WHAT'S GOING ON? Part II With Nuyorican Poet Jesus-Papoleto Melendez

We return to continue the convo with Jesus-Papoleto Melendez who is a poet laureate, playwright, actor, author, educator, and activist, "Papo" as he is fondly called, will discuss his personal experiences with police brutality, Puerto Rico, other issues at hand, his past and upcoming projects, and more, This veteran of the Nuyorican scene also has a bit part as the neighborhood poet of Spanish Harlem in my feature film "A Wound in Time". This man is so prolific that we will definitely have to have a Part 2.

"Papo" published his first poem, “Message To Urban Sightseers” in Talkin' About Us (NY, 1969). He went on to publish his first volumes of poetry, Casting Long Shadows (NY, 1970), Have You Seen Liberation (NY, 1971), andStreet Poetry & Other Poems (Barlenmir House, NY 1972), which firmly established Meléndez in the Nuyorican community. He is credited as one of the original founders of the Nuyorican Movment which evolved during the late 1960s and forged a distinctly "Nuyorican" aesthetic and consciousness. His early and close collaboration with poets and writers such as Miguel Algarin, Pedro Pietri, Miguel Pinero, Ntozake Shange, Lois Griffith,and Tato Laviera contributed to the founding of the legendary Nuyorican Poets Cafe.

Check out the links to the video of his performance of theTaino hero "Hatuey" in Mexico back in the day:

https://youtu.be/Pq9_H-MQoCA

https://youtu.be/X3hxJsizTn0

https://youtu.be/hbLIN4ZQPP0