San Diego Poet Laureate Jason Magabo Perez speaks at San Dieguito Academy to celebrate National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month, and San Diego Poet Laureate Jason Magabo Perez celebrated with a special event on April 26 by hosting a workshop and spoken word performance for students and teachers at San Dieguito High School Academy.

Perez is a writer, educator, and interdisciplinary artist who is known for his powerful poetry and thought-provoking performances. Perez is the author of “Phenomenology of Superhero” (2013), “This is for the Mostless” (2017), and the forthcoming book, “I Ask About What Falls Away.” Perez has performed three live multimedia works—The Passion of El Hulk Hogancito (Kularts, 2009); You Will Gonna Go Crazy (Kularts, 2011); and Blue Bin Improvisations: Performing Yonie’s Archive (MexiCali Biennial, 2018).

The workshop provided an opportunity for students to hone their writing skills and learn from one of the city’s most celebrated poets. Perez led students in exploring the beauty and significance of poetry, and provided hands-on experience to develop their craft.

To conclude the event, Perez performed spoken word pieces that showcased the depth and range of his work. This was a rare chance for students to witness a master poet perform live in Encinitas.

This event was exclusive to local high schools and was not open to the public. The San Diego Poet Laureate’s office has worked with participating schools to arrange for student attendance.