Taking a Bite of the Big Apple

I just returned from an extremely productive trip to New York City. Wet and cold, I still got around in my favorite subway system (I’m partial to subways—I’ve ridden them all over the United States, Mexico City, and Europe). I was also on the Larry Davidson Cable TV show “Writers on the Vine” in Long Island, and radios shows such as WPAT-FM with Gene Heinmeyer, WOR-AM with Joey Reynolds, and Sirius Satellite Radio with Dave Marsh. At the high rise offices of Sirius Satellite Radio, I got to see the construction of Howard Stern’s new studio for his move there in January.

Dave Marsh, an old friend and editor of Rock & Rap Confidential , one of the first publications that ever published my work, also played host to my visit, including moderating a rich dialogue on health care at the American Federation of Musicians Hall, Local 802, in Manhattan. A potent group of people showed up, including local labor leaders like Joe Delia of Local 802 and Susan Borenstein of the AFL-CIO; jazz trumpeter Jimmy Owens; actors Mark Weber, Tim Dowlin, and Rocco Rasanio; James Bernard, co-founder of The Source magazine and labor organizer; Susan Brennan, poet and organizer for Acts of Art; among others.

The lack of decent and affordable health care in this country is becoming the cutting edge issue of our day. Joann Lundy of the Physicians for a National Health Plan also attended with information on the importance of a single payer health plan for every person in the country. Why not? People are dying (and we’re spending more on taxes and out of our pockets) with the so-called system we have now.

The present health care system’s primary purpose is to keep a multi-billion dollar insurance and health industry profitable—while increasingly more Americans are being pushed out of paid health care plans.

We deserve the best health care possible—we’ve all worked hard for it and have fought for it with the lives of our sons and daughters. We can’t keep maintaining a society where health care, decent housing, good schools, and other basic needs are available only to those who can afford it. The rich and powerful must not dictate our policies and values.

I also did a wonderful workshop at the Bowery Poetry Club, run by my old friend Bob Holman, as part of their Study Abroad on the Bowery program. Another friend, and Chicago transplant, Tara Betts, an amazing poet in her own right, is now working there and she did an amazing job putting these workshops together.

With the help of some friends in the New York City public library system (and writer friends like Patricia Spears Jones), I also got to talk to a group of alternative school students in East Harlem’s Aguilar Branch on 110th Street. We had a wonderful time—their questions were thoughtful and engaging.

It reminded me of the trip I had to the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court Detention Center in Cleveland earlier in October—where I spoke to about 300 young men and women awaiting trials for various crimes. They were also attentive, respectful, and full of questions. These have become some of my favorite audiences.

The rest of my time in New York City involved meetings with my agent and editors and good friends (although I did miss a couple of important meetings—just not enough subway trains or time to do it all). All in all, I value my time in the Big Apple whenever I can get there, a city I’ve been visiting for some 25 years now.

I was reminded how I took a leading role in the American Writers Congress in the fall of 1981, sponsored by The Nation magazine and others organizations, that helped create the National Writers Union (where I was an active member for many years). I had come as part of the LA Latino Writers Association, representing East LA and including writers like Helena Viramontes and Manual “Manazar” Gamboa. This gathering eventually helped us gain a national presence in the arts and the media after decades of working and writing in the LA area (and being largely ignored by most publishers and media).

Now Latinos have inroads that never existed before—including the success of one of my publishers, Rayo Books of HarperCollins, headed by my editor and friend, Rene Alegria (with whom I had a short but meaningful talk during my current visit).

As always, Latino writers have a long way to go—but our place in American letters is irreversible. Although some people may try to change this, we’re here to stay.

New Books, New Cities

Last week, I spoke at two continuation high schools – the Cesar Chavez School in Santa Ana and the Mission School in San Fernando. Wonderful students – the kind some people may think are too much trouble, perhaps not worth dealing with. Yet, the students were respectful, attentive, and smart. It happens that their teachers and administrators are the ones who do give a damn.

One of those schools had close to 400 students; the other around 40. They were mostly Latino. When I was a teenager, and after getting kicked out of two regular schools, I tried to attend a continuation high school in the west San Gabriel Valley. I didn’t last one day – I got into a fight outside the school with a group of barrio rivals.

A few years after Always Running was published, Century Continuation High School in Alhambra invited me to speak. They treated me like an alumni – with a sign that said something like “Welcome Back.” I felt embarrassed since my time there was short.

Something similar happened in El Paso, Texas where I was born although I never lived there (my family lived across the border in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua). When I first got there in the early 1990s to speak and read, they treated me like a native son. Again, it was their big hearts and natural flow of abrazos that made me one of theirs despite my minimal ties (I now have many life-long friends there).

Just a couple of examples at how many wonderful people there are in this world.

Of course, now I go to regular schools, continuation and alternative schools, juvenile detention centers, and youth prison on a regular basis. I’m even on the board of the HeArt Project – which brings art and teachers of art to continuation schools in LA County.

I have a special place in my heart for these kind of institutions.

At the Chavez and Mission schools, I was given the best receptions. We also had the most amazing discussions.

Presently, I’m in Cleveland, Ohio – home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I spoke today at the central library – again, we had the bountiful and comprehensive talks. Tomorrow I visit a juvenile detention center. The topics include my writings, my activism, my talks – but also the most pressing issues of the day.

“Always Running” has now been re-issued by the paperback publishing house, Touchstone Books/Simon & Schuster. A new life for a book that has already had more than 20 printings and around 250,000 copies sold. Because of the new edition (it has a new cover, new introduction, and a study guide) I’ve been coming to more schools and juvenile institutions. I’ve spoken on various radio and TV shows from around the country; and few print interviews have also been conducted. The book has had an amazing impact on young people – and with many communities. I’m honored that it continues to do well twelve years after it was first published (by Curbstone Press in 1993).

The timing coincides with the publication of my fourth poetry collection, again with Curbstone, called “My Nature is Hunger: New & Selected Poems, 1989-2004.” While I’m doing readings at various LA-area bookstores for “Always Running,” Tia Chucha’s Café Cultural , will sponsor a book release party for the new poetry book on November 5 at around 6 PM. Also on hand will be Mark Vallen, who created an oil painting specifically for the poetry book called “My Nature is Hunger.” Books, prints, and posters will be available for sale.

I’m glad I’ve been able to get a novel, a new poetry book, and the reissue of my memoir done this year (my poetry/music CD, “My Name’s Not Rodriguez,” has also been reissued this year). I have to keep writing – in spite of my intense travel schedule, my work for the bookstore/café/cultural center, time with my family, and my other political/social activities.

It’s young people like those at Chavez and Mission that makes this all worthwhile. The issues in my books, even if fiction, are more complicated and substantial than many books being published today. It may be not be an advantage to have such content, but it is vital. We need more important books, imaginative ideas, and an expanded conversation about where we’re going as a country – and where we need to be.