The Poetry of Carlos Andrés Gómez

Earlier this semester I sat in on a slam poetry reading by Carlos Andres Gomez. He is currently starring in HBO's Def Jam Poetry and Verse & Flow as well as Spike Lee's Inside Man. During the performance Carlos would routinely switch between insightful banter and powerful poetry. He discussed many systemic issues pertaining to race and gender. One poem, in particular, stood out to me; the emotion in his voice felt less rehearsed, his cadence more welcoming. I was baffled by his ability to fuel his words so passionately and cogently. In this poem, he discussed Latinx identity and offered countless counterstereotypical examples. He began with a story of someone asking him "what he was," because he did not look "hispanic." Carlos responds to this encounter by questioning exactly what it means to be "hispanic." He paints a grotesque, verbal icon of a "hispanic" person--defined by crude stereotypes and surrealist imagery. He then notes that he has never met a "hispanic" before but instead has encountered many Latinos, Latinas, and Latinx individuals. He demonstrates the mass of diversity within Latinx identity by listing off people who blatantly invalidate the stereotype. In doing this, he simultaneously addresses many struggles unique to Latinx cultures around the world. He finishes the poem by stating his own identity ("a latino in the United States...") and demands recognition of such. His closing statement is his name, which he does not wish to be mispronounced or abbreviated, fostering a sense of pride in the identity and culture his name symbolizes.

To be entirely honest, whereas I found his messages powerful and relevant, his delivery conformed to most modern conventions of slam poetry. It felt, at times, forced and somewhat cheesy; it did not feel like a creative take on the poetic form. However, I recognized that this form of poetry is popular for a reason: it tends to trigger a visceral reaction and prod a deeper emotional response.

Regardless, I found his aforementioned soliloquy especially relevant to our in-class discussion on stereotypes and the damages they cause. Carlos's reaction is so strong because he recognizes the hidden rhetoric in the question, "what are you?" This is also definitely an example of a microaggression, either a microinsult or microassault depending on the interpretation of the comment. This questioning of his identity implies that something is wrong because he does not validate the physical stereotype of a Latino. This implication alone invalidates his identity, but perception of the stereotype is equally so. The stereotypes marginalize the identity of all Latinx people and fail to acknowledge the richness and diversity of this cultural label. He is in a double bind because if he contradicts the stereotype people dismiss his cultural identity but if he conforms to the stereotype he is dehumanized nonetheless. In this way he demonstrates how stereotypes are used to rob peoples of their identities and thus their humanity. With this understanding of cultural stereotypes, the intensity of his reaction and emotional communication is very sensible; his disgust is justified. How can Carlos navigate a landscape where he is constantly pressed by societal expectations, racist stereotypes, and disregarded identity?