Join us for an afternoon of poetry here at Avenue 50 Studio or through the facebook live!

Our Featured Poets:

Brenda Vaca is a Xicana poet, author, and independent publisher from Sejatnga, Unceded Tongva Territory, known as South Whittier, CA. She earned her B.A. in English at U.C.Berkeley with a Minor in Creative Writing. Later she went on to graduate school in Berkeley earning a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Biblical Languages from the Pacific School of Religion and Graduate Theological Union. She served as an ordained Elder working primarily in “Latinx” communities with the United Methodist Church for 10 years until an interfaith pilgrimage to Central America in August 2015 altered the course of her life. Poetry and writing have been lifelong passions. Riot of Roses is her debut collection of poetry published by her indie house, Riot of Roses Publishing House. She is currently working on her first children’s book, Buttonz Finds His Mojo, under the imprint Oh My Gatos Books. She is the host of the weekly Instagram live series “Friday Fire” and the monthly co-host of “The Post Up” open mic at Uptown Plants Casa Verde LA in Uptown Whittier, CA.

Carlos Ornelas the self proclaimed poet laureate of the triangle of bermuda, he is the first Author from the CLI program with his debut poetry book titled, “Ketchup”. His upcoming Poetry Collection, “Villains Vernacular”, will be released this summer by Riot of Roses Publishing House. He is the former press manager for World Stage Press. He has been a guest speaker in coffehouses, libraries, classrooms and zoom meetings throughout the western Hemisphere. His poems have been published here and there. An associate and supporter of the Sims Library of Poetry, he is at the forefront of what he refers to as, the Chicano Renaissance, from Lynwood, California, please welcome Carlos Ornelas.