Letras Latinas

University of Notre Dame
1608 Rhode Island Avenue, Suite 348
Washington, D.C.
202-974-6281

Letras Latinas
Letras Latinas, the literary program of the Institute for Latino Studies, seeks to enhance the visibility, appreciation, and study of Latino literature both on and off the campus of the University of Notre Dame with a focus on projects that identify and support emerging Latino/a writers. Letras Latinas actively collaborates with individuals and organizations to more effectively carry out its mission.

New Voices
New experiences give rise to new forms of expression. The social transformation of the US Latino community over the past 30 years has inspired a new generation of Latino authors and poets whose work speaks both to the Latino community and to a broader audience. Letras Latinas encourages these new voices to take their place in the evolving story of America.

Current Projects
Letras Latinas Blog
In acknowledgment of the role the blogosphere has assumed in contemporary culture, the literary program of the Institute for Latino Studies at the University of Notre Dame has launched its weblog, Letras Latinas Blog. The Blog provides informal commentary on Latino letters with posts from the director, as well as guests--particularly as it pertains to Letras Latinas' stated mission. Contributions range from informal comments to impromptu interviews to general announcements.
http://latinopoetryreview.blogspot.com/

The Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize
Launched in 2004 and the only initiative of its kind in the United States, the Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize supports a first book by a Latino/a poet in the Institute for Latino Studies’ series with University of Notre Dame Press. The Montoya Prize has also formed a partnership with the Cave Canem Prize and Guild Complex in order to carry out joint residencies and presentations featuring winners of these first-book prizes for Latino/a and African American poets.
http://latinostudies.nd.edu/poetry_prize/

Momotombo Press
Housed at the Institute since 2003 and named after a volcano in Nicaragua, Momotombo Press is a literary press that publishes new works in Latino literature in the chapbook format, with particular emphasis on writers who have yet to publish a full-length book. The press aims to provide emerging artists with a significant publication at a crucial phase in their careers. Momotombo titles have been adopted in various college classrooms around the country.
http://www.momotombopress.com/

Palabra Pura
A partnership with the Guild Complex, a community-based literary organization in Chicago, Palabra Pura is a Letras Latinas outreach program whose aim is to present the work, in live performance, of Latino/a poets from around the United States. Currently in its third season, Palabra Pura has received support from the Illinois Council on the Humanities, the Joyce Foundation, and other local entities.
http://www.guildcomplex.org/

Latino Poetry Review (LPR)
The only journal of its kind in the United States, Latino Poetry Review publishes book reviews, essays, and interviews with an eye towards spurring inquiry and dialogue. LPR recognizes that Latino/a poets in the 21st century embrace, and work out of, a multitude of aesthetics. With this in mind, the critical focus is the poem and its poetics. LPR was launched in 2008.
http://www.latinopoetryreview.com/

Letras Latinas Residency Fellowship
In an effort to provide valuable time and space to an emerging artist, Letras Latinas has partnered with the Anderson Center for Interdisciplinary Studies at Tower View, a member of the Alliance of Artist Communities. Every year Letras Latinas identifies one emerging writer who will especially benefit from this fellowship. In addition to room and board for one month, the Letras Latinas Fellow receives a stipend for travel and other expenses. He or she also takes part in a community activity in Red Wing, Minnesota. To learn more about the Anderson Center, visit: http://andersoncenter.org.

Poetas y Pintores: Artists Conversing with Verse
A multidisciplinary initiative that pairs twelve Latino/a artists with twelve Latino/a poets, Poetas y Pintores is a traveling exhibition that has landed in New York, NY, Los Angeles, CA, San Diego, CA, Michigan City, IN, and Albuquerque, NM, in addition to Saint Mary’s College in Indiana where the project was launched. A joint effort with the Center for Women’s InterCultural Leadership at Saint Mary’s, the project is funded, in part, by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
http://poetasypintores.com/

“Chloe’s Cabaret: Poetry, Music, Coffee, Conversation”
A partnership with the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center (DPAC) at Notre Dame and the Creative Writing Program, this initiative transforms the Philbin Studio Theatre into a café for the purpose of presenting poetry and music to the campus community and the community at large. Poets who have appeared so far include: Victor Hernández Cruz, Tracie Morris, Barbara Jane Reyes, Tyehimba Jess, and Naomi Ayala.
http://performingarts.nd.edu/

Letras Latinas Oral History Project
Letras Latinas, under the direction of the archivist at the Institute, conducts video interviews with Latino/a writers. The goal is to provide a resource on the web for students, scholars, and the general reader alike. More established Latino/a authors who have visited Notre Dame have been interviewed, but Letras Latinas’ niche is new voices in Latino literature.
http://latinostudies.nd.edu/history/search.php

Letras Latinas Young Writers Initiative
The Young Writers Initiative offers support to Latino/a youth who are aspiring writers. The project is a collaboration between Letras Latinas and Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago and the Young Writers Workshop at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. The initiative offers a four-day program designed to give high school students the chance to explore and develop their talents in poetry and prose writing.
http://latinostudies.nd.edu/letras/initiative.php

Latino Poetry Community.Org
Launched in 2007 by the Hispanic Research Center at Arizona State University in collaboration with Letras Latinas, this project aims to provide a comprehensive website on Latino poetry for various constituencies, including students, scholars and members of the community at large. This initiative is supported, in part, by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
http://www.latinopoetrycommunity.org

The Wind Shifts: New Latino Poetry on Tour*
With funding from the National Association of Latino Art and Culture (NALAC) and logistical support from the Guild Complex, Letras Latinas has planned a six-city two-year tour featuring the authors in The Wind Shifts: New Latino Poetry (University of Arizona Press, 2007). Proposed destinations are: Palm Beach, FL, Minneapolis, MN, Seattle, WA, San José, CA, Chicago, IL and New York, NY. Launch date: February 23, 2008 in Palm Beach, FL. The volume was edited by Francisco Aragón, who currently directs Letras Latinas.
http://www.guildcomplex.org

The Letras Latinas Endowment
Thanks to the generosity of a private donor, Letras Latinas is pleased to announce the creation of a modest endowment. The initial beneficiary, at the request of the donor, is the Letras Latinas Young Writers Initiative. As the endowment grows, however, funds will be earmarked for ongoing projects that are consistent with our mission. One long-term goal is to endow the directorship of Letras Latinas, currently occupied by its founding director, Francisco Aragón (MFA, University of Notre Dame ’03).
http://latinostudies.nd.edu/letras/endowment.php

Letras Latinas is directed by Francisco Aragón.
For more information, visit: http://franciscoaragon.net/

* funds pending