CSW Welcomes Poet Dariana Guerrero
CSW was thrilled to welcome writer, activist, and educator Dariana Guerrero to campus on Wednesday, September 20, in celebration of Latinx Heritage Month.
In 2018 the Institute of Caribbean Studies recognized Dariana as a "30 Under 30 Caribbean American leader and change-maker" for her community leadership and social activism in Lawrence. Her passion for fat liberation, youth education, accessibility, and spoken word poetry aided her in the start of body-positive youth programming and her eventual induction as a board member for the national non-profit, The Body Positive. In 2022, Dariana was named one of Amplify Latinx’s Amplifiers, for uplifting and sharing the voices of those in Lawrence. Her work has been featured in a wide variety of publications and media including, Caustic Frolic Literary Journal, Exposed Brick Literary Magazine, Glass Poetry Journal, Voices and Visions, Women: A Cultural Review, influencer Bailey Sarian’s The Dark History of Diet Culture, Witness Magazine, and Death Never Dies: Mourning 2020 Through the Lives and Deaths of Public Figures.
Dariana performed a series of poems for the community, and shared some of the inspiration behind her work. Her words, rich with emotion and depth, transported the audience to the city of Lawrence, Dariana’s hometown and a highly influential place in her life. With themes of body-positivity, finding one's voice, social justice, and the human condition, Dariana’s poetry resonated with students and faculty alike.
Following the mvoing performance, Dariana engaged in a Q&A session with the students, who posed questions about her artistic process, sources of inspiration, and the power of poetry as a means of self-expression. The poet's responses were illuminating, encouraging students to pursue their own creative paths.
Another highlight of the visit was the series of poetry workshops led by Dariana. Both students and faculty had the privilege of working directly with Dariana in creative writing workshops, in which they were stretched to consider their identities and backgrounds to inspire written word and develop poetic voice.
CSW thanks Dariana for an amazing day!
CSW—a gender-inclusive day and boarding school for grades 9-12—is a national leader in progressive education. We live out our values of inquiry-based learning, student agency, and embracing diverse perspectives in every aspect of our student experience. Young people come to CSW to learn how to learn and then put what they learn into action—essential skills they carry into their futures as doers, makers, innovators, leaders, and exceptional humans who do meaningful work in the world.