SOMOS Poetry & Culture Festival Draws 300 Teachers and Students to RU-N

By Lawrence Lerner

March 27, 2024

Rutgers University–Newark continually makes its mark as an anchor institution in one of the most diverse cities and regions in the country, sponsoring programs that encourage students and faculty to fan out into the community and others that bring nearby residents and stakeholders to campus to work on pressing issues and share arts and culture with wider audiences.

Last week, several RU-N departments joined hands to present the second-annual SOMOS New Jersey Poetry & Culture Festival at the Paul Robeson Campus Center, bringing together students and teachers from area high schools with RU-N faculty and students for a celebration of Spanish, Portuguese and Latinx poetry & culture.

The event, which was funded with the generous support of a Chancellor’s Impact Seed Grant and was open to the public, drew 300 students and teachers from seven high schools in Newark, Bloomfield, Glen Ridge, Harrison, Jersey City and Randolph.

“It’s inspiring to see so many high school students come together to celebrate poetry, culture, and language,” said Associate Professor Elena Lahr-Vivaz of RU-N’s Department of Spanish and Portuguese Studies, co-director of the event.