Sonia Sanchez Now Poet Laureate of Phillly

From "Great Things Happ'nin'/ January 2012"

Compiled and edited by Louis Reyes Rivera

Louisreyesrivera@aol.com

Sonia Sanchez Now Poet Laureate

=============================

As of Thursday, December 29, 2011, Mayor Michael Nutter and the City of

Philadelphia have installed West Philadelphia resident Sonia Sanchez as their

first Poet Laureate. In his announcement, Mayor Nutter called Ms. Sanchez "the

longtime conscience of the city."

Throughout her vocation as such, the 77-year-old poet has geared her poetry as

a tool for social activism during the culminating periods of both the Civil

Rights and Black Arts movements. As well, the Harlem born poet has held

teaching positions at eight universities, including her long-time residency at

Temple University.

At the induction ceremony, Mayor Nutter said, "Poetry is an extraordinary and

powerful art form. Ms. Sanchez exemplifies the role a poet can play in helping

to define a city and helping its citizens discover beauty."

In her position, she'll be called upon to mentor a youth poet laureate and

appear at Spoken Word and other poetry events at City Hall and at the Free

Library of Philadelphia.

Ms. Sanchez was quoted as stating that she seeks to explore what it means to be

human in the 21st century. To her, that means promoting peace in self and

others. One project that she has recently initiated is to gather haikus from

her comrades of the pen (i.e., Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Maya Angelou, Louis

Reyes Rivera, among others) for purposes of having them posted on a public

mural in South Philadelphia. The theme is Peace!

That is so very wonderful. (Hi, Troy! Long time.)

Hey Water yes it is a longtime -- glad to see your name again!

Unfortunately Lous Reyes Rivera, who write the above message, passed earlier this month: http://aalbc.com/authors/louis_reyes_rivera.html

Oh thank you, Bro. :-)

So much wisdom is leaving this world. I can only hope those wise ones who have left in the phyical will continue to guide us from the other side.

Waterstar I see no evidence of such guidance OK, it is too early in the morning for be to be so negative...

LOL Bro, it ain't neva too early or too late to be real.