Leonard Nalencz
About
Leonard Nalencz works as an educator, a writer/translator, and an activist. He is an Associate Professor of English at the University of Mount Saint Vincent, and a faculty member at the Bard Prison Initiative. He writes about poetry, and has recently translated and edited Let’s Walk Together, a trilingual—Quechua, Spanish, and English—anthology of stories and poems written primarily by Elva Ambía Rebatta, an Indigenous Peruvian woman now living in Brooklyn. His work in attention activism runs throughout his teaching and writing, and is focused on the work of two institutions, the Strother School of Radical Attention and the Strother Center for the Examined Life.
Featured Press:
Stories and Poems in Quechua.
This poetry compilation, Kuska Purikusun Runasiminchisrayku is a trilingual celebration in Quechua, English, and Spanish that challenges the stereotype of Indigenous languages being relics of the past or static entities. It offers a deep dive into Elva Ambía Rebatta's life, memories, and inspirations, which originate in the Andean region of Apurimac and later transition to her more urban and cosmopolitan life in New York City. Elva's creativity offers a closer look at the history of the Quechua-speaking movement that exists outside the Andean region, in places like the United States, Spain, and Italy, where thousands of migrants continue to speak their native language, and many are involved in cultural initiatives to pass it on to new generations.
Upcoming Event
Whirlwind: The Hudson Valley New Year’s Day Spoken Word/Performance Extravaganza
Whirlwind, this year’s New Year’s Day Spoken Word/Performance Extravaganza is sponsored by the Saugerties Arts Commission and presented by the Hudson Valley New Years Day Spoken Word/Performance Extravaganza and The Local in Saugerties. The six-hour event will feature more than 110 poets, writers and musicians drawn from the Hudson Valley region. In the spirit of democracy, the event will include open mic performances.