Alurista facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alurista
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Alurista gives a reading at Colegio Cesar Chavez in Mt. Angel, Oregon, circa 1981.
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| Born | Alberto Baltazar Urista Heredia August 8, 1947 Mexico City, Mexico |
| Occupation | Poet, activist |
| Nationality | American |
| Literary movement | Aztlán |
Alberto Baltazar Urista Heredia (born August 8, 1947), known as Alurista, is an American poet and activist. He is famous for his important role in the Chicano Movement and for his unique Chicano poetry.
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Alurista's Early Life and Education
Alurista was born in Mexico City, Mexico, on August 8, 1947. He went to primary school in Morelos, Mexico. When he was thirteen, his family moved to the United States. They settled in San Diego, California, a city near the border.
He finished high school in 1965. Then, he started studying business at Chapman University. He didn't like it much. So, he moved to San Diego State University (SDSU) to study religion. He changed his major a few times. Finally, he earned a degree in psychology in 1970.
Alurista continued his studies at SDSU, getting a master's degree in 1978. He earned his PhD in literature from the University of California, San Diego in 1983. His PhD work was about the writings of a Chicano lawyer and author named Oscar Zeta Acosta.
He has taught at several universities. These include California Polytechnic State University and the University of Texas at Austin. He has also given talks and read his poems all over the world.
Alurista's Poetry
Alurista's first experience writing poems was in Mexico. He wrote love poems for his classmates to earn some money. He started writing poetry for others to read in 1966.
In 1967, he helped start the SDSU chapter of MEChA. This group is called the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán. It means "Chicano Student Movement of Aztlán". He also helped students support the United Farm Workers' grape boycott. This was a way to protest for better worker rights.
In 1969, Alurista went to the First National Chicano Youth Liberation Conference. He read a poem there. The young people at the conference loved his poem. They made it the start of the Plan Espiritual de Aztlán. This was a big political statement for the Chicano Movement. When he returned to San Diego, he helped create the Chicano Studies department at SDSU.
Alurista traveled and performed with the Taco Shop Poets in the mid-1990s. However, he has shared that he doesn't like the newer, Hip hop-influenced style of Chicano poetry. He believes it's different from the traditional Chicano literature.
Alurista's Activism
Alurista was very active in the Chicano Movement in San Diego. He played a key role in the 1970 takeover of Chicano Park. He also helped create the Centro Cultural de la Raza. This is a cultural center for the community.
Around this time, he started using the name "Alurista." He chose this pen name for privacy and for his art. He wanted to protect his family. The name also showed his ideas about bringing things together.
In the 1970s, Alurista organized the Festival Floricanto. This was an annual event where Chicano writers and critics met. They shared their work and discussed it.
Besides poetry, Alurista has written non-fiction and essays. These works are about Chicano culture and history. He helped make the idea of "Aztlán" popular in the Chicano Movement. He gave it a spiritual meaning through his poems. His Spanish writings were among the first by an American writer to be recognized by critics in Spanish-speaking countries. In the United States, he was one of the first well-known poets to mix Spanish and English in his work.
Alurista's Personal Life and Beliefs
Alurista has been married twice and has four children. He spent some years, from 1995 to 1998, on a "spiritual journey." He said that being an artist can be tough. Sometimes, artists can blame others for their pain. This can lead to feeling upset. He learned to look inward instead.
Spiritually, Alurista sees himself as both a Buddhist and a Roman Catholic. He also respects Native American practices, like the sweat lodge. He feels connected to nature and all living things. Politically, he identifies as a socialist. He says his beliefs have a strong Mayan influence.
Alurista's Awards and Achievements
Alurista has received many awards for his work. He has made a big impact on the Chicano community. He has read his poetry around the world, including in Mexico, the United States, and Europe.
He was also the producer and subject of a video called "Torn in Two." This video featured four Chicano poets. It aired in 1984 and won an Emmy award. Alurista's writings are kept in special collections at the University of Texas, Austin.
He is a professor and a scholar. After earning his PhD in Spanish and Latin American literature, he received the Jr. MacArthur Chair in Spanish in 1984. This award was for his excellent teaching. He also helped start many important groups. These include Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan at San Diego State, Concilio for la Justicia, Centro Cultural de la Raza, and the Chicano Studies Department at San Diego State University. His papers are stored at the University of Texas, Austin, and at the California Ethnic and Multicultural Archives.
See also
- Latino poetry
- Chicano poetry
- American literature in Spanish
- Ana Castillo
- Sandra Cisneros
