a scale is truly marvelous."

California Poetry Out Loud 2014

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Inyo County champion School Big Pine Unified School District Poem 1 Invictus by William Ernest Henley (Pre) (25) Poem 2 Ode by Arthur O'Shaughnessy (Pre) (25) Poem 3 Cold Blooded Creatures by Elinor Wylie (25) Teacher Tim Steele

Robert Hamilton "Happiness cannot be bought, it must be found through trying something new."

Lake County champion School Lower Lake High School Poem 1 Enough by Suzanne Buffam (25) Poem 2 The End of the World by Dana Gioia (25) Poem 3 A Noiseless Patient Spider by Walt Whitman (Pre) (25) Teacher Lori White

Jacie Baker “To me, the arts mean that I can step onto a stage, stand in front of an audience, and whether its singing, acting, or dancing...for a moment in time I relax. I lose myself in my performance and in doing so I don't think about all the schoolwork I have or the work I need to do after that's over. My worries melt away and I am simply at peace.�

California Poetry Out Loud 2014

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Kings County champion School Hanford West High School Poem 1 The Pulley by George Herbert (Pre) (25) Poem 2 The More Loving One by W.H. Auden (25) Poem 3 The Spider and the Fly (Pre) by Mary Howitt Teacher Elizabeth Kamerin

Mellissa Carpentieri “Poetry Out Loud and The Arts in general are my life. I love performing, and Poetry Out Loud has given me a great opportunity to share my passion with a whole new audience. It doesn’t matter whether it is acting, singing, or sharing poetry, I love performing and I am never afraid to stand out. “

Lassen County champion School Lassen High School Poem 1 Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold (Pre) Poem 2 Her Kind by Anne Sexton (25) Poem 3 April Love by Ernest Dowson Teacher Tom Ready

Taylor Lindeman “... I adore how poetry becomes a part of you as a human. I live for the moments where poems I have internalized become a part of my day. Moments when I see the poem that was written two hundred years ago has significance today, in my life, will always hold a majestic beauty to me.”

California Poetry Out Loud 2014

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Los Angeles County champion School San Gabriel High School Poem 1 A March in the Ranks Hard-Prest, and the Road Unknown by Walt Whitman (Pre) (25) Poem 2 Constantly Risking Absurdity (#15)

by Lawrence Ferlinghetti Poem 3 High Noon at Los Alamos by Eleanor Wilner Teacher Katie Burkhart

Alex Luu "Poetry Out Loud has helped me learn my voice and express my emotions through reciting poetry and also inspiring me to write my own. This competition has immersed me in an atmosphere full of other talented reciters who appreciate poetry as much as I do. I've had an unforgettable experience as a participant and competitor in Poetry Out Loud."

Marin County champion School Marin School of the Arts Poem 1 Ode for the American Dead in Asia

by Thomas McGrath Poem 2 On Monsieur’s Departure by Queen Elizabeth I (Pre) (25) Poem 3 Baudelaire by Delmore Schwartz Teacher Sue Sommer

Shayna Maci Warner "Recitation makes otherwise inaccessible, somewhat mysterious language tangible ... whenever you expose yourself by way of poetry, poetry spits the world's fears and joys right back at you. It is, in essence, the art of storytelling."

California Poetry Out Loud 2014

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Madera County champion School Yosemite High School Poem 1 Old Ironsides by Oliver Wendell Holmes (Pre) (25) Poem 2 The Mower by Philip Larkin (25) Poem 3 Self-Inquiry Before the Job Interview

by Gary Soto Teacher Kelly Solomon

Jocelyn Boe “Art is a physical expression of the human soul; indefinable, yet essential to our very being.”

Mendocino County champion School Developing Virtue Girls Secondary School Poem 1 My Grandmother’s Love Letters by Hart Crane Poem 2 A Poison Tree by William Blake (Pre) (25) Poem 3 Dressing My Daughters by Mark Jarman Teacher Mack Bostick

Joanne Ho “Poetry Out Loud is an outlet of your expressive soul.”

California Poetry Out Loud 2014

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Modoc County champion School Surprise Valley High School Poem 1 The Star by Ann Taylor, Jane Taylor (Pre) (25) Poem 2 Bilingual/Bilingue by Rhina P. Espaillat (25) Poem 3 Catch a Little Rhyme by Eve Merriam (25) Teacher David M. Schulz

Alexis LameBull "When I'm standing up there, I want people to see into the world within the poem."

Monterey County champion School Pacific Grove High Poem 1 Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Pre) Poem 2 An Arundel Tomb by Philip Larkin Poem 3 Abandoned Farmhouse by Ted Kooser (25) Teacher Larry Haggquist

Haley Walker “I believe every piece of art--whether a song, painting or poem-- tells a story and communicates a message. To me, poetry is beautiful because it allows people to connect to one another on a profoundly emotional level.”

California Poetry Out Loud 2014

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Mono County champion School Mammoth Lakes Academy Poem 1 Their Bodies by David Wagoner (25) Poem 2 Baudelaire by Delmore Schwartz Poem 3 The Sun Rising by John Donne (Pre) Teacher Eva Poole Gilson

Kate Wilson "It can be hard to express your emotions without embarrassment or fear of ridicule. Through the words of others, I can relate my experiences, feelings and thoughts to my audience: expressing love, appreciation, fear, sadness, and anger in a way I would not otherwise be able to.”

Napa County champion School Justin-Siena High School Poem 1 Echo by Christina Rossetti (Pre) (25) Poem 2 The animals in that country by Margaret Atwood Poem 3 The Destruction of Sennacherib by Lord Byron (George Gordon) Teacher Laura Weakley

Delia Biscorner “Art reveals the souls of people. It is what makes us different from other animals, and the reason the difference is a positive one.”

California Poetry Out Loud 2014

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Nevada County champion School Nevada Union Poem 1 Abandoned Farmhouse by Ted Kooser (25) Poem 2 The Farmer by W.D. Ehrhart (25) Poem 3 The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (Pre) Teacher Steve Hansen

Wyatt Price “I love the way I've gained a deeper level of understanding poetry by working with Poetry Out Loud. I've learned how to express myself through poetry, something I've never done before.”

Placer County champion School Placer High School Poem 1 a song in the front yard by Gwendolyn Brooks (25) Poem 2 Caged Bird by Maya Angelou Poem 3 The Definition of Love by Andrew Marvell (Pre) Teacher Brittaney Haydon

Maya Thomas “To me, Poetry Out Loud is a way of expressing myself. I can be me, the real me, without fear of judgment from others. The arts are a way I can tell my story in ways that I never thought I could, and I am forever grateful for the experience.”

California Poetry Out Loud 2014

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Orange County champion School Canyon High School Poem 1 I Am the People, the Mob by Carl Sandburg (25) Poem 2 Vigil Strange I Kept on the Field one Night by Walt Whitman (Pre) Poem 3 Greed by Philip Schultz Teacher David Heck

Nima Ostowari “Reciting poetry acts as the means to the end goal of finding an outlet for artistic expression. The Poetry Out Loud competition provides me with such an outlet to which I can display and convey the meanings of certain poems.�

Riverside County champion School Xavier College Preparatory High School Poem 1 The Listeners by Walter De La Mare Poem 2 Song of the Powers by David Mason Poem 3 Love (III) by George Herbert (Pre) (25) Teacher Lori Davis

Kristinely Afable "Poetry Out Loud has opened my eyes to the real meaning and beauty of poetry, and I not only enjoy reciting poetry now, but also find a lot of pleasure in watching others perform it."

California Poetry Out Loud 2014

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Sacramento County champion School John F. Kennedy High School Poem 1 Angels by B. H. Fairchild (25) Poem 2 Song: Go and catch a falling star by John Donne (Pre) Poem 3 Eddie Priest’s Barbershop & Notary

by Kevin Young Teacher David Phanthai

Jbrill Kyser “Participating in Poetry Out Loud has unlocked emotions that I could never articulate. Art is our universal dialect, this competition is refining my abilities to communicate it.”

San Francisco County champion School Lowell High School Poem 1 Thoughtless Cruelty by Charles Lamb (Pre) Poem 2 Buick by Karl Shapiro (25) Poem 3 The Definition of Love by Andrew Marvell (Pre) Teacher Susan Terence

Yael Vainberg "My house could burn down, my heart could get broken, or my trust could be crumpled, but one thing for sure is I will always have my song, my poem."

California Poetry Out Loud 2014

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San Diego County champion School Valley Center High School Poem 1 Fishing on the Susquehanna in July

by Billy Collins Poem 2 Dirge Without Music by Edna St. Vincent Millay (25) Poem 3 Invictus by William Ernest Henley (Pre) (25) Teacher Crystal Rienick

Kaelie Rush “I think poetry and the arts are the key components of what it means to be human; without them, there is no humanity. It’s our equivalent to the force of a Jedi and in my opinion it can be just as powerful.”

San Luis Obispo County champion School Poem 1 Poem 2 Poem 3

Paso Robles High School The Delta by Bruce Bond Hartley Field by Connie Wanek The Fair Singer by Andrew Marvell (Pre) (25) Teacher Aaron Cantrell

Alec Wingfield “To me Poetry Out Loud means keeping the arts alive for today’s youth. It means maintaining that sense of sacredness. Poetry is still one of the purest forms of expression.”

California Poetry Out Loud 2014

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Santa Barbara County champion School Pioneer Valley High School Poem 1 Queens Cemetery, Setting Sun by Lawrence Ferlinghetti Poem 2 Ode by Arthur O'Shaughnessy (Pre) (25) Poem 3 Sanctuary by Jean Valentine (25) Teacher Ben Rothstein

Jessica Osborn “Poetry, to me, is a reminder that expressing thoughts and emotions is important. Poetry reminds me that I have the divine right to express myself; through poetry my soul is tangible and declares itself in a voice that people will remember. Through poetry I can truly be heard.�

Siskiyou County champion School Weed High School Poem 1 One Art by Elizabeth Bishop (25) Poem 2 Revenge by Letitia Elizabeth Landon (Pre) Poem 3 The Properly Scholarly Attitude by Adelaide Crapsey Teacher Caroline Hopper

Elizabeth Ebrahimy "The arts provide me an opportunity to step into another person's experience, while at the same time, expressing my own. ... I love all aspects of art; it allows me to express who I am and who I want to be. Poetry Out Loud has given me a platform, with which I can creatively display my abilities and passion for the significance of the stage."

California Poetry Out Loud 2014

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Santa Clara County champion School Poem 1 Poem 2 Poem 3

Live Oak Academy Broken Promises by David Kirby (25) The Speakers by Weldon Kees (25) Old Ironsides by Oliver Wendell Holmes (Pre) (25) Teacher Holly Coty

Joshua Bjurman "Poetry Out Loud allows me to explore the world of literature, to expand my imagination, and to be able to share my world with others around me."

Solano County champion School Benicia High School Poem 1 Old Ironsides by Oliver Wendell Holmes (Pre) (25) Poem 2 I Am! by John Clare (Pre) (25) Poem 3 All This and More by Mary Karr Teacher Kim Thompson

Ann Klingelhafer “Poetry Out Loud is an amazing opportunity to explore the way being spoken can change the feeling of a piece, can emphasis the soul contained in the simple words. Poetry to me is the expression of the heart and soul through words, spoken or written, and I have discovered the power that vocal expression can add to an already amazing poem.�

California Poetry Out Loud 2014

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Sonoma County champion School Montgomery High School Poem 1 Baudelaire by Delmore Schwartz Poem 2 Movement Song by Audre Lorde Poem 3 Echo by Christina Rosetti (Pre) (25) Teacher Donna Holmes

Kaitlyn Sackett "The Arts are about finding even the dustiest parts of yourself and making them shine bright."

Sutter County champion School Marysville Charter Academy for the Arts Poem 1 Israfel by Edgar Allan Poe (Pre) Poem 2 Pity the Beautiful by Dana Gioia (25) Poem 3 Valentine by Elinor Wylie Teacher Ruth Atkins

Gabrielle Mathews “To me, the arts are all about telling stories. I grew up on stories, and I want to dedicate my life to sharing them.�

California Poetry Out Loud 2014

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Stanislaus County champion School Enochs High School Poem 1 In Love, His Grammar Grew by Stephen Dunn (25) Poem 2 War Ballad by Stanley Moss Poem 3 The World Is Too Much With Us by William Wordsworth (Pre) (25) Teacher Chris Hayden

Kathryn Harlan-Gran “The arts are mediums of expression that can reach everyone, regardless of differences in personality or background. They allow us to better understand ourselves and one another.�

Tuolumne County champion School Connections Visual & Performing Arts Academy Poem 1 The Bearer by Hayden Carruth Poem 2 The Woman at the Washington Zoo

by Randall Jarell Poem 3 A March in the Ranks Hard-Prest and the Road Unknown by Walt Whitman (Pre) (25) Teacher Rick Foster

Teresa Woods "It is through language that the souls of the people are kept hungry for knowledge and it is through words that the greatest civilizations are magnificently built, but, for me, it is only through the harmonization of words and artistic expression that I am set free."

California Poetry Out Loud 2014

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Ventura County champion School El Camino High School at Ventura College Poem 1 Immortal Autumn by Archibald MacLeish (25) Poem 2 Ode on a Grecian Urn by John Keats (Pre) Poem 3 Baudelaire by Delmore Schwartz Teacher Louise Hewitt

Miranda Mize “Poetry Out Loud has been one of the best opportunities I have had so far in high school. I have learned so much about these amazing poets and have been given the opportunity to read so many beautiful poems. My understanding and therefore appreciation for these poems has grown so much through this competition. This has been such an amazing experience, and I couldn’t be more honored to be amongst this superb group of people.”

Yuba County champion School Lindhurst High School Poem 1 End of the World by Dana Goia (25) Poem 2 End of Summer by Stanley Kunitz Poem 3 The Albatross by Kate Bass (25) Teacher Jonathan Kinsman

Sierra Van Houten “Poetry Out Loud is not a competition. It's a social gathering. Being able to see other kids grow nervous and fan themselves before stepping out on stage is something I can relate to. It's easier to feel other competitors on a much more personal level since we all share a huge passion for poetry.”

California Poetry Out Loud 2014

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Yolo County champion School Esparto High School Poem 1 Solitude by Ella Wheeler Wilcox (Pre) ( 25) Poem 2 [i carry your heart with me(i carry it in] by e. e. cummings (25) Poem 3 I Felt a Funeral, in my Brain (340) by Emily Dickinson (Pre) (25) Teacher Diana Rowland

EllaRose Eldon “Poetry Out Loud is a way for young people to challenge themselves outside of school in an environment that is both academic and creative.�

Musicians Mike McMullen, Saxophone Doug Pauly, Guitar

Photographer Jay R. Hart

Brought to you by...

Poetry Out Loud is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, in partnership with U.S. state arts agencies.

California Poetry Out Loud is managed by the California Arts Council.

Additional support for California Poetry Out Loud 2014 was provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and PAH Nation.

Judges Accuracy Judge Brandon Cesmat’s writing appears in journals such as Perigee, Weber: the Contemporary West and Other Voices International. His most recent books are Light in All Directions (Poetic Matrix) and When Pigs Fall in Love (Caernarvon). He was the poetry editor for A Year in Ink, Vol. 5: San Diego Writers, Ink. He teaches literature & writing at CSU San Marcos and is a past president of California Poets in the Schools.

Prompter Jennifer Swanton Brown published her first poem in the Palo Alto Times when she was in the fifth grade. She completed her Master of Liberal Arts at Stanford University in 2012, with a thesis on the domestic poetry of Eavan Boland. Jennifer has been a poet/ teacher with California Poets in the Schools since 2001 and joined their Board of Directors in March 2013. Her poems have been published in multiple local journals, including Caesura and The DQM Review. In October 2013, Jennifer became the second Poet Laureate of the City of Cupertino. You can follow her Poem-A-Day project “A Lane of Yellow” on Tumblr (http://laneofyellow.tumblr.com/) and other Cupertino Poet Laureate news at http://cupertinopoetlaureate.org.

Frances Phillips is program director for arts and the Creative Work Fund at the Walter and Elise Haas Fund in San Francisco. She was executive director of Intersection for the Arts (1986-94)—San Francisco’s oldest alternative arts space—and director and assistant director of the Poetry Center and American Poetry Archives at San Francisco State University (1980-86). She teaches Creative Writing at San Francisco State University. Phillips is the author of three small press books of poetry from Kelsey Street Press and Hanging Loose Press. She served as a reviewer and poetry review editor for The Hungry Mind Review and also has published book reviews in Montemora, Poetry Flash, The San Jose Mercury News, The Washington Post, and other publications.

Christopher Coppola was appointed to the California Arts Council

by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2013. He is the Director of the Film Department at the San Francisco Art Institute. As President of Christopher R. Coppola Enterprises, he has been a champion of, and leader in, digital media for over a decade. In 2006 he created Project Accessible Hollywood (PAH), a nonprofit organization that brings digital empowerment to underserved communities and individuals worldwide. PAH seeks to educate “everyday” people on using simple digital media to express themselves artistically. To date, Coppola has held forty-four free digital media festivals, called PAH-fests, across the U.S. and abroad. Each PAH-fest brings technology, education and community engagement while supporting artistic expression through a digital storytelling competition. Since 1987 he has directed eight feature films and numerous television shows as well as developing and producing content for alternative distribution and interactive platforms. Coppola’s company also produces a reality show series, “The DigiVangelist,” which features Coppola seeking out the latest innovations in creative technology while keeping the heart and soul of the human endeavor intact.

Juan Felipe Herrera was appointed as California’s Poet Laureate in 2012 by Gov. Jerry Brown. He is the first Hispanic writer to serve in the post. The son of migrant workers from Mexico, Mr. Herrera earned a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, a Master of Arts in Social Anthropology from Stanford University and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Iowa. He was elected to the Board of Chancellors for the Academy of American Poets in 2011, was awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship in Poetry in 2010, won the National Book Critics Circle Award in Poetry in 2009, in 2008, the PEN USA Award and two Latino Hall of Fame Awards in 2002 and 2000. Author of 29 books, he is Professor in the Department of Creative Writing at the University of California, Riverside.

Notes

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