The memory of one of the nation’s most beloved masters of poetry, Abelardo “Lalo” Delgado, was honored with a celebratory gathering organized by the Metropolitan State College of Denver (MSCD) President’s Office of Institutional Diversity along with the Department of Chicana/o Studies. The 4th Annual Lalo Delgado Poetry Festival “Man on a Mission”was held on April 25th to honor Delgado, Denver's First Poet Laureate, who passed away June 2004 at age 73.
Lalo, taught for 17 years in the Department of Chicana/o Studies at MSCD. He is widely regarded as one of the “grandfathers” of the Chicano literary renaissance. Best remembered for his writings about the turmoil of Latinos in the Southwest, he also worked tirelessly to educate Latino immigrants on how to obtain citizenship in the United States.
Lalo arrived on the literary scene in 1969 with the book of poems, ''Chicano: 25 Pieces of a Chicano Mind’. This collection was highly regarded in the Chicano movement because of the vivid descriptions of the injustices suffered by many Mexican-Americans.
This year’s event featured Chicano Literature Scholar, Joe Navarro, community poets as well as Lalo's grandchildren. In addition Colorado's Lt. Governor Joseph Garcia and Dr. Ramon Del Castillo, Chair of Chicana/o Studies paid tribute to the late poet.
At the event, the Chicana/o Studies Department awarded scholarships to Daniella Abad and Essence Montoya, both Metro State students.