DuBOIS, Pa. – The Penn State DuBois Office of Student Engagement will welcome students and members of the public to a spoken word performance from artist Mario Reyes at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20, at Hiller Auditorium.
Also known as Papa Picasso, Reyes was raised in the Bronx, New York, surrounded by hip-hop elements and artistic influences. He became a single father, which fueled his ambition to write poetry. He saw the need for examples in Baltimore’s community and the social issues he volunteered this time to. Poetry helped him to voice his thesis.
Reyes entered the Atlanta-In-Agreance poetry scene, where he delivered unique and changeable poetry, speaking to the audience on issues such as discrimination, gender inequality, the digital divide, gentrification, divorce, coparenting, fatherhood and virtues of manhood.
Reyes has spent years helping create safe spaces in communities and Fortune 500 companies for employees to exercise their creativity in ways that affirm their individuality, thus allowing them to contribute to a team more efficiently. As a proud father of two and an accomplished author, he has created fatherhood communities with his workshop Kingdom Son.
This event is free and open to the public and is presented by the Penn State DuBois Office of Student Engagement as part of the Diversity, Arts, and Lecture Series. For more information, contact Brittany Stanton, assistant director of student engagement, at blm5191@psu.edu or 814-375-4764.