Ethnic Studies Professor to Perform at San Diego Book Festival
Jason Magabo Perez, a Cal State San Marcos associate professor of ethnic studies, will be a featured performer at the inaugural KPBS San Diego Book Festival this weekend.
Perez, who’s also the poet laureate emeritus for the City of San Diego, will read some of his poetry on the main stage Saturday from 2:30-3 p.m. at the University of San Diego. He will appear alongside Paola Capo-Garcia, San Diego’s current poet laureate, and award-winning poet Karla Cordero.
The festival, which runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., is a free event featuring panel discussions with award-winning authors, activities, live entertainment and exhibitors including local authors and independent booksellers.
Hired in 2019, Perez is entering his seventh academic year at CSUSM. In January 2023, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria selected him as the city’s poet laureate, a two-year appointment to write poems, hold workshops and add to the cultural richness of the region.
Also in 2023, Perez was awarded a $50,000 poet laureate fellowship by the Academy of American Poets. He helped launch a youth empowerment poetry project that included youth mentorship and workshops on poetry, performance-making, filmmaking and video art.
Media Contact
Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist
bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306