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Acclaimed poet Martín Espada gives powerful performance, receives honorary degree at Worcester State University

Posted By Nancy Sheehan On In Achievers,Uncategorized | No Comments

Renowned poet Martín Espada [1] brought his lyrical and socially conscious verse to life during a reading at Worcester State on Oct. 3 that left the audience in the Student Center Blue Lounge deeply moved by his vivid portrayals of the marginalized and oppressed. The Friday afternoon event kicked off Homecoming Weekend at the university.

Espada, who was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from the university during the event, was introduced by English Professor Heather Treseler, who praised his “decades of distinction as a writer and his unstinting work as an educator and as an advocate for human rights.” 

Espada is a professor of English at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His powerful work explores themes of immigrant and working-class experiences, the role of poetry in public and private life, and the Latin American tradition of testimonial.

Espada’s collections, including Floaters, which won the National Book Award, bear witness to the struggles of marginalized communities, using evocative language and compelling narratives.

He has earned numerous accolades for his lifelong dedication to lifting up the voices of the powerless through his poetry, activism, and teaching. Espada’s poems evince an unwavering commitment to using his art as a means of understanding the world and imagining a more just future.

Dr. Lawrence Sasso of the Worcester State University Board of Trustees, along with President Barry Maloney, presented Espada with the honorary doctoral degree, recognizing his exceptional achievements in literature and education, as well as his lifelong commitment to social justice. 

Three men pose in front of a Worcester State University backdrop; the man in the center holds a framed certificate or award. [2]
Two people stand in front of a blue Worcester State University backdrop, smiling at the camera. [3]
An older man gestures while speaking at a podium with a Worcester State University sign in front, in a room with brick walls. [4]
An older man with glasses speaks at a podium labeled [5]
A man in a white shirt speaks at a podium with [6]
An older man with glasses and a white shirt speaks at a podium labeled [7]
A man sits at a table signing a book for a woman while a line of people waits behind her at an indoor event. [8]
Three men pose in front of a Worcester State University backdrop; the man in the center holds a framed certificate or award.
Dr. Sasso and President Maloney present Professor Espada with an honorary degree
Two people stand in front of a blue Worcester State University backdrop, smiling at the camera.
Martin Espada and Heather Treseler
An older man gestures while speaking at a podium with a Worcester State University sign in front, in a room with brick walls.
Professor Espada gave a very passionate reading of his poems
An older man with glasses speaks at a podium labeled
Martin Espada gestures as he reads one of his poems
A man in a white shirt speaks at a podium with
Martin Espada reading one of his poems in a very expressive manner
An older man with glasses and a white shirt speaks at a podium labeled
Martin Espada giving a poetry reading
A man sits at a table signing a book for a woman while a line of people waits behind her at an indoor event.
Students, faculty, and staff line up for a booksigning after the event

During his reading at Worcester State, Espada presented a diverse collection of poems—from the lighthearted and humorous to the deeply moving and poignant—that captured a wide range of human experiences and perspectives.

Espada’s performance captivated the audience with expressive readings from his latest poetry collection, Jailbreak of Sparrows. Weaving together themes of family, displacement, and social justice, his words painted vivid portraits of the Puerto Rican experience and the struggles of marginalized communities. His readings were infused with raw emotion and a commitment to giving voice to the voiceless.

Many of Espada’s poems chronicle stories of courage in the face of adversity, including the tale of Puerto Rican baseball legend Roberto Clemente, who died in a plane crash trying to deliver supplies to Nicaragua after an earthquake. As Espada recited that poem, Big Bird Died for Your Sins [9], his passion and emotion shone through, bringing the audience into the vivid world of his words.

Following the reading, students expressed appreciation for Espada as one of the country’s most esteemed and impactful contemporary poets.  One student, Dariana Vasquez ’27, said she was moved by Espada’s many references to Puerto Rico, where her family is from, and by the lyrical beauty of his poems. “His details are so beautiful,” she said. “It’s hard to explain but his poems are just amazing.”

Another student, Cassandra Xavier ’27, said that hearing Espada recite his own work made the poems feel more authentic than reading them on the page. “It was really, really wonderful to hear him read it out loud, especially the last poem he read, “Letter to My Father,” [10] she said. “It’s such a different experience. I feel like you get the emotion of the poems so much better than just reading them in class because he’s just such a wonderful performer.”