Author Archives: arlene biala

Dear friends,
It has been a true blessing and honor to serve as your poet laureate for the last two years.  Maraming salamat, thank you, for deep support, inspiration, commitment, love, creative medicine and friendship as we continue to lift each other up and rage against all that tries to silence  us.  Thank you for sharing your voices and encouraging others at the mic, on the page, and on POETree leaves. 

Thank you for holding space for one another through art, resistance and compassion. I will continue on this journey with you, always. 

Here’s a little gift (video & editing credit to our girl Kiana. 13yr olds can do this stuff in their sleep!)

And finally: I am HELLAhappy that our new poet laureate for 2018-19 is our amazing friend Mighty Mike McGee!

We could not be in better hands 💜

One Love,

~ Arlene 

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Congratulations to the Cupertino Poetry Contest Winners!

I had the honor of selecting and presenting the poetry awards (Adult category) of the Cupertino Poetry Contest sponsored by outgoing Cupertino Poet Laureate, Ann Muto. Thank you, Ann, for your commitment and service to nurturing poetry in your city!

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Meet the 2018-19 Cupertino Poet Laureate:  Kaecey McCormick!

Kaecey was appointed by the Cupertino Library Commission in October. For more information, see the announcement and Kaecey McCormick’s website.

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Poetry at the Rotary Club of Campbell meeting on Nov. 14th

My thanks to Peter Allen, board president, for inviting me to share some poetry and talk about my experiences as SCCPL. To learn more about the organization and how to get involved, visit the Campbell Rotary Club website.

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Details on the Facebook event page.

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Details on the Facebook event page.

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Details on the Facebook event page.
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Details on the Facebook event page.

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Details and upcoming featured poets on Facebook group page.

Happy to be the featured poet on December 14th. Come out and help me celebrate my last gig as SCCPL!

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Other December events are listed on Poetry Center San Jose’s website, please see below and visit the website for updates.

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Stay Tuned! I will send a final blogpost in several weeks as my time as SCCPL draws to a close . . .

Saturday and Sunday, October 21 &22

Click here for details and tickets.
Don’t miss this full weekend of poetry performances, workshops and a small press book fair. 

POETree at VivaCalleSJ 

VivaCalleSJ is a free program that temporarily closes miles of San Jose streets to bring communities together to walk, bike, skate, and enjoy activities and performances at multiple “hubs” on the route. We had fun engaging people of all ages in the POETree in the morning at the City Hall hub.  

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It was an honor to emcee the poetry portion of the program at this celebration of REED.  Many thanks to Cathleen Miller, Center for Literary Arts director and REED editor-in-chief, for inviting me to participate, and to all who worked hard to create this significant event and publication!

You can purchase the current issue here.

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Application deadline is this Friday, September 29th!

Here are the application details.
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Sunday, October 15

Details on the Facebook event page.

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Saturday and Sunday, October 21 &22

Don’t miss this full weekend of poetry performances, workshops and a small press book fair. 

Details on the Facebook event page.

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Details on the Facebook event page.

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Details on the Facebook event page.

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Every Thursday! Check here for details.

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Thanks to all who came out to Cafe Stritch to celebrate the More Good Talk book release and learn more about how to apply for the SCCPL post for 2018-2019. The book is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble OR you can purchase it directly from me, Nils Peterson, Sally Ashton or David Perez. I will bring copies to upcoming local literary events such as the REED 150th Anniversary and San Jose Poetry Festival as well.

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Application Deadline is September 29th!

All details here!
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Thursday, August 31, 7:30pm

Details on the Facebook event page.

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Friday, September 1, 5:30pm

Details on the Facebook event page.

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Sunday, September 3

Details on the Facebook event page.

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Friday, September 8, 7pm

Details on the Facebook event page.

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Sunday, September 10, 1pm

Details on the Facebook event page.

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Tuesday, September 12, 7pm

Details on the Facebook event page.

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Sunday, September 17The POETree Pop Up will be rolling at Viva Calle 2017! Details to come.
Full Viva CalleSJ info on the Facebook event page.

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Tuesday, September 19, 6pm

Details on the Facebook event page.

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Friday, September 22, 7pm

Please join us for an evening of readings to celebrate the 150th anniversary of REED Magazine, the West’s oldest literary journal, founded on the San Jise State campus in 1867! Appetizers and drinks included.  

Center for Literary Arts director and REED editor-in-chief Cathleen Miller and I will be your MCs for the party!

Click here for details and to get tickets.

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Save the date! October 21 & 22

Details on the Facebook event page.

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News from our Cupertino Poet Laureate, Ann Muto:

The search is on for the next Santa Clara County Poet Laureate (January 2018 to December 2019 term). Nils, Sally, David and I will share work from a new collection of our poetry that will be available at the event. There will also be a Q&A session about the SCCPL application process, role, experiences, etc. 
PLUS: It’s at Cafe Stritch! Great food and drinks. Let’s GO.
Share this out . . . Here!

LitLumpiaFest2 was medicine. Salamat shout outs to everyone who came to share poetry, stories, food, music, art and energia!

Special thanks to:

School of Arts & Culture @MHP esp. Nelly Torres Jauregui 

Bloco Do Sol San Jose, Jimmy Biala &Yuko Tamura, full squad of drummers and dancers

Robert R. Ragazza, sangria master & most giving person and friend

Clarisse Antolin Pasag for veggie lumpia maker magic, Aunty Mer and Mama Glo

Lorenz Mazon Dumuk for sharing his beautiful jewelry and #HELLApoeta tees

And the stellar line up:

America Cihuapilli Irineo

Kiana Del Rosario

Olga Loya

Ann Sherman

Joe Navarro

Venus Jones

Scorpiana Xlynn

Bill Cozzini

Poetess Kalamu Chaché

Lehua Taitano

Joe Miller

Quynh-Mai Nguyen

Asha Sudra

Jarvis Deangelo Subia

Donna Steelman

Tshaka Menelik Imhotep Campbell

Lorenz Dumuk

Michael Matthew McGee

Pc Muñoz, Demone Carter and Ellis

Great photos taken by my cousin Phillip Pasag, Pasag Photography can be viewed here. (Password is Poets). Please credit Pasag Photography if you choose to share!
Here are some of my faves:

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Details on Facebook event page.

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Thursday, August 3, 7pm

Details for Live Lit are here.

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Details on Facebook event page.

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Details on Facebook event page.

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Deadline is August 15th

Details here.

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Coming Soon (August 4): Announcement for the next Santa Clara County Poet Laureate! 

Hard to believe it’s been almost two years! Stay tuned for a publication and “recruiting” event hosted by me and Sally Ashton, Nils Peterson and David Perez (AKA the SCCPL squad-to-date).

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SAVE THE DATES:

Friday, September 22, 6pm

REED Magazine Launch Party & 150th Anniversary Celebration

Check here for details.
AND. . .

October 21 & 22, 9am – 5pm both days

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Well-RED presented spring mother tongue on June 13th

Heartfelt thanks to Poetry Center San Jose and Works/San Jose for hosting the publication party for spring mother tongue: Poetic Voices of Santa Clara County. I was happy to donate 100% of proceeds from all books sold that evening to the host organizations who do so much for our local community. 

You can purchase a copy of spring mother tongue here.

The anthology presents work of 23 local poets. Thank you, poetas, for sharing your work with us!

Poetry Center San Jose has posted videos here.

Some photos from the evening:

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Poetry at DeAnza College

On June 1st I had the honor of reading with Mighty Mike McGee for students in various poetry and writing classes at DeAnza.  Thanks so much to Ken Weisner for making it happen! Also, be sure to check out the Euphrat Museum of Art on campus. The exhibitions are excellent.

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JULY HAPPENINGS

We had a blast last year so we are doing it again! Please come to a celebration of poetry, lumpia, music, art, kuwentos/talk story, friends and FUN. LUMPIA provided by me, but potluck for other food and beverages so please bring something to share if you can.

Flor y Canto style, lots of guest artists performing!

Details, including lineup,  on the Facebook event page.

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Details on the Facebook event page.
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Details on the Facebook event page.

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Details on the Facebook event page.
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Details on the Facebook event page.

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Details on the Facebook event page.
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Details on the Facebook event page.
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Details on the Facebook event page.
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Subscribe to his great events list here.
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More information about the Cupertino Poet Laureate in this Mercury News article.

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