“Poetry is, like bread, everyone’s.” So says Rafael Jesús González, who was chosen as Berkeley’s first Poet Laureate in 2017. He will share his life experiences as a poet, visual artist, educator, and longtime peace activist. The founder of Laney College’s Mexican and Latin American Studies Department, Professor González is still marching for peace.

Rafael Jesús González, Prof. Emeritus of literature and creative writing, was born and raised biculturally/bilingually in El Paso, Texas/Cd. Juárez, Chihuahua, and taught at various universities before settling at Laney College, Oakland, California where he founded the Dept. of Mexican & Latin-American Studies in1969. Also a visual artist, he has exhibited in the Oakland Museum of California, the Mexican Museum of San Francisco, and others in the U.S. and Mexico. Four times nominated for a Pushcart price, he was honored by the National Council of Teachers of English and Annenberg CPB for his writing in 2003. In 2013 he received a César E. Chávez Lifetime Award and was honored by the City of Berkeley with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 13th Annual Berkeley Poetry Festival 2015. He is the first poet laureate of Berkeley. rjgonzalez.blogspot.com

We meet in person at 1924 Cedar Street and on Zoom for Worship Services on Sundays at 10:30 AM. If you’d like to attend via Zoom, please email worshiponline@bfuu.org for the meeting ID and link. You can also stream the service live and catch the replay on BFUU’s Youtube channel.