Blanco began his reading with the first poem he wrote, "America," which describes his family's Thanksgiving celebrations and their incorporation of their cultural heritage. He said he has searched continuously to find his identity, since he does not identify as completely Cuban or American.
"I am made in Cuba, assembled in Spain and imported to the United States," Blanco said. "By 45 days old, I had belonged to three countries and had lived in two capitals of the world. I don't say I've been writing since the womb, but it does seem that I was destined to write about cultural identity. You just can't make this stuff up."
Blanco discussed his mother's sacrifices in her search for the American Dream, such as leaving her family behind in Cuba, in his poem "Mother Picking Produce." His mother was seven months pregnant with him when she immigrated to Spain. Blanco was just weeks old when his family arrived in New York City, and his green card photo was the first photo taken of him. When he was in his early twenties, Blanco said he began to struggle with his cultural identity.
Blanco is best known for his poetry reading at President Barack Obama's second inauguration in January, making him the first Latino and openly gay poet to read at a presidential inauguration.
Israel Reyes, a Spanish and Portuguese professor and head of the New England Consortium of Latino Studies, said Blanco's high profile made him a good choice to open Dartmouth's commemoration of Hispanic Heritage Month.
"Blanco's poetry crosses a lot of lines," Reyes said. "It is very poignant. Personally, I find so many similarities in the things he describes. His works are very powerful and personal to me."
Reyes said Blanco captures the voice of the growing Latino community.
"He evokes all the complexities and contradictions of life, the voices of his past, family and heritage and the constant search for intimacy, companionship, pride and belonging," he said.
Blanco's new collection "For All Of Us, One Today" will be released in November and will focus on struggles of feeling culturally dislocated.
Other high-profile visitors, including Junot Diaz, the Pulitzer-Prize winning author of "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" and "This Is How You Lose Her," will visit as part of Hispanic Heritage Month. Diaz will give a reading on Oct. 18.
On Oct. 9, Haitian musical group Raram De NY will perform in Collis Common Ground. Wendy Guerra, a renowned Cuban poet, will host a poetry reading and reception on Oct. 14 and will give a public lecture the following day. The College will screen "In The Wrong Body" (2012), a documentary by Cuban director Marilyn Solaya, followed by a question and answer session with the director on Oct. 24.
