Palabra Pura: A Toda Madre, Men Pay Tribute to Their Mothers

Sharing California roots, a love of poetry, and a feminist devotion to their mothers, Tijuana native Brian Martin and L.A. native Arturo “Tootie” Alvarez blend English and Spanish to pay homage to their mothers. From a mother’s reminder to always use condoms to her struggle to raise her family on her own to the demoralizing beauty standards forced upon women, Martin and Alvarez show the resilence and resistance of mothers everywhere. March’s Palabra Pura is curated by the Chicago Latino Writers Initiative.

All “mother” tongues are welcome! Arrive early to sign up for the open mic.

Palabra Pura is pay-what-you-can ($5 suggested donation). Audience contributions support honorariums for the curators and featured authors.

FEATURED AUTHORS

Arturo “Tootie” Alvarez is a musician, poet and community organizer. At 18, he organized his first union with fellow hotel workers and the support of Unite Here local 11 in Los Angeles. Inspired by the courage of workers who stand up to the boss, Alvarez explores his hidden fears and gives them a voice. As a musician he released Were-jaguar in 2011 and played various venues including the Whiskey A Go Go on the Sunset Strip. As a poet he has performed at Da Poetry Lounge in Los Angeles, Noche de Poesia in Santa Ana, the Whittier Area Peace and Justice Coalition open mic, and Cultura in Pilsen’s poetry night.  Originally from California, Alvarez now resides in Chicago.

Brian Martin has come a long way from hustling fresas in La Paz, BCS. They are currently organizing students and studying culture at Columbia College, though fighting the power occupies most their time. Last summer, they were invited to study at the Jack Kerouac School for Disembodied Poetics in the name of Zora Neale Hurston (which was pretty cool). You can find their writing on Gozamos.com, Circus Magazine, No Assholes Literary Mag, Tract-Trace, and crumpled in many people’s bookshelves.

ABOUT THE CHICAGO LATINO WRITERS INITIATIVE

Launched in March 2014, the Chicago Latino Writers Initiative (CLWI) offers programming aimed at cultivating a new generation of Latino writers, supporting the voices of established writers, and helping to promote Chicago as a mecca of powerful Latino voices. Programming includes writing workshops, panels that give writers new insights and access to professionals in the field, poetry nights that feature the work of local poets and participants from our workshops, collaborative literary events, and an online directory that serves as both the first database of Latino writers in Chicago and as a speakers bureau. CLWI, a joint effort of Proyecto Latina and Gozamos, is housed at Cultura in Pilsen, 1900 South Carpenter St, Chicago. (Planning team: Luz Chavez, Diana Pando, Stephanie Manriquez, Sandra Treviño) http://chicagolatinowriters.com/