Release: June 1, 2021
Publicity Contact: Sven Davisson, svendavisson@rebelsatori.com
web: www.rebelsatori.com | twitter: rebelsatori | ig: rebelsatori | fb: Rebel Satori Press
A career-defining retrospective by a much-beloved contemporary master.
“For decades, Emanuel Xavier has been our poet of the streets, of the balls, of the pier, through our loves, lives lost, and in the growth and ruin of our city. Finally a new generation has a chance to breathe through his collected poems,
a monument to our past, our collectivity and our hearts.” —Sarah Schulman
QuerMojo, an Imprint of Rebel Satori Press, is happy to announce the upcoming release of renowned LGBTQ and one of the Latinx community’s treasures Emanuel Xavier. Selected Poems brings together Emanuel Xavier’s most
groundbreaking poetry for the first time. This collection is an excellent starting point for understanding the power of poems as social commentary and gaining perspective on the Latinx experience.
When he first emerged as a Nuyorican Poets Café slam poet in the 1990s, Emanuel Xavier quickly took his place as one of the first openly queer, celebrated, controversial and significant poets of the era. Now, decades later, as a former homeless teen and a hate crime survivor, Xavier still stands as one of America’s most inspiring and powerful voices. Through his written and spoken word, he fearlessly bares emotions, providing a glimpse into frequently underrepresented experiences within a marginalized community.
Poet and activist, Emanuel Xavier was born in Brooklyn, New York, and became involved in the ball scene as a homeless gay teen. Xavier has received recognition as a spoken word artist from national colleges and universities. He has been named an LGBTQ Icon by The Equality Forum and has been presented a New York City Council Citation Award. Xavier has received an International Latino Book Award, Lambda Literary Award nominations and American Library Association Over the Rainbow Books selections for his collections which include: Pier Queen, Americano, If Jesus Were Gay, Nefarious, and Radiance. He is the recipient of a Gay City Impact Award and The Marsha A. Gomez Cultural Heritage Award.
Advance Praise for Selected Poems:
“A provocative voice of the Latinx liminal space, Xavier takes turns seducing and alerting the reader with a fearless sensuality and a knowing lack of regret. A much-needed, streetwise collection living at the intersection of raw desire and a deep compassion for a marginalized people.” —Ed Morales, author
“Thank goodness we at last get the Selected Poems of Emanuel Xavier! This collection pulses with the necessary urgency we’ve come to expect from this luminary poet. While reading you can feel the clarity of his voice speaking up to you from the page with its razor-blade precision offering insight and humor navigating the multifaceted truths of this world.” —Sam Sax, poet
