Lyrical Sanctuary Featuring Carmen Alicia Murguia

Carmen Alicia Murguía is a proud U.S.-born poet and writer whose work explores love, Latinidad, politics, queer identity, and culture. She’s the author of six poetry collections and has been featured in academic journals, anthologies, and interviews on NPR, PBS, and other media outlets. Carmen began her poetry journey at The Loft Literary Center through the Inroads: Emerging Chicano/Latino Writer’s Mentorship Program and has since performed at festivals and venues across the country, including New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, and San Antonio. 

Her contributions have earned her honors like Milwaukee Magazine’s “50 People You Should Know,” the PRIDEFEST Stonewall Leadership Award, and the LGBTQ Progress Award in Arts & Culture. A dedicated advocate and speaker, she’s shared her voice at national conferences and in publications like El Conquistador, The Shepherd Express, and The Lambda Book Report. 

When she’s not writing or performing, Carmen loves spending time with friends, traveling, and curating playlists of R&B, Cumbias, Hip-Hop, and Salsa. Above all, she makes time for love. 

6:00 pm – 6:45 pm – Creative Writing Workshop (Union 119)

Join us for an engaging writing workshop where participants will explore writing techniques and prompts inspired by different musical genres. Through a series of interactive activities, we will dive into how music shapes our understanding of the world and ourselves, and how music can enhance our storytelling and creative expression. This workshop is designed to be fun, interactive, and suitable for all skill levels. 

 7:00 pm -9:00 pm – Open Mic & Feature Performance (Union Fireside Lounge)