FALL 2025

Raquel Gutiérrez - Visiting Poet

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Raquel Gutiérrez is a critic, essayist, poet, performer, and educator. Gutiérrez's first book Brown Neon (Coffee House Press) was named as one of the best books of 2022 by The New Yorker and listed in The Best Art Books of 2022 by Hyperallergic. Brown Neon was a 2023 Finalist for the Lambda Literary Prize for Best Lesbian Biography/Memoir, a 2023 Finalist for the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses' Firework Award in Creative Nonfiction and Recipient of The Publishing Triangle Judy Grahn Award for Lesbian Nonfiction. They are a 2025 recipient of the United States Artist Fellowship and the Foundation for Contemporary Arts Fellowship in Poetry. Their first poetry collection, “Southwest Reconstruction,” is out late Fall 2025 on Noemi Press. Gutiérrez has lived on unceded lands of the Tohono O’odham and Pascua Yaqui people since 2016.

Monday, October 6th, 7:15pm
Reading and Book Signing
Philips Autograph Library

 

Donald Justice Poetry Prize 20th Anniversary Celebration

We invite you to join for a special event commemorating 20 years of the Spencer Poetry Awards, Donald Justice Poetry Prize for best manuscript. This will include a presentation to the university of the winning books signed by each poet and a reading by 2025 DJ Poetry Prize winner, Scott Cunningham. Please RSVP to poetry@wcupa.edu. 

Thursday, November 6th, 4:30pm
WCU Francis Harvey Green Library
Special Collections - 6th Floor
25 W. Rosedale Ave.
West Chester, PA 19382