Pasadena Black History Month Magazine - February 2023 | Pages 47 & 48
PASADENA ROSE POETS TO HOLD POEM READING FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH
written by KEAITH CALAYAG
The nine-member Pasadena Rose Poets (PRP) will read poems at an online event in celebration of the Black History Month.
PRP Founder Gerda Govine Ituarte said the poems will be about the African-American history "through the eyes of our own families and through the eyes of other poets."
At the online poem reading event, the PRP will read some of their works and the works of other poets.
"It's more than just about us reading our own work because we think it's important to have perspective and to have different voices," Ituarte said/We don't put up any false barriers. We just let it flow based on what each of us think we would like to read."
According to Ituarte, PRP members Teresa Mei Chuc, Hazel Clayton Harrison and Toni Mosley will attend the online event.
Personally, Ituarte said Black History Month gives poets a time to process their feelings and emotions about African Americans who struggled and are struggling with adversity.
Ituarte said she herself got inspired to write a piece about Black History Month upon seeing Jonathan Harris' viral painting called "Critical Race Theory."
"...THE POEMS WILL BE ABOUT THE AFRICAN - AMERICAN HISTORY "THROUGH THE EYES OF OUR OWN FAMILIES AND THROUGH THE EYES OF OTHER POETS."