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Palabra at The Cheech
September 4 @ 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Palabra @ The Cheech is a series that celebrates the wonderful tradition of floricanto, poesía, and the spoken word. Join us for this open mic poetry series co-hosted by Donato Martinez, featuring poets Anthony Blacksher, Peter Lechuga, and Angeliza Yañez. Doors open at 6pm.
About the poets…
Dr. Angélica M. Yañez
Dr. Angélica M. Yañez is a professor, poet, and dedicated advocate for Indigenous wisdom and cultural education. She holds a doctoral degree in Ethnic Studies from UC San Diego and is an advisor to several student groups such as M.E.Ch.A and a spoken word and writing group on her college campus. A traditional Aztec Dancer, she honors the legacies of her Indigenous ancestors through dance and ceremony, bridging academic and cultural spaces with her work. As the founder of The Ancestral Teachings Institute, a learning hub for cultural education and Indigenous wisdom, Angélica is deeply committed to preserving and sharing ancestral knowledge. She is the author of Roots, her debut chapbook. Her poetry has appeared in Latina: Struggles and Protests in 21st Century USA, Volume 2, LitStack, Sunshine/Noir III, The San Diego Poetry Annual, Flowersong Press, and Writing in a Woman’s Voice, and has been featured by Planned Parenthood. Angélica can be reached through [email protected] and visit her website ancetralteach.com to learn more.
Anthony Blacksher/Dr. Ant Black
Dr. Ant Black is a poet, professor, and vinyl collector whose work bridges spoken word, social justice, and sonic culture. He holds a Ph.D. in Cultural Studies with a focus on Africana Studies, and his research explores the historical and cultural impact of performance poetry. He chairs the Sociology and Ethnic Studies department at San Bernardino Valley College, where he helped establish the annual John Trudell poetry reading. A veteran of the national slam scene, Ant led the San Diego Poetry Slam team to five national competitions—including a historic finals stage appearance in 2013—and has performed on TVOne’s Verses & Flow. He publishes with the San Diego Poetry Annual, serves on the board of the San Diego Entertainment + Artists Guild, and performs with bkSoul, a spoken word and dance collective dedicated to justice, spirit, and liberation. When he’s not teaching or writing, he’s likely crate-digging—listening for freedom in every groove.
Peter Lechuga
Peter Lechuga is a Chicano wordsmith, guerilla organizer, romantic, PlantBasedgod, and Karaoke King. As director of the non-profit, LionLike Creative Education, he teaches future generations the power of poetry, while creating a safe space for them to express themselves and become published authors. He is the co-founder and editor of the quarterly ILL Poetry Anthology, published by Curious Publishing. His work has been shared on college campuses, city halls, and has been published in various literary journals, anthologies, and zines. His poetry collection, Myth Opportunities, published by Daxson Publishing, and the collaboration chapbook Billionaires for Breakfast are available now. When not reading, writing, or molotoving the mic, he can be found hiking in the mountains, spitting freestyles.
Free
