What is in a name? A name can be a link to a cultural history or a burden that must be shouldered. It can signal joy and strength or act as a symbol of grief. What is the story behind the names we were given? 

In this workshop, SUNY Oswego’s Artist-in-Residence Albert Abonado will partner with the Institute for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Transformative Practice to discuss the profound histories of our names and how they can define our experiences. What do we do with the names we are given? How do we choose to carry those names? Following the conversation, Albert will lead a generative poetry workshop where participants will have an opportunity to write poems that explore the rich meanings behind their names.

This workshop is free and open to all. No registration required. 

About Albert Abonado: 

Albert Abonado is a poet and essayist. He is the author of the poetry collection JAW (Sundress Publications 2020) and the forthcoming Field Guide for Accidents (Beacon Press 2024), selected by Mahogany Browne for the National Poetry Series. He has received fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. His writing has appeared in the Bennington Review, Colorado Review, Poetry Northwest, Zone 3, and others. Abonado is the Editor-in-Chief of the Bare Hill Review and the Fall 2024 Artist-in-Residence at SUNY Oswego. He lives and teaches in Rochester, NY.