Poetry fans, mark your calendars: award-winning Richard Blanco will be at William & Mary tonight at 6 p.m.
Blanco is the fifth inaugural poet in history, selected by President Obama to speak at the Jan. 21 Presidential Inauguration. He was also the youngest poet to read at an inauguration with his original poem “One Today.”
Blanco’s appearance is sponsored by W&M’s Center for Student Diversity, as part of its Diversity Speaker Series this year.
Vernon Hurte, Director of the Center for Student Diversity, thought that Blanco’s was a great voice to share with students.
“We’re always looking for voices that particularly look at diversity in a more contemporary kind of perspective,” Hurte said.
Blanco is both Latino and openly gay. Hurte said “the intersectionality of identity” was important in examining the artist and his work.
Tuesday night’s event was planned in conjunction with a master class for creative writing students in the W&M English Department. The closed class, prior to the public reading, will be structured around Blanco’s poem for the inauguration.
At 6 p.m. in the Commonwealth Auditorium of the Sadler Center, Blanco will read more of his work, and provide commentary on his motivation.
Hurte said that his organization is always excited to have members of the greater Williamsburg community attend their events, and that the audience can expect energy and insight from the evening.
“It’s going to be a great opportunity to have an intimate experience with Richard, and to get behind the meaning of his work.”
An Evening with Richard Blanco is free and open to the public. For more information on the event and Blanco, click here.
