Poet Maria Luisa Arroyo Joins Mothers and Daughters

Saturday Feb 15, 2-4pm Easthampton

NAMING OUR POWER with featured Artist María Luisa Arroyo is an intergenerational event that brings together girls and women of all ages.

The group will hear the poetry of Maria Luisa Arroyo and have a chance to write poetry on their own. Her poem, “Tell Me the Story of Your Name,” will be a source of inspiration for participants to identify the story of their own names.

You may have heard her share her poetry at First Night in Northampton.

All are welcome at this time of intergenerational sharing which will be held at:

Valley Women’s Martial Arts: Institute for Healing and Violence-Prevention Strategies.
One Cottage St. #319, (Button Factory)
Easthampton, MA 01027
#413-527-0101
www.vwma.org

Please bring a notebook and pen. Wheelchair accessible. Suggested donation: $5 but no one turned away. Women of all ages, fathers and brothers — all welcome. This is an opportunity for mothers and daughters, but they’ll be just one of the types of people attending.

María Luisa Arroyo is the author of Gathering Words: Recogiendo Palabras. She is an award-winning multilingual Puerto Rican poet and educator. Her poems have been published in many journals, including in the anthology, Women Write Resistance: Poets Resist Gender Violence. Educated at Colby, Tufts, and Harvard in German Language and Literature, María Luisa has performed widely, including in Chicago, DC, and Puerto Rico.

Janet Aalfs, artistic director of VWMA/HAVPS, will join with students to offer poems delivered as part of a movement meditation.

Sarah Pirtle, will share information about this series, called Peace Net for Girls and Women Building Peace.

For more information contact her at pirtle22@hotmail.com.

Where to park: There’s a mini-mall across the street from the Button Factory. Valley Women’s Martial Arts is on the third floor, on the side overlooking the water. As you walk toward the back, turn right at the bulletin board and go to the last room.