The reign of Nephtalí De León as San Antonio poet laureate is no more. Appointed in March and sworn in April 10 for what was to be a three-year term, the city’s Department of Arts and Culture terminated his contract following controversy surrounding a poem De León posted on Facebook on Aug. 1.
The City of San Antonio released a statement that specifies the role of its poets laureate, which includes “denouncing racism among other oppressive barriers, while using creative poetic expressions to unite our community. Nephtalí De León recently posted a poem contrary to the City’s values and the role of City Poet Laureate.”
The poem in question, written in homage to recently deceased author Roberto “Cintli” Rodriguez and subtitled “(adiosito carnal),” included a Chicano slang term used to describe people of African descent.
Among comments that included praise and thanks for honoring the beloved Chicano writer, music scholar and Aztlan Libre Press publisher Juan Tejeda registered an objection to the use of the term. The press released a collection of writings by Rodriguez in 2021 titled Writing 50 Years (más o menos) Amongst the Gringos.
Tejeda’s request for a discussion ignited a flurry of subsequent posts and comments decrying the term as clearly derogatory, including comments by Luminaria Executive Director Yadhira Lozano and former San Antonio poet laureate Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson.
Sanderson wrote in appreciation of those attempting to “course correct” De León and described the word he used as “the highest and lowest insult/slur/derogatory term for black people used to insult us and reduce us behind our back or to our faces. … Surely in your vast lexicon there had to have been another term better suited when referring to African American people.”
In a long, meandering explanation to Tejeda that included a Wikipedia definition of racism, posted to Facebook Aug. 9, De León wrote “I know your concern is well founded and well motivated which prompted me to comment. I fully agree that we must form supportive bonds between all colonized and persecuted communities. In closing, I do make a blanket apology to anyone that may be offended by my use of Caló [slang] words for themselves or for any other group of people.”
The explanation did not satisfy Gemini Ink, a co-sponsor of what was to be De León’s second installment of the monthly Coffee, Tea with Nephtalí public poetry event held at Mi Familia at The Rim. Gemini Ink pulled out of the Tuesday event Monday afternoon, leading to its cancellation Monday evening.
“We had to back out of this program because the situation wasn’t resolved and we were concerned about his inability to more fully apologize or address people’s concerns about it,” said Executive Director Alexandra van de Kamp.
Van de Kamp admitted that the situation was “an educational experience for me.” She said she believes the poem was written in a good spirit, but grew concerned when Anisa Onofre, marketing director for Gemini Ink and Tejeda’s spouse, raised the issue prior to the event.
“People were offended by his use of that word,” Van de Kamp said. “He seemed to respond to that and apologize. He also didn’t seem to be able to adjust to the reality that people were continuing to respond after his first apology and comments, and were clearly very upset.”
De León has had previous run-ins with the City of San Antonio, including filing a lawsuit that arose out of a code compliance dispute with the city’s Development Services Department, which De León asserts was part of a pattern of victimizing impoverished residents.
De León did not respond immediately to a request for comment on the termination of his term as poet laureate.
