Tribute to Pedro Pietri

This tribute to Pedro Pietri was presented at the Nuyorican Poets Café on April 1, 2006 when East Third Street in Lower Manhattan (Loisada) was officially renamed "Reverend Pedro Pietri Way."

Pedro Pietri (March 21, 1944-March 3, 2004), was a Nuyorican poet and playwright who also co-founded the Nuyorican Poets Café.

As representative of the literature of protest in Nuyorican culture, Pedro Pietri's work is a strong denunciation of the American system and of Western capitalism. To struggle against these forces, Pedro Pietri wrote in the tradition of Whitman in that he brought an epic voice to the Puerto Rican experience, inviting puertorriqueños to acquire a sense of dignity and pride in their heritage, and to avoid complete cultural assimilation. While his spirit and his works live on, Pedro Pietri remains sorely missed by the poetry community at large.

TRIBUTE TO PEDRO PIETRI was produced by Gabrielle David in conjunction with THE INTERCULTURAL ALLIANCE OF ARTISTS & SCHOLARS, INC., a NY-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that promotes multicultural literature and literacy. (http://www.theiaas.org) Copyright © 2002-2006.

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[TheCraigstreet]

Pedro Pietri, author of the Masses are Asses, and his friend Giannina Braschi, who wrote Yo-Yo Boing! are the funniest and most daring of the Puerto Rican New York voices. Great souls.

[shawanahh]

He Was Great. He Make me Laugh loe him RI

[ConcepcionPR]

R.I.P. Pedro Pietri, much love and respect. mi gente we have to fight for our culture, our language, our history, our race, our traiditions, and most importantly for our homeland. Puerto Rican Independence!

[kidtronic]

Closing time 1993 a Nuyorican. Friday night who is that giving lectures on AIDS and throwing condoms at tables of drunk poets. Who is that standing in front of the NY Public Library with a briefcase that says "Poems, one size fits all." Rent parties at the bodega, keep this card to get in. Kind words for all young poets.  And that poem at the end here, that beginning you wrote for the Young Lords so long ago, hell of poem still. Peace out from Canada, salut Reverend Pedro.

[rjhnyc]

Pedro was a real brother who could make you laugh or cry on a dime- any day, any place, anytime.

He was a real pisser who liked to smoke, "prende y pase" with a smile and a toke.

His voice was strong and shared around the town, Pedro- my brother, you helped us all get down.

You taught us how to laugh and to cry,

With this my brother I say goodbye.

"To be called negrito means to be called LOVE."

Roger from 106th Street y Madison.