The Octopus Literary Salon is proud to present Babar de los Muertos, a special event dedicated to the work of Latin poets who have passed, and featuring three Latinx writers who are very much alive. We are excited to feature Josiah Luis Alderete, who started a long career of activist readings and performance at the original Café Babar; “Honorary Babarian” Michelle Cruz Gonzales, author of The Spitboy Rule: Tales of a Xicana in a Female Punk Band; and second “Honorary Babarian” Chris "L7" Cuadrado, cultural worker and co-host of the Poets of Color Podcast. We will also have an open mic in which folks will be asked to read the work of Latin poets, both from the Mission and global, who are no longer with us, with a focus on Alfonso Texidor and Francisco X. Alarcon. Please join us for this celebration of these impassioned poets who live on through their words.
So come on down to check out a slice of Bay Area poetry history, now and in the making, and make your way home with a bindle full of inspiration and a thimbleful more hope for the species.
PERFORMER BIOS
Josiah Luis Alderete is a full blooded POCHO spanglish speaking poet from La Area Bahia who learned to write poetry in the kitchen of his Mama’s Mexican restaurant. He began performing his poetry at the now infamous Thursday night readings at Cafe Babar. In the 90’s he was a founding member of San Francisco's outspoken word troupe The Molotov Mouths (whose collected writings were published by Manic D Press in 2003). Over the years Josiah Luis has been featured at numerous Mission literary events including MAPP, Voz sin Tinta, Pan Dulce Poets, Acion Latina’s Paséo de Arte and Kim Schuck’s series remembering Mission Poets at the Mission Library as well as at the Red Poppy Art House. He has also been the featured reader in the East Bay at Lyrics and Dirges, Nomadic Press' First Fridays and GETLIT, as well as at BAMPFA’s Friday night reading series. In 2017 he was named an AIR New Voice Scholar as well as being featured in BAMPFA’s “Wey Bay” exhibition. Josiah Luis is also a radio insurgente whose stories have appeared on KALW’s “Crosscurrents" and whose show “The Spanglish Power Hour” aired on KPFA. This year he was featured in the poetry anthology “The City is Already Speaking; the sounds of Calle Veinte Cuatro”. He also curates the Latinx reading series SPEAKING AXOLOTL in Oakland which happens every third Thursday of the month at Nomadic Press Studios Uptown. Josiah Luis Alderete currently resides somewhere in North Richmond where he is still waiting for Quetzalquatl to arrive.
Michelle Cruz Gonzales, drummer and lyricist of the all-woman punk band Spitboy (1990-1995), featured in Green Day's Turn It Around: Story of East Bay Punk, is the author of The Spitboy Rule: Tales of a Xicana in a Female Punk Band. Michelle has completed the first draft of a satirical novel about forced intermarriage between whites and Mexicans for the purpose of creating a race of beautiful, intelligent, hardworking people. She teaches English and creative writing at Las Positas College. Find her on Twitter @XicanaBrava.
Chris "L7" Cuadrado is a cultural worker and pro-people propagandist originally from Inglewood, CA. L7 uses words, sights, and sounds to further radical and critical thought. L7 draws from the aesthetic and political traditions of revolutionaries, agitators, and poor peoples’ movements from across the globe. L7 is committed to creating work that reflects the struggle of colonized and oppressed people, while aligning with their movements for liberation, self-determination, and decolonization. L7 is also co-host of the Poets of Color Podcast, available for listening on soundcloud, apple podcasts, & poetsofcolorpodcast.com. Subscribe, Rate, and Review and follow us on instagram, twitter, facebook, and soundcloud at Poets of Color Podcast.
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So come on down to check out a slice of Bay Area poetry history, now and in the making, and make your way home with a bindle full of inspiration and a thimbleful more hope for the species.
PERFORMER BIOS
Josiah Luis Alderete is a full blooded POCHO spanglish speaking poet from La Area Bahia who learned to write poetry in the kitchen of his Mama’s Mexican restaurant. He began performing his poetry at the now infamous Thursday night readings at Cafe Babar. In the 90’s he was a founding member of San Francisco's outspoken word troupe The Molotov Mouths (whose collected writings were published by Manic D Press in 2003). Over the years Josiah Luis has been featured at numerous Mission literary events including MAPP, Voz sin Tinta, Pan Dulce Poets, Acion Latina’s Paséo de Arte and Kim Schuck’s series remembering Mission Poets at the Mission Library as well as at the Red Poppy Art House. He has also been the featured reader in the East Bay at Lyrics and Dirges, Nomadic Press' First Fridays and GETLIT, as well as at BAMPFA’s Friday night reading series. In 2017 he was named an AIR New Voice Scholar as well as being featured in BAMPFA’s “Wey Bay” exhibition. Josiah Luis is also a radio insurgente whose stories have appeared on KALW’s “Crosscurrents" and whose show “The Spanglish Power Hour” aired on KPFA. This year he was featured in the poetry anthology “The City is Already Speaking; the sounds of Calle Veinte Cuatro”. He also curates the Latinx reading series SPEAKING AXOLOTL in Oakland which happens every third Thursday of the month at Nomadic Press Studios Uptown. Josiah Luis Alderete currently resides somewhere in North Richmond where he is still waiting for Quetzalquatl to arrive.
Michelle Cruz Gonzales, drummer and lyricist of the all-woman punk band Spitboy (1990-1995), featured in Green Day's Turn It Around: Story of East Bay Punk, is the author of The Spitboy Rule: Tales of a Xicana in a Female Punk Band. Michelle has completed the first draft of a satirical novel about forced intermarriage between whites and Mexicans for the purpose of creating a race of beautiful, intelligent, hardworking people. She teaches English and creative writing at Las Positas College. Find her on Twitter @XicanaBrava.
Chris "L7" Cuadrado is a cultural worker and pro-people propagandist originally from Inglewood, CA. L7 uses words, sights, and sounds to further radical and critical thought. L7 draws from the aesthetic and political traditions of revolutionaries, agitators, and poor peoples’ movements from across the globe. L7 is committed to creating work that reflects the struggle of colonized and oppressed people, while aligning with their movements for liberation, self-determination, and decolonization. L7 is also co-host of the Poets of Color Podcast, available for listening on soundcloud, apple podcasts, & poetsofcolorpodcast.com. Subscribe, Rate, and Review and follow us on instagram, twitter, facebook, and soundcloud at Poets of Color Podcast.
The Octopus Literary Salon is proud to present Babar de los Muertos, a special event dedicated to the work of Latin poets who have passed, and featuring three Latinx writers who are very much alive. We are excited to feature Josiah Luis Alderete, who started a long career of activist readings and performance at the original Café Babar; “Honorary Babarian” Michelle Cruz Gonzales, author of The Spitboy Rule: Tales of a Xicana in a Female Punk Band; and second “Honorary Babarian” Chris "L7" Cuadrado, cultural worker and co-host of the Poets of Color Podcast. We will also have an open mic in which folks will be asked to read the work of Latin poets, both from the Mission and global, who are no longer with us, with a focus on Alfonso Texidor and Francisco X. Alarcon. Please join us for this celebration of these impassioned poets who live on through their words.
So come on down to check out a slice of Bay Area poetry history, now and in the making, and make your way home with a bindle full of inspiration and a thimbleful more hope for the species.
PERFORMER BIOS
Josiah Luis Alderete is a full blooded POCHO spanglish speaking poet from La Area Bahia who learned to write poetry in the kitchen of his Mama’s Mexican restaurant. He began performing his poetry at the now infamous Thursday night readings at Cafe Babar. In the 90’s he was a founding member of San Francisco's outspoken word troupe The Molotov Mouths (whose collected writings were published by Manic D Press in 2003). Over the years Josiah Luis has been featured at numerous Mission literary events including MAPP, Voz sin Tinta, Pan Dulce Poets, Acion Latina’s Paséo de Arte and Kim Schuck’s series remembering Mission Poets at the Mission Library as well as at the Red Poppy Art House. He has also been the featured reader in the East Bay at Lyrics and Dirges, Nomadic Press' First Fridays and GETLIT, as well as at BAMPFA’s Friday night reading series. In 2017 he was named an AIR New Voice Scholar as well as being featured in BAMPFA’s “Wey Bay” exhibition. Josiah Luis is also a radio insurgente whose stories have appeared on KALW’s “Crosscurrents" and whose show “The Spanglish Power Hour” aired on KPFA. This year he was featured in the poetry anthology “The City is Already Speaking; the sounds of Calle Veinte Cuatro”. He also curates the Latinx reading series SPEAKING AXOLOTL in Oakland which happens every third Thursday of the month at Nomadic Press Studios Uptown. Josiah Luis Alderete currently resides somewhere in North Richmond where he is still waiting for Quetzalquatl to arrive.
Michelle Cruz Gonzales, drummer and lyricist of the all-woman punk band Spitboy (1990-1995), featured in Green Day's Turn It Around: Story of East Bay Punk, is the author of The Spitboy Rule: Tales of a Xicana in a Female Punk Band. Michelle has completed the first draft of a satirical novel about forced intermarriage between whites and Mexicans for the purpose of creating a race of beautiful, intelligent, hardworking people. She teaches English and creative writing at Las Positas College. Find her on Twitter @XicanaBrava.
Chris "L7" Cuadrado is a cultural worker and pro-people propagandist originally from Inglewood, CA. L7 uses words, sights, and sounds to further radical and critical thought. L7 draws from the aesthetic and political traditions of revolutionaries, agitators, and poor peoples’ movements from across the globe. L7 is committed to creating work that reflects the struggle of colonized and oppressed people, while aligning with their movements for liberation, self-determination, and decolonization. L7 is also co-host of the Poets of Color Podcast, available for listening on soundcloud, apple podcasts, & poetsofcolorpodcast.com. Subscribe, Rate, and Review and follow us on instagram, twitter, facebook, and soundcloud at Poets of Color Podcast.
read more
So come on down to check out a slice of Bay Area poetry history, now and in the making, and make your way home with a bindle full of inspiration and a thimbleful more hope for the species.
PERFORMER BIOS
Josiah Luis Alderete is a full blooded POCHO spanglish speaking poet from La Area Bahia who learned to write poetry in the kitchen of his Mama’s Mexican restaurant. He began performing his poetry at the now infamous Thursday night readings at Cafe Babar. In the 90’s he was a founding member of San Francisco's outspoken word troupe The Molotov Mouths (whose collected writings were published by Manic D Press in 2003). Over the years Josiah Luis has been featured at numerous Mission literary events including MAPP, Voz sin Tinta, Pan Dulce Poets, Acion Latina’s Paséo de Arte and Kim Schuck’s series remembering Mission Poets at the Mission Library as well as at the Red Poppy Art House. He has also been the featured reader in the East Bay at Lyrics and Dirges, Nomadic Press' First Fridays and GETLIT, as well as at BAMPFA’s Friday night reading series. In 2017 he was named an AIR New Voice Scholar as well as being featured in BAMPFA’s “Wey Bay” exhibition. Josiah Luis is also a radio insurgente whose stories have appeared on KALW’s “Crosscurrents" and whose show “The Spanglish Power Hour” aired on KPFA. This year he was featured in the poetry anthology “The City is Already Speaking; the sounds of Calle Veinte Cuatro”. He also curates the Latinx reading series SPEAKING AXOLOTL in Oakland which happens every third Thursday of the month at Nomadic Press Studios Uptown. Josiah Luis Alderete currently resides somewhere in North Richmond where he is still waiting for Quetzalquatl to arrive.
Michelle Cruz Gonzales, drummer and lyricist of the all-woman punk band Spitboy (1990-1995), featured in Green Day's Turn It Around: Story of East Bay Punk, is the author of The Spitboy Rule: Tales of a Xicana in a Female Punk Band. Michelle has completed the first draft of a satirical novel about forced intermarriage between whites and Mexicans for the purpose of creating a race of beautiful, intelligent, hardworking people. She teaches English and creative writing at Las Positas College. Find her on Twitter @XicanaBrava.
Chris "L7" Cuadrado is a cultural worker and pro-people propagandist originally from Inglewood, CA. L7 uses words, sights, and sounds to further radical and critical thought. L7 draws from the aesthetic and political traditions of revolutionaries, agitators, and poor peoples’ movements from across the globe. L7 is committed to creating work that reflects the struggle of colonized and oppressed people, while aligning with their movements for liberation, self-determination, and decolonization. L7 is also co-host of the Poets of Color Podcast, available for listening on soundcloud, apple podcasts, & poetsofcolorpodcast.com. Subscribe, Rate, and Review and follow us on instagram, twitter, facebook, and soundcloud at Poets of Color Podcast.
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2101 Webster Street, Oakland, CA 94612
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