Mission Statement of Vallejo Phoenix Rising



The mission of Vallejo Phoenix Rising is to provide resources for spoken word poets and performers in Vallejo and nearby communities, educate the general public about the local (City of Vallejo and /or Solano County) arts organizations, and raise funds for publications and other productions related to performance poetry.




Objectives



1. Provide resources for spoken word poets and performers.

2. Provide funding for publications, spoken word CDs, and other performance poetry related productions.

3. Create a network for spoken word performers and other artists.

4. Promote local arts organizations.

5. Create a core group of spoken word poets for touring purposes.

6. Create partnerships with community based oragnizations and local businesses.

7. Educate the general population on how the arts are an integral part of a thriving community.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 14, 2003



Contact: Glynda Velasco

e-mail: unsentletters2003@yahoo.com

phone: 707-557-0547


UNKNOWN LOCAL AUTHOR DEDICATES DEBUT BOOK TO NATIONAL BOOK AWARD NOMINEE



In a world where struggling spoken word performance poets dream about being on HBO or performing on Russell Simmons' Def Poetry Jam, Glynda Tejada Velasco dreams about telling National Book Award nominee Jessica Hagedorn a simple thank you. This is why Velasco is dedicating her first collection of poetry, Unsent Letters (Vallejo, Vallejo Phoenix Rising collective press), to Jessica Hagedorn, author of the Dogeaters, and editor of the Asian American literary anthology, Charlie Chan is Dead .



"Jessica is my spiritual and literary mentor," Velasco says about Hagedorn who is a poet, multimedia artist, screenwriter, and novelist born in the Philippines and moved to the United States. "I saved clippings of her interviews, watched her perform her play "Airport Music" at the Berkeley Rep, and finally I had a chance to meet her at the UC Berkeley's conference on Pilipino American Studies where she gave the keynote address."



"I carried a first edition of Dogeaters to the event in hopes she would autograph it, " Velasco explains with a degree of excitement of a fan meeting a celebrity for the first time. "I told her that I suffered from phobias for over ten years, and her statement during her Q and A [the questions and answers period after the keynote address] about wanting to teach her students 'not to fear' meant a lot to me."



Then Hagedorn signed her book. Velasco refused to comment about what Hagedorn wrote when she autographed the cherished novel. "It will all be in Unsent Letters," she explained.



Velasco will be reading from her debut poetry book Unsent Letters on February 27, 2003 Thursday, 9PM at Rafael's Bar, 301 Nebraska St. in Vallejo. First run limited edition copies of the book will be available at cost for signing. Part of the book sales will go to publishing next Vallejo Phoenix Rising chapbook. There will be an open mic. $5 admission.



Unsent Letters: Selected Poems by Glynda Tejada Velasco is published by

Vallejo Phoenix Rising collective press.

Edited by Lou Syquia who taught at the Kearny Street Workshop.

With an introduction by Avotcja, a San Francisco Bay Area spoken word luminary and KPFA radio personality.

For more information on the book or Vallejo Phoenix Rising please contact:

Glynda Velasco, e-mail unsentletters2003@yahoo.com , phone: 707-557-0547

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