Jim Moreno is a member of San Diego's Langston Hughes Poetry Circle and a past board member of the African American Writers & Artists. He teaches poetry workshops for gang youth in lockups, children in after-school programs, and adults who are beginning or practiced poets.
Moreno has been published in City Works, The Langston Hughes Poetry Anthology, The Magee Park Poets Anthology, the poetry conspiracy, Tidepools, and others. He performs with The Three Deuces, a jazz trumpet, dance, and spoken word ensemble with Mitch Manker and Michael Tompkins. He was the director of the Encanto Boys and Girls Club Children's Poetry Choir from September of 2004 to June of 2009.
Moreno is currently initiating a poetry workshop after-school program at the UPAKA Center (Urban Performing Arts & Creative Arts Center) in La Mesa, California entitled "Bullets Outta Guns". Jim believes that when adults provide after-school art or sports programs and 10 children show up, 20 bullets are removed from guns: 10 bullets from police revolvers and 10 more from gang guns.
❧
Irene Castruita believes that through community organizing, art, danza and music “another world is possible – a world where many worlds fit.” With her lyrics, whether it be in Son Sin Fronteras, a San Diego based group fusing traditional son jarocho music from Veracruz with modern styles, or in spoken word, she hopes to influence others to love, heal and go beyond borders with creative expression.
She is also a member of Los Able Minded Poets, a spoken soul, funk, hip-hop band who in 2004 won the San Diego Music Awards for “best hip-hop album.” Currently, she is also teaching poetry workshops in Juvenile Hall, she believes that writing is transformational and a positive outlet for youth.
She has also worked with different organizations such as M.E.Ch.A. Central de San Diego, Colectivo Zapatista de San Diego, Proyecto de Solidaridad Calpulli, Circulo de Mujeres de Color, the Red Calaca Arts Collective and Xispa con Tita, a progressive cross-border radio program which focuses on bridging art, music and culture in the San Diego-Tijuana region.
