SESSION 3A - BECOMING: A POET IN THE MIDWEST SPEAKS BY ANGELA TRUDELL VÁSQUEZ
10:00 - 10:30 AM Central Time, Friday October 15th
How does one become a writer? A poet? An artist? How does this happen and what do you do with your talent? How do you publish your work? What should you know before you self-publish a collection or pursue an MFA? Plus, a few words on editing, activism, and honoring our literary ancestors.
Madison Poet Laureate Angie Trudell Vásquez began writing at the age of seven. Today she has her own small press, has edited more than a few publications, and her fourth collection of poetry will be published in 2022. She will talk about what worked for her and what did not, where she found support, how she became a literary citizen wherever she happened to live, and more importantly what keeps her going back to the page.
Short presentation followed by live Q&A. This is one of 10 sessions at the conference. You do not need a separate ticket to join this session.
ANGELA TRUDELL VÁSQUEZ
Angie Trudell Vasquez is a poet, writer, teacher, and activist.
She is the current City of Madison Poet Laureate, and the first Latina to hold the position. Angie Trudell Vasquez received her MFA in poetry from the Institute of American Indian Arts. Her work was recently featured by Tracy K. Smith, former U.S. Poet Laureate, on the poetry podcast, The Slow Down, which is broadcast daily on Minnesota Public Radio.
Most recently her work has been published in Taos Journal of Poetry, Yellow Medicine Review, Raven Chronicles, The Rumpus, Cloudthroat, and the South Florida Poetry Journal. She has poems on the Poetry Foundation’s website, and was a Ruth Lilly fellow while at Drake University.
In 2018 she was a finalist for the New Women’s Voices series and her book, In Light, Always Light, her third collection of poetry, was published by Finishing Line Press in May 2019. She guest edited the Spring 2019 edition of the Yellow Medicine Review with Millissa Kingbird.
In 2020, she co-edited a collection with former Wisconsin Poet Laureate, Margaret Rozga, entitled Through This Door, and published under her small press Art Night Books. Finishing Line Press will release her fourth collection of poetry, My People Redux, in 2022. It is available for pre-order now.
She also serves as the current Chair for the Wisconsin Poet Laureate Commission.