Richard Blanco

In January 2013, Richard Blanco read his original poem “One Today” at President Obama’s second inauguration. Then 44, the prize-winning poet was the youngest person to ever deliver the inaugural poem. He was also the first Hispanic, the first immigrant and the first openly gay man to do so. Born in Spain to Cuban exiles, Blanco immigrated to the U.S. as an infant. Themes of cultural identity thread through his three poetry collections and recently released memoir The Prince of los Cocuyos. Blanco shares his story in “Becoming American: An Inaugural Poet’s Journey” as part of the Vermont Humanities Council’s First Wednesdays lecture series.