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Juan Felipe Herrera, U.S. Poet Laureate: A Resource Guide

External Websites

The following links to external websites provide more information about the life and works of Juan Felipe Herrera.

Biographical information about Juan Felipe Herrera also can be found on the following websites:

Academy of American Poets External
Offers a biography of Herrera, videos of Herrera reading, a letter written by Herrera as part of the Academy's Dear Poet series, and a selection of his poems. Also offers an online tribute to Herrera.
Blue Flower Arts External
Biography of Herrera. Note: Contact Blue Flower Arts if you'd like to inquire about scheduling Herrera for a reading or event.
Poetry Foundation External
Biography of Herrera, along with several poems by and articles about him.
University of California, Riverside, Faculty Page External
Biography, contact information, and a link to Herrera's curriculum vitae.

For the latest news and discussions related to Juan Felipe Herrera, see:

A selected list of news articles, interviews, and conversations, arranged in chronological order, follows below.

Selected Articles, News, and Interviews

"The US poet laureate on what America should be reading now" External
The Spokesman Review. December 30, 2021.
"Former U.S. Poet Laureate Opens Conference by Turning the Immigrant Story Around" External
The Presbyterian Outlook. February 8, 2019.
"New Elementary School to be Named After UCR Creative Writing Professor Emeritus" External
Inside UCR. May 21, 2018.
"Fresno's Newest School Named after Juan Felipe Herrera" External
KFSN-TV. May 10, 2018.
"Former U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera Wants Poetry to be Joyous" External
Los Angeles Times. April 13, 2018.
"Festival Explores Activism through Poetry" External
Herald-Tribune. February 11, 2018.
"Former Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera Receives UCLA Medal" External
UCLA Newsroom. October 31, 2017.
"New Exhibition: 'Magnifying the People’s Voice: A Laureate’s Journey Across America'" External
Fresno State College of Arts and Humanities. September 26, 2017.
"Former US Poet Laureate Reflects on his Writing and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop" External
Iowa Now. July 3, 2017.
"Juan Felipe Herrera Delivers Sayers Lecture at His Alma Mater. News 'n Notes." External
La Bloga. May 23, 2017.
"Laureate Lab: Spaces for Creativity—4 Poet Laureates at Open House" External
Fresno State News. May 8, 2017.
"Departing U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera Looks Forward to Bext Bend in ‘The Road’" External
The Fresno Bee. April 21, 2017.
"Juan Felipe Herrera On Poetry In Tough Times" External
NPR. April 12, 2017.
"Q&A with Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera" External
The Stanford Daily. March 9, 2017.
"The U.S. Poet Laureate on What America should be Reading Now" External
The Washington Post. March 2, 2017.
"U.S. Poet Laureate Decries Trump Wall" External
The Emory Wheel. February 22, 2017.
"Juan Felipe Herrera: Do Not Let Yourself Think You Cannot Contribute" External
Faith & Leadership. February 21, 2017.
"Poet Laureate Celebrates Dual Immigrant, Migrant Identity" External
The San Diego Union-Tribune. January 24, 2017.
"Recess talks to the U.S. National Poet Laureate" External
The Chronicle, Duke University. November 30, 2016.
"U.S. Poet Laureate's Work Focuses on Multiculturalism, Social Issues" External
The Chronicle, Duke University. November 18, 2016.
"Juan Felipe Herrera, U.S. Poet Laureate, Responds to Gun Violence with a New Poem" External
Jacket Copy, Los Angeles Times. July 11, 2016.
"'Where We Find Ourselves': Juan Felipe Herrera's Poem on the Shooting at UCLA" External
Los Angeles Times. June 3, 2016.
"U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera to Receive Honorary Doctorate at Commencement" External
Fresno State News. May 18, 2016.
"U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera on Using Literature as a Tool for Peace" External
Dallas Observer. May 12, 2016.
"First Latino U.S. Poet Laureate Rides 'Inspiration Tsunami' to Second Term" External
Reuters. April 15, 2016.
"U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera Reappointed to Second Year" External
The Washington Post. April 13, 2016.
"Juan Felipe Herrera, U.S. Poet Laureate, on Eating Too Many Chilaquiles and Returning to L.A." External
Los Angeles Times. March 31, 2016.
"Our Poet Laureate Is Trying To Find America’s Voice In A Crowdsourced Poem" External
Huffington Post. March 29, 2016.
"Hear the voice of U.S. poet laureate Juan Felipe Herrera in St. Petersburg on Monday" External
Tampa Bay Times. March 17, 2016.
"U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera To Meet with Next Generation of Latino Leaders" External
CapitalWirePR. March 7, 2016.
"10 Reasons to See U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera at UWM" External
Journal Sentinel. February 26, 2016.
"L.A. Times Book Prizes will Honor Juan Felipe Herrera, James Patterson; Finalists Announced" External
Los Angeles Times. February 23, 2016.
"Juan Felipe Herrera: Much More Than a Poet Laureate" External
Daily Nexus. February 19, 2016.
"Juan Felipe Herrera’s Long Road to United States Poet Laureate" External
The Aspen Idea Blog. January 21, 2016.
"After San Bernardino Massacre, U.S. Poet Laureate Writes in Hope"External
Los Angeles Times. December 24, 2015.
"‘Imagine, even the ghosts were trying to get away’: U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera reads at Smith College" External
The Recorder. December 4, 2015.
"Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera on First Miami Book Fair Visit: 'Looking Forward to Meeting the Local Poets'" External
Miami New Times. November 13, 2015.
"Juan Felipe Herrera: Poet Laureate for the Masses" External
Cultural Weekly. November 4, 2015.
"U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera to Speak at Palo Alto Wednesday" External
San Antonio Current. November 4, 2015.
"Life-Changing Teachers: On Juan Felipe Herrera’s Reading in Chicago" External
Latin@s in Kid Lit. November 2, 2015.
"Words from Third Grade Teacher Inspires U.S. Poet Laureate" External
The Collegian. October 29, 2015.
"How to Submit to ‘Casa de Colores,’ a Nation-wide Poetry Project" External
PBS NewsHour. September 17, 2015.
"New U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera Made a Fantastic Debut in DC" External
The Washington Post. September 16, 2015.
"U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera Honors His Third-grade Teacher at First Official Reading" External
The Fresno Bee. September 15, 2015.
"Juan Felipe Herrera Wants to Write an Epic American Poem . . . With You" External
AL DÍA News. September 7, 2015.
"Fresno’s Herrera Puts Early Stamp on Tenure as U.S. Poet Laureate" External
The Fresno Bee. September 5, 2015.
"Poet Laureate's Defining Moment: San Diego Teacher Helped Juan Felipe Herrera Find His Voice" External
The San Diego Union-Tribune. August 22, 2015.
"Juan Felipe Herrera 101: A Look at the Poetry and Politics of the US Poet Laureate" External
Poetry Foundation. August 3, 2015.
"U.S. Poet Laureate has Valley Roots" External
Visalia Times-Delta. July 24, 2015.
"US Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera Proud to Represent California" External
Monterey Herald. July 16, 2015.
"UA Press Author First Latino U.S. Poet Laureate" External
The Daily Wildcat. July 8, 2015.
"A Personal Laureate: Reflections on Juan Felipe Herrera’s Appointment as Poet Laureate of the United States" External
Los Angeles Review of Books. July 4, 2015.
"First Hispanic Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera Signals a New Direction for US Literature" External
The Conversation. June 23, 2015.
"US Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera: 'Poetry is One of the Most Beautiful Ways of Participating'" External
The Guardian. June 16, 2015.
"Truthdigger of the Week: Juan Felipe Herrera, the Next U.S. Poet Laureate" External
Truthdig. June 14, 2015.
"7 Surprisingly Practical Lessons From America's New Poet Laureate" External
Inc. June 10, 2015.
"Juan Felipe Herrera, Poet Laureate With a Working-Class Voice Meant to Be Spoken" External
The New York Times. June 10, 2015.
"Juan Felipe Herrera, From Farm Fields to Poet Laureate" External
The New York Times. June 10, 2015.
"The Many Lives of Juan Felipe Herrera" External
The Daily, University of Washington. May 11, 2015.
"Teaching Poetry Means ‘Make It Human’: Q&A with Juan Felipe Herrera" External
ZYZZYVA. November 4, 2014.
"California Poet Laureate Launches Bullying-awareness Project" External
UCR Today. May 20, 2013.
"A Totally Californian Poet Laureate" External
Los Angeles Times. May 20, 2012.

A selection of radio programs featuring Juan Felipe Herrera or in which Herrera and his work are discussed.

"U.S. Poet Laureate Visits N.H. To Meet with English Language Learners" External
New Hampshire Public Radio. April 12, 2018 (4:46)
"U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera Wraps Up Project With Chicago Students" External
WBEZ 91.5FM. April 28, 2017 (20:16)
"Discussing Juan Felipe Herrera's Visit" External
89.1 FM KHOL Jackson. April 21, 2017 (8:14)
"US Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera's Second Term To Focus On Youth, Fresno" External
Valley Public Radio. August 2, 2016 (21:51)
"U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera on a Year of Gun Violence" External
WNYC. June 17, 2016 (7:00)
"Former 'Lost Star' Is Now U.S. Poet Laureate" External
KCUR. May 27, 2016 (26:56)
"A Talk With Juan Felipe Herrera" External
KERA. May 12, 2016 (48:29)
"U.S. Poet Laureate, & A Beautiful Planet In IMAX“ External
The 21st (Illinois Public Media). April 29, 2016 (50:13)
"United States Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera: Writing and Reinvention" External
Milwaukee Public Radio. April 1, 2016 (19:41)
"Lightning-Bolt Laureate: For Juan Felipe Herrera, Poetry is Action. In Full Color." External
Stanford Magazine. September/October 2016
"WORDS ON A WIRE: Juan Felipe Herrera" External
Words on a Wire. February 21, 2016 (23:27)
"Juan Felipe Herrera on being a U.S. Poet Laureate" External
Morning Edition, Aspen Public Radio. January 11, 2016 (12:45)
"From Chicano Punk to Poet Laureate: Juan Felipe Herrera" External
Latino USA, National Public Radio. (11:44)
"Our First Latino Poet Laureate"External
The Gist, Slate. October 9, 2015 (23:55)
"Juan Felipe Herrera: A Poet Without Borders"External
Nevada Public Radio. September 24, 2015 (16:46)
"Poet Laureate's Migrant Childhood Was Like 'Living In Literature Every Day'" External
Morning Edition, NPR. September 15, 2015 (7:02)
"Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera On Migration, Identity And Verse" External
The Koko Nnamdi Show, WAMU 88.5. September 10, 2015 (49:59)
"The Poetry of Grief and The Music of Protest" External
The Takeaway. June 20, 2015 (25:08; Herrera segment ends at 16:02)
"A Poet Laureate's Life: Juan Felipe Herrera" External
On Point, WBUR, NPR. June 23, 2015 (46:57)
Slate’s Culture Gabfest on Jurassic World, the death of Ornette Coleman, and U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera External
The Culture Gabfest, Slate. June 17, 2015 (segment begins at 31:34)
"Interview And Poems: Fresno's Juan Felipe Herrera Named U.S. Poet Laureate" External
Valley Public Radio. June 10, 2015
"New U.S. Poet Laureate Hopes To Invite All Communities To Express Themselves" External
All Things Considered, NPR. June 10, 2015 (5:29)
"Juan Felipe Herrera, Guest Poet Laureate" External
The Poetry Show, KUSP, Central Coast Public Radio. April 20, 2014 (54:22)
"Meet Juan Felipe Herrera, California's Poet Laureate" External
Jefferson Public Radio. October 16, 2013 (42:52)
"Words on a Wire: Juan Felipe Herrera" External
Words on a Wire, KTEP. September 15, 2013 (29:00)
"Guest DJ: California Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera" External
alt.latino, NPR. April 18, 2013 (36:32)
Interview with Juan Felipe Herrera External
Arts in the Valley, 1480 KYOS FM. February 9, 2013 (32:22)
"Words on a Wire: Juan Felipe Herrera" External
Words on a Wire, KTEP. October 25, 2012 (29:01)
"Interview with Juan Felipe Herrera" External
Words on a Wire. October 2, 2011 (28:41)

Podcasts and other non-radio audio recordings featuring Juan Felipe Herrera are listed below.

"Juan Felipe Herrera" External
National Endowment for the Arts podcast. September 17, 2015 (28:29)
"El Planeta—From Plankton to Afghanistan: A Poetry Reading" External
Los Angeles Public Library. June 20, 2013 (01:12:13)
CalArts MFA Writing Program Visiting Artists Series 2005-10-12: Juan Felipe Herrera External
California Institute of the Arts (via the Internet Archive). October 12, 2005 (1:16:45)
Juan Felipe Herrera External
University of Arizona Poetry Center. September 15, 1993.

Many videos of Juan Felipe Herrera reading and discussing his work can be found through the following sources:

YouTube Search External
Search results for Juan Felipe Herrera.
Selections by Blue Flower Arts External
Videos of Herrera selected by the literary speaker's agency Blue Flower Arts.
Juan Felipe Herrera Video Interview External
Colorín Colorado. April 27, 2017.
"How One Poet is Helping Chicago Students Find Their Voice through Verse" External
PBS NewsHour. May 30, 2017 (7:34)
World Poetry Day - NPR Live Discussion with Juan Felipe Herrera External
NPR Live. March 21, 2017 (33:23)
"First Latino US Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera on Migrant Farmworkers, the Border and Ayotzinapa" - Academy of American Poets External
Democracy Now!. October 9, 2015 (12:30)
"The Powerful Quality You Already Possess" - Oprah External
Oprah.com. October 9, 2015 (2:10)
"The Civic Responsibility of the Poet in America Today" External
Academy of American Poets. September 29, 2015 (32:28)
"New U.S. Poet Laureate Reflects on 'Dream Built on 10,000 Dreams'" External
Reuters. September 16, 2015 (1:13)
"U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera Joins Larry King on PoliticKING" External
PoliticKING with Larry King. July 21, 2015 (8:39)
"Senator De León Congratulates Juan Felipe Herrera, Nation’s First Latino Poet Laureate" External
California Senate Majority Caucus. July 6, 2015 (5:07)
"From the Fields to the Library of Congress, Juan Felipe Herrera Took a Winding Path to Poetry" External
PBS NewsHour. June 10, 2015 (6:21)
"California's Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera" External
UCTV. November 18, 2013 (21:55)
"A Father's Day Tale by Juan Felipe Herrera" External
UCTV. August 5, 2013 (3:32)
"A Natural History of Chicano Literature: A Performance Lecture by Juan Felipe Herrera" External
UCTV. September 14, 2005 (58:46)

Selected online reviews of Juan Felipe Herrera's poetry, prose, and children's books appear below.

Poetry Reviews

Every Day We Get More Illegal (2020)

Notes on the Assemblage (2015)

Senegal Taxi (2013)

Half of the World in Light: New and Selected Poems (2008)

187 Reasons Mexicanos Can't Cross the Border: Undocuments, 1971-2007 (2007)

Notebooks of a Chile Verde Smuggler (2002)

Publishers Weekly External

Thunderweavers (2000)

Border-Crosser with a Lamborghini Dream(1999)

Publishers Weekly External

Loteria Cards and Fortune Poems: A Book of Lives (1999)

Mayan Drifter: Chicano Poet in the Lowlands of America (1997)

Publishers Weekly External

Love after the Riots (1996)

Northwestern University Press External

Night Train to Tuxtla (1994)

Publishers Weekly External

Young Adult/Children's Book Reviews

Far/Lejos (2019)

Publishers Weekly External

Jabberwalking (2018)

Imagine (2018)

Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes (2014)

SkateFate (2011)

Kirkus Reviews External

Cinnamon Girl: Letters Found inside a Cereal Box(2005)

Downtown Boy (2005)

Kirkus Reviews External

Featherless/Desplumado (2004)

Super Cilantro Girl: La Superniña del Cilantro (2003)

SDSU Children's Literature Reviews External

Grandma and Me at the Flea: Los Meros Meros Remateros (2002)

Publishers Weekly External

The Upside Down Boy: El Nino de Cabeza (2000)

SDSU Children's Literature Reviews External

Laughing Out Loud, I Fly: A Carcajadas Yo Vuelo (1998)

Calling the Doves: El Canto de las Palomas (1995)

De Colores: The Raza Experience in Books for Children External