Sandra María Esteves
Encyclopedia
Sandra María Esteves is an American poet
, playwright
, and graphic artist
. She was born and raised in the Bronx
, New York
, and is one of the founders of the Nuyorican poetry movement
. She has published numerous collections of poetry and has conducted literary programs at organizations including the Caribbean Cultural Center and El Museo del Barrio
. She lives in New York City
.
- Dominican
- Borinqueña - Quisqueyana - Taíno
- African American
," Esteves was born in the South Bronx of a Puerto Rican father and a Dominican mother who had separated, and was raised by her mother Christina Huyghue and a paternal aunt. She was educated in Catholic boarding schools
where she experienced traumatic anti-Hispanic
prejudice
that led her to abandon the Spanish language and favor English. After she graduated from high school, she attended New York's Pratt Institute
and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts
in 1978. She has closely been associated with the poets of the Nuyorican Poets Café
and was one of the few women involved with this group in the 1970s and 1980s.
, which consists of two poems by each woman. In Esteves's best-known poem "A la mujer borrinqueña" [To the Puerto Rican Woman] (published in Yerba Buena in 1980), the poet presented a figure called Maria Christina, a proud mother and wife that participates in her community's struggle against prejudice and oppression. In 1985, Umpierre published a poem titled "In Response" (in Y otras desgracias/And Other Misfortunes) which offered a pointed critique of the vision of Puerto Rican womanhood advanced in Esteves's poem. Specifically, Umpierre criticized Esteves (and her character Maria Christina) for her complacency with traditional social views of womanhood, and presented a poetic speaker that argues that her name is "not Maria Cristina" (spelling Cristina in Spanish, without an h) and who does not depend on men. Esteves responded to Umpierre in her poem "So Your Name Isn't Maria Cristina," part of Bluestown Mockingbird Mambo (1990). Umpierre subsequently commented on that poem in her own "Musée D'Orsay," published in For Christine (1995), and also wrote an essay stating that she holds a sisterly esteem towards Esteves and considers her an important fellow poet. These four poems have been published together in the fifth edition of the Heath Anthology of American Literature with an introduction by the Puerto Rican scholar Lawrence La Fountain-Stokes
; the same critic also recorded an interview for the Modern Language Association
on this topic. Umpierre has criticized the reading of these poems offered by the scholar William Luis, stating her strong disagreement with his interpretation.
Fellowship in Poetry and was an Art Review 2001 Honoree from the Bronx Council on the Arts.
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
, and graphic artist
Printmaking
Printmaking is the process of making artworks by printing, normally on paper. Printmaking normally covers only the process of creating prints with an element of originality, rather than just being a photographic reproduction of a painting. Except in the case of monotyping, the process is capable...
. She was born and raised in the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and is one of the founders of the Nuyorican poetry movement
Nuyorican Movement
The Nuyorican Movement is a cultural and intellectual movement involving poets, writers, musicians and artists who are Puerto Rican or of Puerto Rican descent, who live in or near New York City, and either call themselves or are known as Nuyoricans...
. She has published numerous collections of poetry and has conducted literary programs at organizations including the Caribbean Cultural Center and El Museo del Barrio
El Museo del Barrio
El Museo del Barrio, New York’s leading Latino visual arts cultural institution, is located in the East Harlem neighborhood of New York City, United States, also known as El Barrio. The museum welcomes visitors of all backgrounds to discover the artistic landscape of the Latino, Caribbean, and...
. She lives in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Life
Self-described "Puerto RicanPuerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
- Dominican
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
- Borinqueña - Quisqueyana - Taíno
Taíno people
The Taínos were pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles. It is thought that the seafaring Taínos are relatives of the Arawak people of South America...
- African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
," Esteves was born in the South Bronx of a Puerto Rican father and a Dominican mother who had separated, and was raised by her mother Christina Huyghue and a paternal aunt. She was educated in Catholic boarding schools
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
where she experienced traumatic anti-Hispanic
Hispanophobia
Hispanophobia is a fear, distrust, aversion, or discrimination of Hispanic people, Hispanic culture and the Spanish language. Its opposite is Hispanophilia...
prejudice
Prejudice
Prejudice is making a judgment or assumption about someone or something before having enough knowledge to be able to do so with guaranteed accuracy, or "judging a book by its cover"...
that led her to abandon the Spanish language and favor English. After she graduated from high school, she attended New York's Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...
and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts
Bachelor of Fine Arts
In the United States and Canada, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, usually abbreviated BFA, is the standard undergraduate degree for students seeking a professional education in the visual or performing arts. In some countries such a degree is called a Bachelor of Creative Arts or BCA...
in 1978. She has closely been associated with the poets of the Nuyorican Poets Café
Nuyorican Poets Café
The Nuyorican Poets Café is a non-profit organization in Alphabet City, Manhattan. It is a bastion of the Nuyorican art movement in New York City, USA, and has become a forum for poetry, music, hip hop, video, visual arts, comedy and theatre.-History:...
and was one of the few women involved with this group in the 1970s and 1980s.
Exchange with Luz María Umpierre
Esteves is particularly well known for the poetic conversation she has engaged in with the Puerto Rican poet Luz María UmpierreLuz María Umpierre
Luz María Umpierre-Herrera is a Puerto Rican poet, scholar, and human rights activist who lives in the United States. She is also known as Luzma Umpierre. She is widely recognized for her open exploration of her lesbianism, immigrant experience, and bilingualism, and for her poetic exchange with...
, which consists of two poems by each woman. In Esteves's best-known poem "A la mujer borrinqueña" [To the Puerto Rican Woman] (published in Yerba Buena in 1980), the poet presented a figure called Maria Christina, a proud mother and wife that participates in her community's struggle against prejudice and oppression. In 1985, Umpierre published a poem titled "In Response" (in Y otras desgracias/And Other Misfortunes) which offered a pointed critique of the vision of Puerto Rican womanhood advanced in Esteves's poem. Specifically, Umpierre criticized Esteves (and her character Maria Christina) for her complacency with traditional social views of womanhood, and presented a poetic speaker that argues that her name is "not Maria Cristina" (spelling Cristina in Spanish, without an h) and who does not depend on men. Esteves responded to Umpierre in her poem "So Your Name Isn't Maria Cristina," part of Bluestown Mockingbird Mambo (1990). Umpierre subsequently commented on that poem in her own "Musée D'Orsay," published in For Christine (1995), and also wrote an essay stating that she holds a sisterly esteem towards Esteves and considers her an important fellow poet. These four poems have been published together in the fifth edition of the Heath Anthology of American Literature with an introduction by the Puerto Rican scholar Lawrence La Fountain-Stokes
Lawrence La Fountain-Stokes
Lawrence La Fountain-Stokes is a gay Puerto Rican author, scholar, and performer. He is better known as Larry La Fountain. He has received several awards for his creative writing and scholarship as well as for his work with Latino and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students...
; the same critic also recorded an interview for the Modern Language Association
Modern Language Association
The Modern Language Association of America is the principal professional association in the United States for scholars of language and literature...
on this topic. Umpierre has criticized the reading of these poems offered by the scholar William Luis, stating her strong disagreement with his interpretation.
Publications
- Yerba Buena (1980), ISBN 091267847X
- Tropical Rain: A Bilingual Downpour (1984)
- Bluestown Mockingbird Mambo (1990), ISBN 1558850171
- Undelivered Love Poems (1997)
- Contrapunto in the Open Field (1998)
- Finding Your Way (2001)
- Portal: A Journey in Poetry (2007)
Awards
Esteves's book Yerba Buena was selected as Best Small Press publication in 1981 by the Library Journal. She received the 1985 NYFANew York Foundation for the Arts
The New York Foundation for the Arts was created in conjunction the in 1971. The organization gives grants to individual artists and writers and developing arts organizations with a mission to '.'-NYFA's Programs:...
Fellowship in Poetry and was an Art Review 2001 Honoree from the Bronx Council on the Arts.
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- List of Puerto Rican writers
- Puerto Rican literature
- Puerto Ricans in the United StatesPuerto Ricans in the United StatesStateside Puerto Ricans are American citizens of Puerto Rican origin, including those who migrated from Puerto Rico to the United States and those who were born outside of Puerto Rico in the United States...