Jorge Brandon : el Coco que habla = the talking coconut

The Nuyorican Poets Cafe Founders Archive Project is an effort of several Cafe founders to preserve the immense history of the famed cafe and to cement its importance as a foundational scene of poetry and artistic creation in New York's Lower East Side or Loisaida. Founded in 1973, the Nuyorican Poets Cafe began as a living room salon in the East Village apartment of writer and poet Miguel Algarín, along with other playwrights, poets, and musicians of color whose work was not accepted by the mainstream academic, entertainment or publishing industries. As time passed, the signature style of performance poetry became a central fixture of urban Latino and African-American culture, leading to the purchase of a former tenement building at 236 East 3rd Street, where the Cafe continues to reside. A historical and cultural landmark for nearly 50 years, the Cafe has launched numerous careers and supports a wide range of artistic endeavors such as plays, workshops, training sessions, and more.

El Coco que habla (The Talking Coconut) is an intimate look at the last moments in the life of poet Jorge Brandon (1902-1995). Often referred to as the "Father of Nuyorican Poetry," Brandon describes his contributions to Nuyorican poetry and literature, performing his signature blend of the oral décima poetic form with his musings on the issues affecting Puerto Ricans in New York City's Lower East Side neighborhood. This video includes footage of Brandon's funeral, where he is eulogized and paid homage by numerous poets from the Nuyorican scene, all of whom speak to Brandon's enduring legacy and immense contributions to the field of Nuyorican poetry.