Kay Bell graduated from Hostos in 2013.

In celebration of Black History Month, Hostos Community College was honored to host the talk “Black Heroines in Poetry,” delivered by alumna Kay Bell, who is currently serving as the Bronx Poet Laureate for 2023-2025. On behalf of Hostos President Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Bell was welcomed by Student Development and Enrollment Management Vice President La Toro Yates, who was proud to welcome the poet back home to the College, where she started her academic journey.

Throughout her virtual presentation on Tuesday, February 6, Bell offered deep insights into the lives of pioneering, revolutionary, and trailblazing poets whose work has inspired her and laid the groundwork for future generations of writers of color. 

“This is my homage to these women today who raised me as an educator, as a mom, as a community advocate, and so on,” said Bell. 

After her opening remarks, Bell discussed the poets’ contributions by categorizing them into three distinct groups: pioneers, revolutionaries, and trailblazers. Each category represented a unique era and impact on the American literary world. The pioneers were celebrated for their groundbreaking efforts, laying the foundational stones in a time when their voices were marginalized. Among the group were Lucy Terry Prince, who wrote the oldest known piece of Black literature in the United States, and Phillis Wheatley, the first Black woman to publish a book. 

“They set the stage and are among the first ones to be recognized for being Black women poets and for their contributions to the development of the art form,” she added.

For their part, the revolutionaries were recognized for their daring and transformative works, challenging societal norms and pushing the boundaries of poetry to address issues of race, gender, and Black identity. She highlighted the work of Ntozake Shange, writer of the world-renowned play “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf,” and Nikki Giovanni, a figure whom Bell calls her “poetic mother.” 

 

During her presentation, Bell talked about her inspiration, Nikki Giovanni.

Lastly, she talked about the trailblazers and took the chance to highlight Bronx poets. These two poets, Roya Marsh and Camonghne Felix, have continued the legacy of their predecessors by innovating and exploring new literary landscapes, ensuring the lasting influence of Black women poets in shaping the future of literature through spoken word and bringing into the spotlight themes that have been considered taboo over the decades, such as abortion, sexuality, gender, race, and sexual assault. “These women broke new ground, set new trends, and are currently crafting poetry differently. They are now challenging the traditional forms and styles and pushing the boundaries like never before.”

During the talk, Bell also delved into the significant contributions of trailblazing Black women poets within the CUNY system, spotlighting luminaries such as Audre Lorde and bell hooks. These poets were not only celebrated for their work in literature and activism but also for their impact on academic and social spheres. Kay expressed a deep sense of pride and responsibility in creating from within the very spaces that these seminal figures of African American literature once inhabited. To her, the opportunity to write and teach in the environment that fostered the genius of Lorde and hooks is an honor that fuels her commitment to continue doing the work and using words for healing. 

 

Dr. La Toro Yates, Vice President of SDEM, welcomed the poet back to the College.

Following her inspiring talk, Bell engaged with the audience, answering questions and encouraging everyone to write passionately about topics that resonate deeply with them.

“I am a writer because that is my nature, and I needed it to heal. Poetry makes me. With that said, I invite all of you to do the same if that is what drives you; whatever moves you, use it,” she concluded. 

Bell is currently working on a poetic memoir and continues to teach in the English Department at the City College of New York, where she is also an academic advisor in the Division of Humanities & the Arts. 

Director of Transfer Services, Rocío Rayo, moderated the conversation with the poet.

Watch the full talk here.

Read more about Bell’s journey here.

 

About Eugenio María de Hostos Community College

Hostos Community College is an educational agent for change that has been transforming and improving the quality of life in the South Bronx and neighboring communities for over half a century. Since 1968, Hostos has been a gateway to intellectual growth and socioeconomic mobility, as well as a point of departure for lifelong learning, success in professional careers, and transfer to advanced higher education programs.

Hostos offers 28 associate degree programs and two certificate programs that facilitate secure transfer to The City University of New York’s (CUNY) four-year colleges or baccalaureate studies at other institutions. A two-time Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence finalist, the College has an award-winning Division of Continuing Education & Workforce Development that offers professional development courses and certificate-bearing workforce training programs. Hostos is part of CUNY, the nation’s leading urban public university, which serves more than 500,000 students at 25 colleges.

For inquiries, email publicrelations@hostos.cuny.edu. 

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