PRESS VIDEOS/PHOTOS
  
The “Peace & Poetry” event brought together acclaimed poets and members of the Hostos community to advocate for peace, hope, and unity.
 
On Thursday, December 7, Hostos Community College President Daisy Cocco De Filippis and the Writing Center hosted "Peace & Poetry," an event that encouraged poetic expression to raise a collective plea for peace, fostering hope, understanding, and compassion among all members of the College's diverse community. The event successfully provided a platform for individuals to contribute their voices to a shared commitment to peace and unity on campus.
 
“Thank you for this, for making this happen, a gift that I welcome as I welcome all of you at this College, where there is a place for everyone. That is what we are celebrating here today,” said President Cocco De Filippis. “I celebrate our wonderful faculty and students, bearers of hope, beauty, and peace that have come together today and so often to embrace our common destiny as people who think, who love, who care, who hold hands in mutual support by means of actions and our words.”
 
After her remarks, Cocco De Filippis warmly welcomed Joshua Brumberg, the Interim President at the CUNY Graduate Center. Despite his background as a scientist, Brumberg holds a profound appreciation for poetic expression. In a delightful surprise, he regaled the audience with poems by Kimiko Hahn, his esteemed colleague at Queens College and a widely celebrated American poet. The inclusion of Hahn's verses into the event added another layer of artistic richness, creating a bridge between the scientific and poetic worlds in a fusion that underscored the interdisciplinary spirit of the gathering.
 
Following Brumberg’s reading, the reins of the event were handed over to Hostos Writing Center Poet-in-Practice, Sarah Key, who assumed the role of emcee. With her eloquent introductions, she skillfully set the stage for each guest poet, commencing with Robert Anthony Gibbons—a Pushcart Prize nominee renowned for his stirring poem "a self-taught genius,” which he shared with the audience. The poetic baton then passed to Hostos Assistant Professor of Nursing, Teresa Gray. A seasoned wordsmith with a passion dating back to her teenage years, Professor Gray has presented her work at various events in New York City and Westchester.
 
Dainma Martínez, the President of the Student Government Association (SGA), graced the audience with a heartfelt poem originally penned by poet Safia Elhillo. With eloquence and emotion, Martínez skillfully brought to life the verses. Following her moving performance, Ansumana Jammeh, SGA Senator, enriched the atmosphere by sharing the evocative poem "A Child Is Something Else Again" by Yehuda Amichai. Jammeh's recitation added a layer of depth and contemplation, creating a shared space where the beauty of language and the power of poetry collided.
 
With a skillful acting touch, Visual & Performing Arts Professor Natasha Lorca Yannacañedo breathed vibrant life into the verses of the renowned Dominican-American writer Julia Alvarez. The audience was transported into the vivid world painted by Alvarez's poetic masterpiece, "All-American Girl," as Professor Yannacañedo artfully unraveled the layers of meaning and emotion within the poem. Each word spoken by the professor carried the weight of Alvarez's creation, where a girl is trying to come to terms with her identity as both a Dominican and an American in a world that does not seem to acknowledge her bicultural experience.
 
Following the captivating performance by Yannacañedo, guest poet John Maney, Jr. took the stage. Amidst his poetry selections, a particularly poignant piece unfolded—a heartfelt tribute to a cherished member of the Hostos family, community activist and teacher Bobby González. As the verses flowed like a gentle stream, weaving a tapestry of emotions, many members of the audience, who held the memories of González close to their hearts, found themselves moved by Maney's poetic homage to his friend.
 
Next in the lineup was Desirée Alvarez, who is both a poet and a painter. Adorned with accolades from prestigious institutions such as the Foundation for Contemporary Art, the New York Foundation for the Arts, the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the European Capital of Culture, Alvarez's artistic prowess is celebrated far and wide. As she took the audience on a journey through her poems "Kafka’s Diary" and "Lessons in Chiaroscuro," the seamless fusion of her worlds—painting and writing—became apparent, creating a spellbinding showcase of powerful poetic imagery in verse.
 
After the main lineup performed, the open mic segment was a kaleidoscope of poetic expression, offering an expertly curated selection of artistic voices from the Hostos community. The atmosphere vibrated with the rhythmic cadence of rap bars, the structured elegance of sonnets, the cultural richness of “décimas,” and the expansive landscapes of long-form poetry. Within this array, Cynsere Galindez took the stage, wielding the power of spoken word like a maestro. Galindez's performance was captivating, as each word woven into the verses of Rudy Francisco’s “Drowning Fish” resonated with raw emotion. The audience found themselves enraptured by the unique narrative that Galindez brought to life. Each of the open mic participants received books as gifts to thank them for their part in the event's success.
 
As the poetic feast drew to a close, the presenters gathered for a group photo. With the echoes of verse lingering in the air, they continued to weave connections, networking, and nurturing the bonds forged by the power of the word.
 
This event was possible thanks to the Hostos Writing Center, the Office of the President, Professors Nguyen Tram, Victoria Muñoz, Alison Lowenstein-Isaacs, and Alex Milsom, Poet-in-Residence Sarah Key, the English Club, Research Programs Director Sofía Oviedo, the Conference Center, the Office of Communications, and all faculty, staff, and students involved in the success of the occasion.
 
Read the afternoon’s poetry selection 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 program 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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