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California Poet Laureate Visits ASU for Writer’s Conference

February 21, 2014

Herrera visits with students at lunch. As the featured writer for the 18th Annual ASU Writer’s Conference in Honor of Elmer Kelton, Juan Felipe Herrera visited campus to speak with ASU and San Angelo community members. Herrera is known for chronicling the bittersweet lives of Mexican-Americans—their challenges, travails, joys, and contributions to American culture and the American scene. 

He has published poetry, prose, theater, children’s books and young adult novels. His many distinguished collections of poetry include Senegal Taxi (2013); Half of the World in Light: New and Selected Poems (2008); 187 Reasons Mexicanos Can’t Cross The Border: Undocuments 1971–2007 (2007); Border-Crosser with a Lambourghini Dream (1999); and Crashboomlove (1999). Among his prose works are SkateFate (2011); Calling The Doves (2001); Upside Down Boy (2006); and Cinnamon Girl: Letters Found Inside a Cereal Box (2005), which views the events of Sept. 11, 2001 through the perspective of a Puerto Rican girl.

Herrera spent the day talking with students and faculty at lunch, answering questions at a public interview, and reading from his work at an evening public address. Attendees enjoyed friendly, lively discussion with him throughout the day.