About Book

Born in Puerto Rico and raised in the Loisaida neighborhood of downtown New York City, the legendary Miguel Algarín passed away on November 30, 2020, leaving behind an indescribable poetic, literary, and cultural legacy. A professor of English at Rutgers University, focusing on Shakespeare, creative writing, and U.S. ethnic literatures, Algarín was a key figure in the Nuyorican Movement. Beginning with hosting poetry gatherings in his East 6th Street apartment in Loisaida in the early 1970s to founding the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, writing seven poetry collections, and co-editing three critical anthologies, Algarín’s lifelong commitment to the word, and to making sure that everyone who had a story to tell was heard, was unwavering. His investment in creating and maintaining art-making spaces is reflected in the myriad artists he influenced. This anthology seeks to celebrate Algarín and his legacy through the creative works of prominent poets, writers, and performers who share their memories and insights—sometimes celebratory other times critical—of a complex cultural and literary figure.