Poetry and Literary Activism - Ricardo Maldonado

This week, we feature Ricardo Maldonado, president of the Academy of American Poets. Ricardo shares his inspiring journey from Puerto Rico to leading American poetry, discussing:

• How poetry can drive social change and cultural preservation
• The power of mentorship in the literary world
• Poetry's role in embracing our increasingly diverse culture

Ricardo's passion for using words to create understanding and connection is truly inspiring.

And don't miss last week's episode with Bill Roscoe of the Boise Rescue Mission. Bill offers illuminating insights on homelessness in unexpected places and innovative approaches to helping those in need. Some standout quotes:

"Just pouring money into programs has not caused the number of homeless people to decline."

"The larger, largest number of homeless people in some communities - that's 80% of the homeless population - are chemically dependent or alcoholic, and or suffering with an untreated mental illness."

"We've had as many as 55 people in our shelter beds who are over 65 years old, and the majority of them were over 70 years old."