Join NYPL for a Writing Workshop with award winning poet Emanuel Xavier! In celebration of National Poetry Month, the Nuyorican Poets Café collaborates with The New York Public Library to present poet Emanuel Xavier for an interactive writing workshop inspired by his forthcoming poetry collection, Still, We Are Sacred (out April 7). Participants will explore how poetry can transform personal experience, identity, and memory into creative expression through guided prompts, discussion, and optional sharing in a supportive, community-centered space.
Emanuel Xavier is a Brooklyn-born poet whose work bridges spoken word, literary poetry, and queer cultural history. He is the author of several poetry collections, including Still, We Are Sacred, Love(ly) Child, Pier Queen, Americano, If Jesus Were Gay, Nefarious, and Radiance. Drawing from memory, family history, and the lasting effects of violence, migration, religion, and cultural expectation, his writing examines power within families and communities with clarity and restraint. Known for direct, unornamented language, Xavier’s work insists on complexity rather than resolution. Recognized as an LGBTQ+ Icon by The Equality Forum, he has been a finalist for the Lambda Literary Awards and the International Latino Book Awards. His work has appeared in Poetry, Best American Poetry, and numerous other publications. He is currently working on a memoir and a screenplay based on his novel Christ Like.