Chicano identity and border crossings with the US Poet Laureate

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IMG_0488 (1)Although Juan Felipe Herrera doesn’t want to be known solely for being the first Chicano U.S. Poet Laureate, his Mexican-American heritage does play a major role in his poetry. His latest collection of poetry, called “Notes on the Assemblage,” tackles subjects like cultural identity, border crossings and immigrant farmworker rights.

Next weekend he’ll receive the 2015 Robert Kirsch Award for lifetime achievement at the L.A. Times Festival of Books.

KCRW spoke with Herrera when he stopped in Santa Barbara earlier this year.