The Rumpus Interviews Tatiana Figueroa Ramirez

The Rumpus's Hannah Grieco converses with Ramirez about "pushing beyond writing for a Eurocentric audience, the importance of language within a poem, spoken word poetry as an influence on poetry as a whole, and writing her identity into her poems." From the beginning of their conversation: 

The Rumpus: You weave in and out of Spanish and English in your poetry, and speak to that in the poem “Mi Gente.” How does your choice of language impact your poetry and vice versa?

Tatiana Figueroa Ramirez: Language is so vital for poetry. Each word matters, so it’s crucial that I’m choosing the best word for the message. When thinking between Spanish and English, it’s easy to flow between the two deciding which language is most appropriate. For me, authenticity is a huge part of my poetry. If I’m writing about my great-grandmother who only spoke a handful of words in English, it’s necessary for me to incorporate Spanish.

I have some poems that are entirely in Spanish because of the context and audience. For example, over the summer I wrote and shared a poem directed to the former governor of Puerto Rico in response to the protests in San Juan back in July. The original poem was completely in Spanish. I did translate it into mostly English to allow more accessibility for my audience in Washington, DC; however, as the poem “Mi Gente” says, some things cannot be translated. Again, I think whether I’m writing in Spanish or English, it really boils down to what is most appropriate in terms of voice and context.

Rumpus: In what other ways does the Eurocentric gaze impact your writing?

Ramirez: I think I deliberately ignore the Eurocentric gaze in most of my writing. I was once in a writing residency and my teacher asked me “who is your audience?” which entirely focused my perspective on who I should speak to in my poetry. I realized my goal is not to educate or preach to white people. My aspirations also don’t involve catering to the majority white population. There is enough work in this world that speaks to white people and celebrates the Eurocentric gaze. That’s not what my work is and that’s not what my mission is. I would much rather speak to a person of color and an underrepresented person who needs to see a reflection of themselves. If you connect to my writing and are able to get something positive out of what I’ve shared, then that’s great, but I realize my writing is not for everyone. I’m fortunate that a lot of creative spaces I find myself in are filled with people—no matter their race and background—willing to learn and willing to accept the rich diversity this world offers. They welcome my poetry and the work of other great artists who push beyond writing through a Eurocentric lens. I’m aware not everyone is this “woke” but I don’t see that as my problem. At the end of the day, my poetry isn’t for those people and I’m okay with that.

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