Juan Felipe Herrera Calif. Poet Laureate

Oscar Garza, KPCC news editor, interviewed Herrera at a Zocolo event at MOCA. He as been called California's Low Rider Poet. The only child of immigrant migrant workers, he went to UCLA on scholarship and earned honors at the Masters program from Iowa's Writers Work Shop.

His books include children's lit and collections of poems like "Half the World in Light" and "Exiles of Desire".

Juan was well loved by his parents. He viewed the frequent moving and hardships as an adventure. He saw beauty where others see strife.

He was disturbed when a green immigration van drove into his neighborhood and took away his friends who he never saw again.

After the 1992 riots, he wrote "Love After the Riots".

I enjoyed his positive view of life. He became a poet to bring positive changes in society. He advises to be in the present and to accept Home as where you are.