Richard Blanco, a poet whose writing caught the attention of The White House, presented “Cuban Blanco, American Richard: Made in Cuba, Assembled in Spain, Imported to the USA” in Leffler Chapel and Performance Center on Wednesday, Sept. 17.
Blanco also conducted several workshops this week and discussed his work, from the inaugural poem to those of his childhood in Miami, Fl., with students and faculty members. Born in Madrid and raised in Spain, New York and Miami, Blanco addresses exploration of an American identity and cultural belonging in his poetry.
Blanco spoke at several classes during the week and discussed writing more personally with students at Bowers Writers House on Wednesday afternoon and evening.
He was brought to campus as a joint effort by Bowers Writers House and the Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellow program, which helps fund high-profile guests’ visits to Elizabethtown College.
Sophomore engineering major Abby Haines shared what made Blanco’s Wednesday at 11 presentation stand out to her.
“For someone who’s bicultural and homosexual to be given the opportunity to write the inaugural poem … just hearing that they allowed him to do that blew my mind a little bit,” Haines said.
The White House commissioned Blanco to write a poem for President Obama’s second inauguration. Consequently, he wrote “One Today,” the poem he eventually performed in front of the president, crowds and countless media sources as part of the inauguration ceremony.
“It also really surprised me when he said he’s an engineer,” Haines said. As an engineering major at Etown, Haines not only connected with Blanco’s engineering background, but also with his passion for the arts. “That’s me,” Haines said. “I do love the arts and I love engineering, and it was nice to see somebody who was successful in both. It gives me hope.”
According to Haines, many community members attended and participated in the event.
“One woman asked how he decides when to put Spanish into his works, how he goes about doing that,” Haines said.
“He gave the example of any terms of endearment. He can’t say ‘mother’ or ‘aunt.’ He can’t say ‘grandmother;’ they don’t mean anything to him. He calls all of his family members by their Spanish name, so that was pretty neat.”
According to Haines, his examples point to the fact that “He writes for himself, which is awesome.”
In addition to giving a presentation in Leffler, visiting multiple classes and offer craft talks, Blanco also held a book signing after his Wednesday at 11 event and his afternoon craft talk at Bowers Writers House.
