Connect with Ekiwah
Poetry and activism – live!
The best collaborations begin with a conversation. Have a quick chat with Ekiwah start the process of booking him as your speaker, workshop leader, or arranging a private/group class. E-mail him at ekiwah6 at gmail dot com, friend him on Facebook, or chat him on WhatsApp.
Photos: Elizabeth Escobar – ibY (2021).
Private or Group Classes with Ekiwah
For all levels and abilities, in English or Spanish
To revise a poem, you must first revise your life, says the poet William Stafford. The thought is a little intimidating but it speaks to our willingness to see our poems and those of others as forces that can take us to the heart of our lives and beyond them.
In rhythm, in silences, in the emotion of a line — poems leaping off the page we hear our voice. So many colors! And . . . something else?
Dive into that something else with an Ekiwah class, virtually or not; group or solo! Always feel free to contact him about working together at ekiwah6 at gmail dot com, on WhatsApp, or Facebook.
Event ideas
Ekiwah's poetry can grace a wide array of settings, particularly those interested in questions of disability rights and the intersection with the arts (but not exclusively).
His bookings can include:
Academic Institutions: From postgraduate programs to government organizations, teachers' gatherings, or public high schools, Ekiwah can enlighten students and faculty with poetry readings and discussions at colleges and universities.
Literary Festivals and Conferences: Invite Ekiwah to add depth and beauty to your literary festival lineup, making it a truly memorable experience.
Corporate Events: Enhance your company's gatherings with Ekiwah's poetic insights, providing a unique perspective to inspire innovation and creativity.
Cultural Centers: Celebrate diversity and heritage by hosting Ekiwah at cultural centers to share his multicultural and multilingual poetry.
Fundraisers for a Better World: Inspire and engage philanthropists by incorporating Ekiwah's poetry into charity events, shedding light on meaningful causes.
Prisons, Rehabilitation Centers, Hospitals, Special Education Schools, and Wellness Centers: Foster healing and hope by inviting Ekiwah to share his poetry in healthcare settings. Utilize the power of poetry for rehabilitation and self-expression in correctional facilities.
Bookstores: Arrange poetry readings in bookstores to engage literary enthusiasts and promote local businesses.
Private Gatherings: Make your intimate gatherings more memorable with a personalized poetry reading by Ekiwah. Bring poetry to your home!
Mr. Adler Belendez's poetic presence can enhance and elevate...
...the atmosphere in a multitude of settings, not just the ones listed here. Reach out to Ekiwah to start a conversation on how he can enrich your upcoming event in a truly unique way. While each one of Ekiwah's readings is particularly tailored to the interests and audience of each venue, themes of disability rights and human rights in general are some of the cornerstones of his readings.
The prologue of his new book, "Amor sobre ruedas," below eloquently describes one of the conversations he seeks to open with his audiences:
My conviction as a poet and disability activist
While there are still men and women around the world who are viewed or view themselves as Eternal Children, incapable of having an active sexual life, a family of their own, or lucrative work simply because they have a disability—these highly personal poems [in "Amor sobre ruedas"] cannot speak for myself alone. Even though I have been graced with the best parents I could have hoped for and family who believes in the power of imagination, my self-pity once trapped me (and can trap me again) more than my wheelchair ever has. I know of others who have not been so lucky. Their disabilities make them scapegoats for verbal and physical violence and solitary confinement. We fight for physical accessibility, something that in Mexico is barely beginning to exist. But accessibility must not only concern itself with physical access to buildings. It must also promote imaginative access to spiritual exuberance (which needs no ramps for us to enter). —quote from Ekiwah's book, "Amor sobre ruedas."
