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Listen to poets from the Writers of Color-Santa Cruz County Collective read & discuss their poems, touching upon themes of ancestry, culture, death, trauma, and healing. The group talks about their Día de los Muertos poetry event (Nov. 2021), during which they were targets of a racist Zoomboming. Featured poets include Sonya Pendrey, Shirley Flores-Muñoz, Claudia Ramírez Flores, Vivian Vargas, Chloe Gentile-Montgomery,  Bob Gómez, and Victoria Bañales.

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Sonya Pendrey is a soon-to-be graduate from UC Santa Cruz, who loves to hike and write. She hopes to help people and the planet through her work. Her writing is dedicated to fellow strong-minded women and her sweet pup, Lily. Instagram: @sobido

Shirley Flores-Muñoz teaches in the women’s studies and history department at Cabrillo College. She has been a champion of gender equity and has established programs that encourage and support social justice. 

Claudia Ramírez Flores is a mother, poet and a Yale Writers’ Workshop Alumni. She seeks to empower her community with her stories and poetry.

Vivian Vargas is a Chicanx writer and photographer living in Santa Cruz, CA. She founded The Heidelberg Writers Group and is a member of Writers of Color-Santa Cruz County Collective. Webpage: www.writersofcolorsantacruz.org; www.vivianvargas.com; Email: info@writersofcolorsantacruz.org

Chloe Gentile-Montgomery is a Black poet and teacher based in the Bay Area. She grew up in Santa Cruz and is honored to be sharing her poetry and new book with her community. Webpage: www.chloegentilemontgomery.com/; Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChloeRGM; Twitter: @ChloeRGM

Bob Gómez, songwriter, singer, guitarist and poet, is a long-time resident of Watsonville, and worked as a Migrant and Bilingual Resource Teacher in the Pájaro Valley. He was recently named Watsonville’s first Poet Laureate.

Victoria Bañales is a Chicanx writer, teacher, mother, and activist based in Watsonville, CA. She is the editor of Journal X and a member of the Hive Poetry Collective. Webpage: www.cabrillo.edu/journal-x/