Palabra Pura “Lives Between Love and Darkness”

Curated by Gregorio Gómez and featuring Nora Leon and Martin Rubio Jr.

Curator

Gregorio Gomez is the MC of Chicago’s most infamous and longest running underground poetry venue at “WEEDS”.  Gregorio who emigrated from Veracruz, Mexico has been a major influence in the development of the spoken word and many venues of Chicago’s poetry community for at least two decades. As the Managing Director of the Latino Chicago Theater Company at The Firehouse (Damen and North Ave.); the company was at the forefront in the advancement of theater and the arts in Wicker Park.  As well as the community’s economic development…and he takes blame for being a factor in the gentrification of Wicker Park. Gregorio has been featured at many Chicago poetry venues (and throughout the Mid-West), including readings with Fareed Haque, (jazz guitarist), Guillermo Gómez-Peña (poet/author), Carlos Cortes (poet/labor activist), Luis Rodriguez (poet/author/publisher), Patricia Smith (poet/journalist).

Featured Readers

Martin Rubio Jr was born and raised locally in Pilsen. He began writing poetry and prose early on, and his first works appeared in the underground magazine called Zacapuntas. Early local influences were Carlos Cortez and Carlos Cumpian. As the work progressed, he recited at places he would frequent as a spectator. Places like Cafe Jumping Bean, Lit X, and most recently Weeds. Currently, he is a co-founder and resident writer at Blink Mob Studios, on the southwest side of Chicago. Blink Mob Studios is an artist collective which consists of creative writing, painting, music, and screen printing; and will combine these many different types of media to express art. His first poetry collection, Introspection and Awakenings, will be published in house and available in the summer of 2012.

Nora Leon was born and raised in Chicago.  She moved to Puerto Rico and resided there for 7 years and after her return to Chicago, graduated from Steinmetz High School and attended Wright College that same year.  She started working in the medical field in the year 2000 and is currently working at Mercy Hospital. Her passion for poetry and writing flourished while in Puerto Rico composing Hip Hop lyrics and performing at talent shows with her colleague Ray.  Her first performance in Chicago was at Weeds, reading her very first poem named “The Ways”. Ms. Leon went into hiatus through the years 2008-2010 having multiple eye surgeries after enduring an injury causing her to lose some vision of her left eye.  During this time she had to re-adjust to a new life style being half blind.  Throughout her rehabilitation period she never lost her passion or drive for writing poetry, photography or film. She made her comeback at Weeds participating in “The Best Off the Wall” poetry contest, taking third place after performing her poem titled “Neptune’s Future”.  With her new found strength and confidence, she is actively writing poetry and movie scripts.  Has created a poetry group online called “Punk Rock Poetry Society”; along with her brother Leonardo they own “Gear Punk Photography” and “Kiosk Notebooks”.  “Gear Punk Photography” specializes in portraits, scenery shots, photo and video editing; “Kiosk Notebooks” specializes in uniquely designing collages on composition notebooks which are sold online. Ms. Leon is grateful to be participating in her first feature reading at The Guild Complex, Palabra Pura.