This weekend, the serene atmosphere of the Steynberg Gallery will permeate with the voices of Chicano/Chicana poets and musical artists during Raza Speaks: Flor Y Canto, an evening of poetry and music.
The open-mic event will take place on Saturday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in honor of Cesar Chavez and the Mexican holiday Cinco de Mayo. While the planned presentations will revolve around themes of social awareness within and around the Chicano community, all forms of poetry are welcome. Any student or community member will be allowed to share their own poetry with the crowd.
“Poets are the eyes of God,” modern languages and literature professor and event host Gloria Velasquez said. “I think that poets and writers have a vision to promote social awareness and humanitarian goals. Poets see things and say things that other people can’t see or voice. Everyone has a different way of expressing themselves.”
This event follows a series of Flor y Canto festivals coordinated by Velásquez. The first was held two years ago in Guadalupe, a town near Santa Maria. Last fall, the event came to San Luis Obispo for the first time. Like Saturday’s presentation, that event was in honor of Hispanic Heritage month.
“It is about making this a better world,” Velasquez said of the event. “And that is what poets will be attempting to do at Steynberg Gallery come this Saturday evening.”
Velasquez explained that in pre-Colombian society, poets were held in high esteem, and during the Chicano rights movement, poetry readings based on the pre-Colombian concept of Flor Y Canto (flower and song) were held to raise awareness about the movement and have continued into today.
“Raza is a concept, the literal translation means race,” Velasquez said. “But as a concept that implies solidarity amongst Spanish people. It is a way of promoting social awareness and the impact of Cesar Chavez. Cinco de Mayo isn’t about drinking beer and having parties. It’s about Mexican history.”
Although past Flor y Canto events have featured indigenous dancers and musicians, this presentation will feature mostly readings that raise social consciousness about Chicano issues, although there will also be some musical presentations. She added that she chose the Steynberg as the venue because of its creative atmosphere.
As host of the event, Velásquez will open the evening samples of her own poetry and singing. Besides teaching at Cal Poly for 24 years, she is a well-known literary activist and award-winning writer.
Velasquez thinks that part of what makes Flor Y Canto special is that it comes from what she calls “old tradition.”
“I think that Chicano poetry is very unique, Chicano and Chicana poets are rooted in the old tradition and in the community,” she said, adding that it also does well representing common experiences among Chicano people innovatively.
“We come from the barrio and marginalized communities, and view creativity as a part of expressing social change and social awareness,” she said.