Poetry and HIV/AIDS Awareness Workshop : Carl Hancock Rux

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.

This youth poetry writing workshop was held at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe with a specific focus on addressing the HIV/AIDS crisis. The participants worked with poet/instructor Carl Hancock Rux to develop their writing skills and craft poems addressing HIV/AIDS in an informed and holistic manner. This workshop was organized in collaboration with the organization AIDS Poetry Project.