What an exciting inaugural event and powerful address for author Alejandro Murguia’s appointment as Poet Laureate of San Francisco on Sunday Jan 27, 2013. Standing room only– blessed by Jorge Molina’s shamanic sounds and blessed again by poet/ MC, Roberto Vargas placing the laurel wreath upon Alejandro’s head and the music of Jose Cuellar (Dr. Loco).
Alejandro’s address was interspersed with inspired recitations of his poems and his reiterated theme that he accepted this honor in the name of all of us- the whole community. We hope to carry portions of the address on La Raza Chronicles (KPFA-fm, 94.1) later this year. “ It is absurd to think” Murguia said quoting Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano, “That poetry can change the world. But it is also absurd to think you can change the world without poetry. “ May this new year be filled with world changing poetry to rebalance our planet and fill it with social justice.
Alejandro Murguía author of Southern Front
“Alejandro Murguía is author of Southern Front and This War Called Love (both winners of the American Book Award). He is a founding member and the first director of the Mission Cultural Center and professor in Latina/Latino Studies at SFSU. His new collection of poems, Native Tongue, coincides with his title as Poet Laureate of San Francisco.” from http://www.litquake.org/authors/murguia-alejandro
“Alejandro Murguía …is the author of the non-fiction book The Medicine of Memory which highlights the Mission District in the 1970s during the Nicaraguan Solidarity movement. He is a founding member and the first director of The Mission Cultural Center. He is currently a professor in Latina Latino Studies at San Francisco State University. He is the author of Spare Poems, and just published a new collection of poems entitled, Native Tongue.” from http://sfipf.org/poets/alejandro-murguia/.
“Alejandro Murguía was born in California, but raised in Mexico City. His experiences as an international volunteer in the Nicaraguan Insurrection of 1979 are recounted in his second collection of short stories Southern Front (American Book Award,1991). He lives in San Francisco, where he teaches Latin American literature at San Francisco State University. He was named Poet Laureate of San Francisco in 2012.” from http://www.citylights.com/book/?GCOI=87286100311270&fa=author&person_id=4951
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