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Luis Rodriguez

Official Poet Laureate of Los Angeles; Poet, novelist, journalist, critic, and columnist.

Official Poet Laureate of Los Angeles; Poet, novelist, journalist, critic, and columnist.

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Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Luis Rodriguez Biography

Luis Rodriguez is convinced that a writer can change the world. Indeed it is through education and the power of words that Rodriguez saw his own way out of poverty and despair in the barrio of East LA and successfully broke free from the years of violence and desperation he spent as an active gang member. Achieving success as an award-winning Chicano poet, he was sure the streets would haunt him no more — until his young son joined a gang himself. Rodriguez fought for his child by telling his own story in the bestseller Always Running: La Vida Loca, Gang Days in L.A., a vivid memoir that explores the motivation of gang life and cautions against the death and destruction that inevitably claim its participants. Always Running earned a Carl Sandburg Literary Award and was designated a New York Times Notable Book; it has also been named by the American Library Association as one of the nation’s 100 most censored books.

Rodriguez is also known for helping start a number of prominent organizations such as Chicago’s Guild Complex,, one of the largest literary arts organizations in the Midwest; Rock a Mole (rhymes with guacamole) Productions which produces music and art festivals, CDs and film; and Youth Struggling for Survival, a Chicago-based non-profit community group working with gang and non-gang youth. In addition, he is one of the founders of the small poetry publishing house Tia Chucha Press, as well as Tia Chucha's Café & Centro Cultural bookstore, coffee shop, art gallery, performance space, and workshop center in Los Angeles.

An accomplished poet, Luis Rodriguez is the author of several collections of poetry, his latest being My Nature is Hunger: New and Selected Poems 1989-2004 (Curbstone Press). His poetry has won a Poetry Center Book Award and a PEN/Josephine Miles Literary Award among others. His books for children, America Is Her Name and It Doesn't Have To Be This Way: A Barrio Story, published in both English and Spanish, have won several awards including a Patterson Young Adult Book Award and a Parent’s Choice Book Award. Luis Rodriguez is also the author of Hearts and Hands: Creating Community in Violent Times and a novel, Music of the Mill. Luis Rodriguez’s honors include a Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Writers’ Award, a Lannan Fellowship for Poetry, a Hispanic Heritage Award for Literature, a California Arts Council fellowship and several Illinois Arts Council fellowships. He was one of 50 leaders worldwide selected as “Unsung Heroes of Compassion,” presented by the Dalai Lama. Rodriguez is currently working on a new memoir, titled It Calls You Back: A Writer's Odyssey through Love, Addictions, Revolution, and Healing due in 2011.

Luis Rodriguez conducts workshops, readings, and talks in prisons, juvenile detention facilities, universities, public and private schools, and homeless shelters. He addresses the complex but vital issues of race, class, gender, and personal rage through dialogue, story, poetry, and art.

“ Art is the heart's explosion on the world. There is probably no more powerful force for change in this uncertain and crisis-ridden world than young people and their art. It is the consciousness of the world breaking away from the strangle grip of an archaic social order. ”  Luis Rodriguez

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FAQs on booking Luis Rodriguez

  • How do I book Luis Rodriguez to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Luis Rodriguez for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Luis Rodriguez, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Luis Rodriguez or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Luis Rodriguez

    Speaking fees for Luis Rodriguez, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Luis Rodriguez are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Luis Rodriguez, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Luis Rodriguez speak about?

    Luis Rodriguez is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Authors, Culture, Journalism, Literary, Poetry.
  • Where does Luis Rodriguez travel from?

    Luis Rodriguez generally travels from Los Angeles, CA, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Luis Rodriguez’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Luis Rodriguez for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Luis Rodriguez for your next private or corporate function.
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    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Luis Rodriguez or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
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Luis Rodriguez is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Luis Rodriguez for your event is $20,000 - $30,000. Luis Rodriguez generally travels from Los Angeles, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Daniel Alarcón, Morgan Jerkins​, George Watsky, Philipp Meyer and Malcolm London. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Luis Rodriguez for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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