Nuyorican Poets Cafe
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nuyorican Poets Café is a non-profit organization and landmark in Alphabet City, Manhattan. It is a bastion of the Nuyorican art movement in New York City, USA, and has become an acclaimed forum for innovative poetry, music, hip hop, video, visual arts, comedy and theatre.[1]
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[edit] History
Founded circa 1973, the Nuyorican Poets Café began operating in the East Village apartment of writer, poet, and Rutgers University professor Miguel Algarín with assistance from co-founders Miguel Piñero and Pedro Pietri.[1]
By 1975, the amount of poets involved with the venture outgrew that space so Algarin rented an Irish pub, the Sunshine Café on East 6th Street, and they christened it "The Nuyorican Poets Café". By 1980, the overflow of audiences led them to purchase their current building at 236 East 3rd Street so as to expand their activities and programs.[1]
In explaining the philosophy of the venture, co-founded Algarín said:
We must listen to one another. We must respect one another's habits and we must share the truth and the integrity that the voice of the poet so generously provide.[1]
[edit] Poets
In addition to originating the mobile New York freestyle battle program Braggin' Rites, Nuyorican Poets Café counts notable poetry activists as Bob Holman, Saul Williams, Sarah Jones, and Beau Sia as former slammasters. In 1996, poetess, actress and activist Caridad de la Luz made her debut as an artist at the café.[1] Others who at one time or another have performed at the Café are Miguel Piñero (co-founder), Pedro Pietri (co-founder), Tato Laviera, Piri Thomas, Zoraida Santiago, Esmeralda Santiago, Juan "PapoSwiggity" Santiago, Edwin Torres, Daniel Dumile and Caridad "La Bruja" de la Luz.
Well-known Nuyorican poets Edwin Torres, Finnegan the Poet, Lemon, Tomás Riley, and Adrian Arancibia are regulars at the café. In June 2002, Nuevo Flamenco guitarists Val Ramos opened for three-time Puerto Rican Grammy nominee Danny Rivera at the Nuyorican Poets Café.[1]
Algarín, now retired from Rutgers, remains (as of 2007) a board menber of the Nuyorican Poets Café.
[edit] Documentary
In 1994, Nuyorican Poets Café was the subject of a 14 minute documentary entitled Nuyorican Poets Café. Directed, produced and edited by Ray Santisteban, the documentary features founder Miguel Algarin along with Willie Perdomo, Ed Morales, Pedro Pietri, and Carmen Bardeguez Brown. Nuyorican Poets Café won "Best Documentary" at the 1995 New Latino Filmmaker's Festival in Los Angeles, California.[2]
