U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera

On February 23, 2023, the University of Arizona Poetry Center featured Juan Felipe Herrera, the 21st (but first Latino) U.S. Poet Laureate from 2015-2017. He is a major figure in the literary field of Chicano poetry, a performer, cartoonist, teacher, and activist. He is the author of 30 books of poetry, novels for young adults, and collections for children. He read to the audience in both English and Spanish as we sat outside in the corridor in the chill of the evening. He was both entertaining and comical. We enjoyed his humor and wonderful reading voice. I spoke to him afterwards and told him about the book I was writing and that I was having trouble coming up with a title. He advised me to open to any page of my manuscript, place my finger on any line, and to title it to whatever my finger pointed on. He also said to include the word Casa in it after I explained they were personal stories about home. We snuck a photo while he signed the book and I was starstruck for the evening. I purchased his book Akrilica and he inscribed it for me. He wrote Aktilica, inspired after meeting Francisco X. Alarcon, a writer I met and knew through our Sowing the Seeds Group who passed away in 2016.