THE WELFARE POETS use culture as a tool of resistance. Over their 15 plus years of existence, we have been not only cultural activist, but have been directly involved in efforts for social justice, most notably against police brutality, political prisoners, the colonial status of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Naval occupation of the island, environmental justice in New York City and elsewhere and the death penalty. Through teaching residencies and workshops, through activism around community struggles and through sharp-edged performances of music that incorporates Hip Hop, Bomba y Plena, Latin Jazz and other rhythms, the Welfare Poets bring information and inspiration to those facing oppression and those fighting for liberation. Past Appearances Some of the Colleges and Universities: Boricua College; Brown University; Buffalo State University; Central Connecticut State; Columbia University; Cornell University, CUNY – BMCC, City College Hunter, Queens College; Dartmouth University; D’youville College; Eastern Connecticut State University, Harvard University, Haverford College, Hostos, Hunter; Ithaca College, Johnson and Wales; Marymount Manhattan College; Middlebury College; Montclair State; Mt. Holyoke; New York University; New Jersey Institute of Technology; Pratt University; Princeton University; Rutgers University; Smith College; Stevenson College; Stonybrook University; Swathmore; SUNY Albany; SUNY Binghamton SUNY Buffalo, SUNY New Paltz; SUNY Old Westbury; SUNY Purchase; Syracuse University; Union College; UC Berkeley; University of Illinois (Champagne); University of Maryland; U Mass. at Amherst; University of Pennsylvania; University of St. Thomas (Houston); Vassar; Wesleyan and Yale Some of the Cafe's/Clubs/Community Centers: The Beal Bodtch Cafe; Bowery Poetry Club; Brecht Forum; Bronx Academy of Art and Dance; Brooklyn Moon Cafe, Café Creole; Cafe Zapata (Berlin, Germany); Flying Sauvage (Berlin, Germany); Café Largo; Cafe Teatro Batey Urbano (Chicago); CBGB; Como Cocoa Café; Cooper Union Great Hall; The Cotton Club; The Culture Project Theater (45 Bleecker); Frank’s Place; Joloff's Café; Julia De Burgos Cultural Center; Lincoln Center (Summer Festival); Plan B Bar (Brixton, London); Nia Bar (Brixton, London); Jamm (speaker'c Corner (Brixton, London); The Rainbow pub (Birmingham, England); Lot 51; The Newsroom Bar; Nuyorican Poets Café; The Nuyorican Café in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico; Remy Lounge; Rockwells Bar, Sista’s Place; The Bourboun Street Club in Amsterdam (Holland); The Puffin Room; Sounds of Brazil (SOBs); Strictly Roots Café; Segundo Ruiz Belviz Cultural Center (Chicago);The Temple Bar (Cali); The Harold Washington Cultural Center (Chicago, Ill.); Taller Puertoriqueno (Philadelphia) and The Living Project (Waterloo,Iowa)