UPRISING: Poesía de la Gente with Alma Rosa Azul at RCC

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Association of Latinx Advocating for Student Success (ALASS), in collaboration with the RCC Library and La Casa, hosted an open mic event, UPRISING: Poesía de la Gente, on September 24. The event featured the Chicana spoken word poet Alma Rosa Azul on the second floor of the Digital Library.

Alma Rosa Azul, a mother, poet, and co-founder of Barrio Fuerza in San Bernardino, captivated the audience with readings from her upcoming book Mariaposa, which explores themes of immigration, masculinity, and love. Her commanding presence and vulnerability inspired RCC students and faculty to step up to the mic and share their own poetry and spoken word creations, creating a unique sense of community and trust among all attendees.

One student, Jasmine Covarrubias, remarked:

"Alma was so real and vulnerable with us, and that created a space for student after student to share a piece of their lives and thoughts with us. They became vulnerable in such a safe space, a place where they feel heard and understood. It was really amazing to see it all unfold and for people to create such a big community in a short amount of time."

The event, sponsored by the Student Equity & Achievement Grant, provided a platform for artistic expression, reflection, and cultural pride as part of RCC’s broader commitment to celebrating diversity.

Follow-Up Poetry Events Featuring RCC’s Own Wendy Silva

As part of the UPRISING: Poesía de la Gente series, two additional poets—Donato Martinez and RCC’s very own English professor, Wendy L. Silva—took the stage in follow-up poetry events.

Wendy Silva, a queer Latinx poet and the daughter of Mexican immigrants shared her deeply personal and award-winning poetry with the RCC community. Silva, a Riverside City College professor, has been recognized for her outstanding contributions to the field, including the Academy of American Poets Prize and the Judy Kronenfeld Award in poetry. Her work has been featured in Line Rider Press, The Packinghouse Review, and the Acentos Review.

Donato Martinez, an immigrant from Garcia de la Cadena, Zacatecas, Mexico, and a professor at Santa Ana College, also graced the series with his poetry. Martinez is the author of Tacos de Lengua and Touch the Sky.

The UPRISING: Poesía de la Gente series continues to uplift voices and celebrate the power of poetry within the Latinx community, showcasing the talent from RCC and beyond.