Cuban-American writer, teacher named Miami-Dade poet laureate
Miami is full of hidden poets. She wants you to know it. Cuban American poet Caridad Moro-Gronlier has been appointed as Miami-Dade County's new poet laureate, aiming to help Miamians express their personal stories in a unified society. Moro, who teaches dual enrollment English at Miami-dade Public Schools and Miami-College, plans to host poetry events across the county to create connections. Her 2021 book, "Tortillera," details "the queer experience of coming out while Cuban" and reclaims the Spanish slur. She credits her success to her English teachers at the public library system and her love for writing.
Published : a month ago by Martin Vassolo in Lifestyle
Cuban American poet Caridad Moro-Gronlier wants to help Miamians express the stories hidden within their hearts as Miami-Dade County's new poet laureate. Why it matters: Moro-Gronlier, an award-winning poet, literary editor and English professor, was appointed to the county post yesterday on the first day of National Poetry Month.
• Her 2021 book, "Tortillera," details "the queer experience of coming out while Cuban" and reclaims the Spanish slur.
What they're saying: Moro-Gronlier, who teaches dual enrollment English at Miami-Dade Public Schools and Miami-Dade College, tells Axios that she wants to host poetry events for residents of all ages across the county to create connections in a divided society.
• Sharing your story in a poem can be cathartic and act like a "vehicle of empathy," allowing others to step into your shoes and see life from a different perspective, Moro-Gronlier says.
• "I think we all ultimately want to be heard and want somebody to listen, and I really believe that we could truly approach the world a little differently if we actually listened to one another's stories."
What's next: She would like to partner with the Miami-Dade Public Library System to hold events in different parts of Miami, and has also considered pairing younger and older poets to create a memoir poetry project.
Moro-Gronlier credits much of her success to the public library system — her "home away from home" as a child — and her English teachers at Miami-Dade Public Schools.
• At her appointment ceremony Monday, she said her teachers were the first to read and critique her early poems. They helped nurture her love for writing.
• "They believed that this little Cuban girl had something to say."