All voices are important, and yet it seems that people of color have a lot to say, particularly if you look through the poetry of young people - a lot of questions and a lot of concerns about immigration and security issues, you name it - big questions. Juan Felipe Herrera bigcolorconcern share on social
Let's detox our cluttered academic brain. That's what the poet does. People call it daydreaming, detoxing our minds and taking care of that clutter. It's being able to let in call letters from the poetry universe. Juan Felipe Herrera academicbraincall share on social
Sometimes I have a very fleeting emotional dance with a fleeting phrase, like 'half-Mexican.' Juan Felipe Herrera danceemotionalfleet Change image and share on social
Poetry is a call to action, and it also is action. Juan Felipe Herrera actioncallpoetry Change image and share on social
The goal for me is to be as expansive as possible, and the Library of Congress offers so many resources. Juan Felipe Herrera congressexpansivegoal Change image and share on social
We went from crop to crop, field to field. And my father had that army truck, a 1940s army truck from Fort Bliss, El Paso. Juan Felipe Herrera 1940sarmybliss Change image and share on social
If I can only be known as one thing, then, well, I guess it would be poet and performer and teacher. Juan Felipe Herrera guessperformerpoet Change image and share on social
My parents moved from ranch to ranch, valley to valley, town to town, but our roots in Fowler never really faded. For me, it's a place of history, stories and songs, not just facts and figures. Juan Felipe Herrera factfadefigure Change image and share on social
My mother was a great storyteller and a great historian in her own way. She only made it to third grade. She came from Mexico City at the tail end of the Mexican Revolution and that kind of turmoil and chaos and frenzy and also excitement. Juan Felipe Herrera chaoscityend share on social
First grade was - I spoke only Spanish, and second grade - probably a bit more English. And by the time I hit third grade, I was learning, of course, much, much more English. Juan Felipe Herrera biteenglishgrade Change image and share on social
