Lincoln Park writer invited to read at Pittsburgh’s Latinx & Proud
Writing and Publishing junior Juno Nascimento will read his original poetry at Pittsburgh’s City of Asylum for their Latinx & Proud! literary event.
City of Asylum is a nonprofit organization that provides sanctuary to endangered international writers. It is located in Alphabet City, a building on Pittsburgh’s North Side that also includes a bookstore, a restaurant, housing, and performance spaces.
Nascimento has read his work before at a Brazilian poetry reading. But this will be the first time he’ll be able to present his writing “at and for a Latino audience.”
“A lot of the experience for Latinx Americans is feeling like a foreigner, even though you’re not a foreigner,” says Nascimento, who lives in Coraopolis and has attended Lincoln Park since eighth grade.
“The feeling of being viewed in an inaccurate way. You have this feeling of being demonized.”
“Latinx” is a gender-neutral term for Latino/Latina. It also refers to the Latin American culture and identity that exists in the United States.
“The Latinx & Proud! reading series is all about giving back to our communities. That’s why we invite Latinx poets at every stage to share their work, especially students and emerging writers,” says Karla Lamb, poet and curator of the event.
“We hope to encourage and empower young poets like Juno with opportunities that were not available before.”
The two original poems Nascimento will be reading are “Ode to Deportation Jokes” and “Negão.” Both of them emerged from a writing workshop he participated in with Pittsburgh poet Malcolm Friend.
Friend, who is also a curator at City of Asylum, visited Lincoln Park last fall to work with Writing and Publishing students. He invited Nascimento to read at the Latinx & Proud series.
“The Latinx & Proud! reading series is a statement that we are here and our stories will be heard,” says Friend. “Through this series we aim to highlight the many and diverse voices contained within the word ‘Latinx,’ and continue to defy any limiting definitions of what that identity can be.”
Nascimento is eager to make connections with established and accomplished writers. However, this event also means something bigger to him.
“I think the goal as well is to present this material in an environment that’s not threatening and accusatory, but in a way that can help other people understand the (Latinx) experience.”
City of Asylum’s Latinx & Proud! free reading series will take place on Jan. 21 at 7 p.m.
