Jimmy Santiago Baca facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jimmy Santiago Baca
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Baca during the videotaping of Add-Verse, 2004
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| Born | January 2, 1952 Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Occupation | Poet |
| Notable works | Martin and Meditations on the South Valley |
| Notable awards | American Book Award, Pushcart Prize, International Hispanic Heritage Award, International Award. |
| Spouse | Married |
Jimmy Santiago Baca (born January 2, 1952) is an American poet, writer, and screenwriter. He is known for his powerful poems and stories that often share his own life experiences. Baca grew up in New Mexico and overcame many challenges to become a celebrated author.
Early Life and Learning
Jimmy Santiago Baca was born in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, in 1952. When he was very young, he faced difficulties and spent time living with his grandmother and later in an orphanage. At 13, he left the orphanage and lived on his own.
When he was 21, Jimmy faced more challenges and spent five years in a correctional facility. During this time, he taught himself to read and write. He discovered a love for poetry and began writing his own poems. He would share his poems with others, who appreciated his work.
One day, a person he met encouraged him to send his poems to a magazine called Mother Jones. The editor, Denise Levertov, liked his poems very much. She published some of his work and started writing letters to him. She even helped him find a publisher for his very first book of poems.
Writing Career
Jimmy Santiago Baca's first major collection of poems, Immigrants in Our Own Land, was published in 1979. This book included a famous poem called "I Am Offering This Poem."
In 1987, his long poem Martin & Meditations on the South Valley won the American Book Award. This award brought him international recognition. In 1989, he also received the Hispanic Heritage Award in Literature.
In 2004, Baca started a non-profit group called Cedar Tree, Inc. This organization helps people in correctional facilities and young people facing difficulties. Cedar Tree offers writing workshops to help them express themselves through words. The group has also made two documentary films. It even provides internships for people who have been in correctional facilities, helping them get back on their feet.
Published Works
Jimmy Santiago Baca has written many books of poetry. Some of his poetry collections include Healing Earthquakes (2001), Set This Book on Fire (1999), and Black Mesa Poems (1995).
He also wrote a book about his own life called A Place to Stand (2001). This book tells the story of his difficult childhood and how writing helped him change his life.
Baca has written other types of works too. He wrote a collection of stories and essays called Working in the Dark: Reflections of a Poet of the Barrio (1992). He also wrote a play and a screenplay for a movie. The movie, originally titled Bound by Honor, was released as Blood In Blood Out in 1993. His novel A Glass of Water was published in 2009.
Other Media
Jimmy Santiago Baca wrote the screenplay for the Hollywood movie Blood In Blood Out. He also appeared as an actor in the film and helped produce it.
In 2014, a film based on Baca's memoir A Place to Stand was released. This movie was directed by Daniel Glick. The people who made the film also created a special school program. This program uses Baca's life story to teach important lessons and values to students.
In 2003, Baca appeared on an episode of Def Poetry Jam, a television show where poets perform their work.
See also
In Spanish: Jimmy Santiago Baca para niños
- List of Mexican American writers
- Baca family of New Mexico
