As words come together to form poems, two Boston University groups came together Tuesday night to create an evening of poetry and cultural celebration in the Howard Thurman Center.
About 30 students attended the open-mic poetry reading, which was hosted by Alianza Latina, a group focused on promoting Latino culture on campus, and Speak for Yourself, a spoken word group.
‘We want to find common ground with a lot of other people,’ Alianza Latina President Francesca Roettger-Moreda said.
Alianza Latina members said before the performances that they hoped to reach out to other groups and interests beyond Latino culture.
Alianza Latina Secretary Andrea Avalos, a College of Arts and Sciences sophomore, said that the poetry reading, titled ‘Pura Palabra’ additionally provided a great opportunity for members to hone their public speaking skills.
Event coordinator Natalie Aguilar, a School of Hospitality Administration senior, said she hoped the night would strengthen bonds between the two groups
The readings and recitations, performed by more than twenty members of Alianza Latina and SFY, included original and borrowed poems in both English and Spanish.
The idea for the event collaboration between the two groups came from SFY member Angelo Manjarrez. SFY Co-President Hakim Walker, a CAS senior, dedicated ‘A Valentine’s Carol’ to Manjarrez, who was unable to attend, while Roettger-Moreda called Manjarrez and held up her phone so that he could hear the piece, which Manjarrez wrote himself.
Members of both clubs said the poetry reading met their expectations, and the two groups are planning their next collaboration, members said. SFY is scheduled to perform at Explosion Latina, an Alianza Latina-sponsored event next Friday.
Walker, and Roettger-Moreda, a CAS sophomore, devoted their final thoughts on the evening to the importance of the Thurman Center. Thurman Center Assistant Director Raul Fernandez, who read Pedro Pietri’s poem, ‘Puerto Rican Obituary,’ said the open-mic night was a good example the way in which the Thurman Center hopes to positively influence students.
‘We try to create the environment to foster this type of event,’ Fernandez said.’
Fernandez said many ideas are born as students from diverse backgrounds and of diverse interests join to create one event.
‘The Howard Thurman Center is where people come together,’ Walker said.
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