Pasadena Black History Month Magazine - February 2023 | Pages 49 & 50
PASADENA ROSE POETS TO HOLD POEM READING FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH
written by KEAITH CALAYAG
A blonde figure covered with white painting the images of Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, and Malcolm X, can be seen in the famous painting. Widely shared on social media, the image has been embraced as a powerful reminder of the importance of teaching and preserving Black history.
"That sends quite a message that's very heavy," Ituarte said, referring to the painting. "And also there have been a lot of things going on with the Asian community also in terms of the murders that took place over the last week or so."
"So there's some themes that pull us in. And the whole issue of the push to erase black history from schools and colleges and universities. So there seems to be an added push."
As a poet, Ituarte believes the poems that will be read by the PRP will touch more people and give them hope.
'Words can be a bridge because words in poetic form can usually touch more people as opposed to a paper or video. It ends up being more personal."
"And the other part, sometimes, we end up writing about things that people have been thinking about or concerned about, and we are able to connect with each other. So it's about keeping our hope alive."
WORDS CAN BE A BRIDGE BECAUSE WORDS IN POETIC FORM CAN USUALLY TOUCH MORE PEOPLE AS OPPOSED TO A PAPER OR VIDEO. IT ENDS UP BEING MORE PERSONAL.
To attend the event which is scheduled on Feb. 9 from 5-6:30 p.m., sign up through: https://pasadena.evanced.info/signup/EventDetails?Eventid=7378
A National Endowment for the Arts grant to the City of Pasadena Cultural Affairs Division established PRP in 2016.
Over the years, the nine-member PRP has read poems at events in various areas inside and outside Los Angeles County. Prior to the pandemic, the group has read poems at City Council meetings.
Their goal is "to have poetry flow within the fabric of Pasadena."
"Poetry's usually left out of everything. It's music and dance and so on and so forth.And so we're blazing a trail so that when people think of Pasadena, they'll think of poetry," said Ituarte.