Tribute At NYU Honors Puerto Rican Poet Tato Laviera

April 13, 2010 - PRLog -- NEW YORK UNIVERSITY - Student organizations, poets, musicians and community groups will present a tribute to Puerto Rican poet and playwright Tato Laviera on Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at NYU’s Kimmel Center from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
A beloved bard with roots in New York City’s Puerto Rican community, Mr. Laviera nearly became destitute following brain surgery. An article in the New York Times by David Gonzalez about Mr. Laviera ignited a national campaign to raise funds to establish the Tato Laviera Foundation, to help the poet and other artists in need.
Following a successful event on March 9, 2010 at the famed Nuyorican Poets’ Café on the Lower East Side, NYU student organizations including Bella Quisqueya; C-Roots and L.U.C.H.A.; the Latino Studies Program and the Africana Studies program; partnered with community groups United Bronx Parents Inc.; La Carreta Made a U-turn Committee; and dozens of writers and performing artists to co-host the Kimmel Center event.
The program for April 27th features readings by Mr. Laviera, as well as a group of women in the poetry vanguard including: Sandra María Esteves, María Aponte, Caridade De La Luz (La Bruja), Mariposa, Nancy Mercado, Prisionera, and Myrna Nieves. Other performing poets are: Miguel Algarin, Luis Reyes Rivera, Jesús Papoleto Meléndez, Frank Pérez, Sery Colon with Luisito Ayala, Raul Rios and Jose Ángel Figueroa. Each poet may read a poem by Mr. Laviera or one of their own.
The program features music by DASO, directed by David Soto and a performance by the NuyoRican School Poetry Jazz Ensemble, Inc. Artists will be available for press interviews and photographs.