Hear from the Poet Laureate of Worcester as Oliver de la Paz shares his work

Holy Cross' Working Writers Series Brings Renowned Authors to Campus

The Working Writers Series at Holy Cross College offers a unique opportunity for individuals to learn more about a writer's work and hear from them directly. This series, open to all regardless of major, has been hosting a variety of authors throughout the academic year.

On September 18, the series took place in Rehm Library, featuring readings by Professors Leah Hager Cohen and Oliver de la Paz. De la Paz, a poet, author, and educator who teaches classes such as Poetry and Poetics and Introduction to Creative Writing at Holy Cross, was the Poet Laureate of Worcester, Massachusetts from 2023 to 2025. He is the author and editor of seven books, including his most recent work, The Diaspora Sonnets.

During the event, de la Paz orated eight poems, six of which were from his most recent work. He provided background information and inspiration behind each poem, giving the audience a glimpse into his creative process. The Diaspora Sonnets was long-listed for the National Book Award and won the New England Book Award for Poetry in 2023.

On February 15, de la Paz, a professor at Holy Cross, was the featured speaker at the first Working Writers Series event of the spring semester. The English department also took advantage of the event to discuss the literary readings.

In the fall, Holy Cross welcomed writers such as J.D Scrimgeour, W. Ralph Eubanks, and Francisco Cantú to speak on their experiences and individual works. Xu Xi and Leila Philip were authors who read excerpts from their books at the Working Writers Series event held in the Prior Performing Arts Center on February 2.

Adrian Matejka, a guest author, gave a poetry reading as part of the Working Writers Series on November 11, 2021. Both Professors Leah Hager Cohen and Oliver de la Paz have multiple publications to their names.

The Working Writers Series continues to provide a platform for writers to share their work and insights, enriching the academic community at Holy Cross.