"We wanted a name that evoked that kind of world-making or that placemaking sensibility, as well as a world that really reflected a history of Latino poetry and song-making." 

"Where is the Latino Cave Canem?" This is the question that brought Deborah Paredez, Celeste Mendoza, Norma E. Cantu, Pablo Martinez, and Carmen Tafolla together in 2009. Shortly after, CantoMundo was born. The first organization of its kind to specifically cater to Latino poets, CantoMundo’s mission is to provide a supportive environment in which self-identifying Latino poets can come together to not only learn from one another, but to also cultivate a network dedicated to uplifting their communities. With support from the National Endowment for the Arts, CantoMundo presents a yearly retreat that includes keynotes from accomplished poets of color and writing workshops for the fellows. Award-winning poets such as Denice Frohman and Eduardo C. Corral are just two of many CantoMundo fellows who’ve not only made great strides in poetry, but great strides in their communities.

Here’s our interview with CantoMundo co-founder Deborah Paredez.