Prof. Mike Sonksen鈥檚 Articles Spotlight L.A. Writers of Color
Prof. Mike Sonksen has dedicated his writing and teaching career to highlighting Los Angeles鈥� multiethnic urban fabric. Ever prolific, he recently published three articles, all of which encourage us to pay closer attention to L.A.-based writers of color. A review of Lynell George鈥檚 new book on Octavia Butler for highlights George鈥檚 skilled ability to demystify the 鈥渓egendary science fiction author by using archival material from the Huntington [Library in San Marino] to meticulously uncover how Butler constructed herself through a regimented autodidactic recipe of reading, writing and ritual.鈥� Another article, ,鈥� published for KCET, draws attention to one of the most important recent contributions to L.A.鈥檚 ever-transitory poetry scene by Hiram Sims, a poet and professor from South Central Los Angeles. Sims鈥� antidote, as Sonksen writes, was to open the Sims Library of Poetry, located in the Crenshaw District. Sims鈥� collection has grown to over 4,000 volumes and is open to the public.
According to Sonksen, 鈥淭here are no other libraries in Southern California devoted to only poetry and only a few similar spaces exist across the United States.鈥� 聽Sims was also a featured speaker at the College of Liberal Arts鈥� first CoLA-Verse event this January, where he was joined by Verse Come Verse Serve student co-host Joshua Jones. Jones also took the photographs used in the article.
Sonksen also recently published his 鈥樷�� with L.A. Taco, the self-described online journal for 鈥渞eal ones.鈥� Included in his reading recommendations were new texts by Bridgette Bianca, a poet and professor from South East L.A., a sweeping history of Martha Gonzales鈥� band, Quetzal, and its participatory community practices, and a posthumous collection of poetry by Watts-born Wanda Coleman.
Last Updated on March 26, 2021.聽