First Multilingual Creative Writing Conference in NYC
Under the lofty skyline of Manhattan, at the crossroads of cultures and tongues, the City College of New York played host to an ambitious celebration of creativity this November. The inaugural International Multilingual Creative Writing Conference (IMCWC), founded by the poet and scholar Dr. Carlos Aguasaco, not only showcased the transformative power of literature but also firmly established itself as a crucible for multilingual artistry.
Conceived as a confluence of languages and perspectives, the conference brought together an eclectic ensemble of poets, academics, translators, and storytellers from across the Americas, Europe, Asia and beyond. At its heart lay a singular mission: to elevate the boundless potential of cross-cultural literary exchange.
The event unfolded over three days, seamlessly blending panels, performances, and poetry readings. Day One set the tone with “Exploring the Intersections of Poetry and Storytelling”, where film and poetry merged to transcend genre. Highlights included the American premiere of Solidarity Hourglass by Alessandro Bassi De La Hoz, which intricately wove audiovisual storytelling with multilingual poetics, and a stirring bilingual poetry session led by Alexandra Elizabeth Rios Newton, whose reflections on displacement and belonging resonated with the audience.
By evening, the auditorium transformed into a literary time machine with "Back to the Future: Celebrating 20 Years of Hostos Review." Authors like Norma Elia Cantú and Sandra Guzmán paid homage to two decades of groundbreaking Latine voices. The evening crescendoed with readings by Lila Zemborain, Carmen Boullosa and Alvaro Enrigue, whose explorations blurred the line between prose and poetic introspection.
Perhaps the most striking feature of the conference was its kaleidoscopic embrace of languages. Panels like “Translation and Co-Translation” examined the alchemy of linguistic migration, with scholars delving into the aesthetics of polyglot literature. Elsewhere, in “Babel: Multilingual Poetry”, poets from Italy, Algeria, and China echoed themes of longing and identity in a linguistic symphony spanning Arabic, Spanish, and Mandarin.
Notably, the conference recognized translation not merely as a technical skill but as a deeply creative process. Translation as a form of rewriting the soul.
Day Two’s keynote event, “Amplifying Latinx Voices: The Role of Latino Book Review in Expanding Narratives”, featured Dr. Rossy Evelin Lima, the award-winning poet and executive director of Latino Book Review who spoke gracefully about our platform and the yearly call for submissions to our literary journal. The panel included our Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Gerald Padilla, whose impassioned address that underscored the urgency of elevating marginalized voices in the literary world in the United States. Lastly, the panel also included the amazing host of Latino Book Review Presents, Dr. Héctor Rendón, who highlighted the significance of our podcast as a crucial historical archive of our narratives.
Their words carried particular weight as the conference dovetailed with the Americas Poetry Festival of New York, a marquee event showcasing voices like Monica Guerra, Pedro Poitevin, Christopher Carmona and Alex Lima, among many others. Together, they painted a vivid tableau of resistance, resilience, and reinvention.
Beyond celebrating the written word, the IMCWC tackled vital questions about pedagogy and inclusivity. Panels such as “Teaching Creative Writing in Immigrant Landscapes” and “Equity Through Indigenous Literature” grappled with how educators and practitioners can dismantle linguistic hierarchies and foster spaces of equity.
The final act unfolded at the Instituto Cervantes, where attendees gathered to celebrate Giannina Braschi’s audaciously genre-defying Putinoika. The evening reached its pinnacle with Espido Freire’s captivating speech, which delved into the intricate intersections of storytelling, memory, and identity, leaving the audience both inspired and introspective. The conference concluded on a sparkling note with a champagne reception, a fitting toast to the rich tapestry of voices and ideas that had defined the event.
As attendees departed, their suitcases undoubtedly carried not just program booklets but also ideas and inspirations that would ripple through their work. The IMCWC may have concluded, but its echoes—a dialogue across nations and generations—will undoubtedly linger.
In a city known for its polyphony, the International Multilingual Creative Writing Conference added a new voice, reminding us that creativity, much like language itself, knows no borders.
Conceived as a confluence of languages and perspectives, the conference brought together an eclectic ensemble of poets, academics, translators, and storytellers from across the Americas, Europe, Asia and beyond. At its heart lay a singular mission: to elevate the boundless potential of cross-cultural literary exchange.
The event unfolded over three days, seamlessly blending panels, performances, and poetry readings. Day One set the tone with “Exploring the Intersections of Poetry and Storytelling”, where film and poetry merged to transcend genre. Highlights included the American premiere of Solidarity Hourglass by Alessandro Bassi De La Hoz, which intricately wove audiovisual storytelling with multilingual poetics, and a stirring bilingual poetry session led by Alexandra Elizabeth Rios Newton, whose reflections on displacement and belonging resonated with the audience.
By evening, the auditorium transformed into a literary time machine with "Back to the Future: Celebrating 20 Years of Hostos Review." Authors like Norma Elia Cantú and Sandra Guzmán paid homage to two decades of groundbreaking Latine voices. The evening crescendoed with readings by Lila Zemborain, Carmen Boullosa and Alvaro Enrigue, whose explorations blurred the line between prose and poetic introspection.
Perhaps the most striking feature of the conference was its kaleidoscopic embrace of languages. Panels like “Translation and Co-Translation” examined the alchemy of linguistic migration, with scholars delving into the aesthetics of polyglot literature. Elsewhere, in “Babel: Multilingual Poetry”, poets from Italy, Algeria, and China echoed themes of longing and identity in a linguistic symphony spanning Arabic, Spanish, and Mandarin.
Notably, the conference recognized translation not merely as a technical skill but as a deeply creative process. Translation as a form of rewriting the soul.
Day Two’s keynote event, “Amplifying Latinx Voices: The Role of Latino Book Review in Expanding Narratives”, featured Dr. Rossy Evelin Lima, the award-winning poet and executive director of Latino Book Review who spoke gracefully about our platform and the yearly call for submissions to our literary journal. The panel included our Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Gerald Padilla, whose impassioned address that underscored the urgency of elevating marginalized voices in the literary world in the United States. Lastly, the panel also included the amazing host of Latino Book Review Presents, Dr. Héctor Rendón, who highlighted the significance of our podcast as a crucial historical archive of our narratives.
Their words carried particular weight as the conference dovetailed with the Americas Poetry Festival of New York, a marquee event showcasing voices like Monica Guerra, Pedro Poitevin, Christopher Carmona and Alex Lima, among many others. Together, they painted a vivid tableau of resistance, resilience, and reinvention.
Beyond celebrating the written word, the IMCWC tackled vital questions about pedagogy and inclusivity. Panels such as “Teaching Creative Writing in Immigrant Landscapes” and “Equity Through Indigenous Literature” grappled with how educators and practitioners can dismantle linguistic hierarchies and foster spaces of equity.
The final act unfolded at the Instituto Cervantes, where attendees gathered to celebrate Giannina Braschi’s audaciously genre-defying Putinoika. The evening reached its pinnacle with Espido Freire’s captivating speech, which delved into the intricate intersections of storytelling, memory, and identity, leaving the audience both inspired and introspective. The conference concluded on a sparkling note with a champagne reception, a fitting toast to the rich tapestry of voices and ideas that had defined the event.
As attendees departed, their suitcases undoubtedly carried not just program booklets but also ideas and inspirations that would ripple through their work. The IMCWC may have concluded, but its echoes—a dialogue across nations and generations—will undoubtedly linger.
In a city known for its polyphony, the International Multilingual Creative Writing Conference added a new voice, reminding us that creativity, much like language itself, knows no borders.
| COMPLETE CONFERENCE PROGRAM |
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