from the Altadena Library

Three Latinas—performance poet, writer, and artist Vibiana Aparicio-Chamberlin; poet, author, curator, and columnist for Pasadena SGV Journal, Gerda Govine Ituarte; and author, poet, editor, and writing consultant, Thelma T. Reyna—will read their poetry (some in Spanish) at Altadena Library on Thursday, October 17 at 7 PM in the Library Community Room.

This event is the second of the ALTA-L.A. Third Thursday Poetry Series hosted by Linda Dove, the library’s Poet Laureate. This free series is sponsored by the Friends of the Altadena Library. Open mic readers may perform their poems in either Spanish or English. This event is supported by Poets & Writers, Inc. through a grant it has received from the James Irvine Foundation.

• Vibiana Aparicio-Chamberlin is a prize-winning performance poet and artist. She has received awards from the cities of Pasadena, Duarte and Los Angeles; the State Assembly and Senate; Pasadena Councilman Victor Gordo; Mayor William Bogaard of Pasadena; and three City proclamations from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Excerpts from her memoirs have been published in the Pasadena Weekly. Her poetry has been published in Inscape Literary Magazine, Pasadena City College; Poetry & Cookies Anthology, in 2010, 2011, and 2012, 2013, published by the Altadena Library; and Dismantle: Anthology of Writers of Color, Berkeley. Vibi has also written for the Huntington Gardens journal,The Tattler, and served as editorial writer for the Pasadena Eagle. She has been interviewed on KPFK’s Pocho Hour of Power, performed in the films El Otro Mexico and Language of Passion, Mexico City. A playlet based on her political life was performed at Plaza de la Raza, L.A., in 2012. website: artediosa.com; blog: bluemilagro.wordpress.com
• Dr. Gerda Govine Ituarte  is a poet, author, curator, and columnist for the Pasadena SGV Journal and Frontera Esquina, a poetry magazine published in Mexico. Her Oh, Where is My Candle Hat? is a poetry art book in English and Spanish with translation and artwork by her husband, Luis Ituarte. A special feature includes a CD of poems by poet and artist in both languages. Gerda also serves as a consultant for the California Fair Employment and Housing Administration and is an appointed member of the of LA County Commission for Women. She is also CEO of G. GovineConsulting, which provides expert witness, litigation consultation, training, writing and public speaking in the area of human resources, with an emphasis on diversity and inclusion. She was born in the Virgin Islands and lives with her husband in Pasadena and Tijuana. At the library event Gerda will read her poems in English and Luis will read them in Spanish. http://www.govineconsults.com/
• Dr. Thelma T. Reyna an is an author, poet, editor, and writing consultant. Her stories, poems, essays, book reviews, and other nonfiction have been published in literary and academic journals, textbooks, anthologies, blogs, and in regional media for over 30 years. Her first book, The Heavens Weep for Us and Other Stories (2009) received four national honors. Her first poetry chapbook, Breath & Bone (2011), was a Semi-Finalist in the 2010 National Poetry Chapbook Competition by Finishing Line Press, as was her second poetry book, Hearts in Common (2013) in the 2012 competition. Dr. Reyna writes the blogs “American Latina/o Writers Today” (http://www.LatinoWritersToday.blogspot.com ) and “The Literary Self” (http://www.TheLiterarySelf.blogspot.com ). She is a guest blooger on two other blogs and writes a series of book reviews for the blog, Lagtinopia.com. Thelma is also an editor, ghost writer, and writing consultant with her business, The Writing Pros, based in Pasadena, CA (http://TheWritingPros.com).