Puerto Rican Poet to Visit NMU

Award-winning Puerto Rican poet and author Mara Pastor will visit Northern Michigan University for two free events on Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 17-18.

Pastor is the author of six full-length poetry books in Spanish, as well as two bilingual chapbooks. She holds a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Michigan and is currently a professor and the academic leader of the creative writing and literature programs at the Universidad del Sagrado Corazon, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Her book, "Deuda Natal / Natal Debt," translated by María José Giménez and Anna Rosenwong, won the 2020 Ambroggio Award from the Academy of American Poets.

"Deuda Natal" showcases a variety of poems that are politically urgent and emotionally striking. It takes readers from the aftermath of Hurricane María in Puerto Rico to the communal efforts to rebuild and re-connect, tying in with the changing climate's global impact. It contains reflections on immigration, returns, debt, feminism, colonialism and ecological devastation while guiding readers toward grassroots and intimate alternatives.

On Wednesday, Sept. 17, Pastor will host a Spanish and English Reading from 6-7:30 p.m. in Jamrich 2315. She will read excerpts from her book, "Deuda Natal," focusing on the section "Paraisos perecederos / Perishable Paradises." Following the reading, there will be an opening for participants to ask questions and have conversation with the author.

On Thursday, Sept. 18, Pastor will lead a Poetry and Environment Workshop from 6:30-8 p.m. in Jamrich 2315. This workshop will focus specifically on poetry and the environment, giving participants a platform to learn more about the creative writing process.

These events are sponsored by the NMU Department of Languages, Literatures and International Studies, with additional support from the English Department, the Honors Program, and the College of Arts and Sciences.