Mariposa to Ntozake

Poet Mariposa dedicates a poem to Ntozake Shange, poet, playwright, author of "For Colored Girls Only Who Considered Suicide When The Rainbow's Enuff" during the Pedro Pietri Hand Awards presented by El Puerto Rican Embassy and El Centro de Estudios Puertorriqueños and held at Hunter College, NYC 2009. This event was video recorded by Berta Jottar for El Puerto Rican Embassy. Ms. Shange was one of the honorees along with Miriam Colón, actor and founder of the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, José "Chegui" Torres, first Puerto Rican Light Heavyweight Champion of the World, journalist and best selling author, Dylcia Pagán, Activist, visual artist, filmmaker, Tato Laviera, poet, playwright, and Carlos Ortíz, photographer, filmmaker. The Annual and not so Annual Pedro Pietri Hand Award honors the memory of one of the most gifted poets/playwrights of the 20th Century
and was created to recognize significant artistic and cultural contributions by Puerto Rican/Nuyorican poets, artists, musicians and political activists working in their respective fields today. The Pedro Pietri Hand Awards were hosted by Adál Maldonado and Mariposa and featured performances by Jesús Papoleto Meléndez, Pepo Saavedra, Cindy SugaRush Casado, Tato Laviera, Frank Méndez, El Viejito Bismarck. The Pedro Pietri Hand Award was designed by Adál Maldonado with a ring designed in collaboration with artist Olga Ayala.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• poetry
• nuyoricans
• puerto ricans
• performance art
• mariposa
• jesus papoleto melendez
• miguel algarin
• ntozake shange
• tato laviera
• jose chegui torres
• dylcia pagan
• cindy sugarush casado
• adal maldonado
• raquel z. rivera
• el viejito bismarck
• dada
• pedro pietri
• el puerto rican embassy

[adalito3]

Thank you Berta Jottar for a magnificent job video recording this event for us...Adál

[liz70896]

refreshing

[mjvillafane]

This has been one of the most wonderful moments that poetry awakens, watching the emotions that the poetry of Mariposa caused in Ntozake´s soul could be felt throuth the lense of the video camera. The trembling of a voice that was directed to someone who has endured the sayings of her voice. I feel priviledged to have been able to witness in the distance such a beautiful moment that has touched my life and soul. I am very proud of you Mariposa!!! Beso María Juliana Villafañe

[mjvillafane]

This has been one of the most wonderful moments that poetry awakens, watching the emotions that the poetry of Mariposa caused in Ntozake soul could be felt throuth the lense of the video camera. The trembling of a voice that was directed to someone who has endured the sayings of her voice. I feel priviledged to have been able to witness in the distance such a beautiful moment that has touched my life and soul. I am very proud of you Mariposa!!! Beso María Juliana Villafañe

[Hungrybear9562]

Great poem and reading! I live in Mariposa and get rainbows on a regular basis.

[Paquitin]

Mari you were great!

Really happy to be part of the program and feel the electricity

of the event.

Good job Adal.

Frank Perez

[raquelzrivera]

This was, no doubt, the highlight of that night. Extremely powerful. Thank you, Mariposa!

[poetatremenda]

Thank you Adal and much love & thanks to El Puerto Rican Embassy for giving me the great honor of presenting the Pedro Pietri Hand Award to Ntozake Shange. Posthumous thanks to Pedro Pietri for taking Ntozake under your poetic wing when she was only 19 years old. And finally, thank you Ntozake, thank you for never ever giving up abd being the powerful woman that you are. Mucho amor! Ever grateful, Mariposa

[kazarnyc]

too long since my heart was treated to poetry that great, thanks for posting