Name: Un Paso Adelante: Poets from the Workers Justice Center by PEN America
Duration: 11 min 17 s
Description: For the third consecutive year, the Festival partners with a labor organization to demonstrate that literature and freedom of expression is for everyone. Migrant farm and construction workers from the Worker Justice Center in Kingston, NY present publicly for the first time their stories and poems generated during a series of writing workshops led by poet Mark Nowak.

For the third consecutive year, the Festival partners with a labor organization to demonstrate that literature and freedom of expression is for everyone. Migrant farm and construction workers from the Worker Justice Center in Kingston, NY present publicly for the first time their stories and poems generated during a series of writing workshops led by poet Mark Nowak.

Un Paso Adelante: Poets from the Workers Justice Center

Amiri Baraka reads “Rhythm Travel” at the 2008 Beyond Margins Celebration.


Amiri Baraka Reads “Rhythm Travel”

The celebrated poet reads the seminal letter of political protest, in which she became the first and only person to date to refuse the highest honor bestowed upon an artist on behalf of the people. Background and discussion: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/05/16/adrienne-rich-national-medal-of-arts-letter/

Adrienne Rich declines the National Medal of Arts, 1997

PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect open expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world.  Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible.


Un Paso Adelante: Poets from the Workers Justice Center

PEN America

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