Testimonial #1 

Olá Daniel,

I had the pleasure to be part of your audience this past Thursday at Pitzer College. I go to Scripps college and I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to come perform for us. You were so sincere, likeable, and humble--not only was I impressed with your art, bu I was touched by it. 

As soon as I went back to my dorm, I started writing and writing and writing...and to tell you the truth, I mostly wrote trash, but it felt so good to just breath out my thoughts, have the pages be responsible for any words on it. I call myself a latina slam poet, among other identifications, but I can't call it talent after experiencing yours...so muchas gracias por haber compartido con nosotros su sufrimiento, sus lamentaciones, sus momentos celebrativos y su vida en general! 

con mucho/todo respeto,
Mariam, Student at Scripps College

Testimonial #2

I just wanted to let you know how strongly and passionately your performance at Pitzer College affected me. I had no idea what to expect when I came to see your performance because I had never seen a slam poetry presentation before. To be honest, I came for a literature assignment. I sat there with my notebook open, prepared to take notes, when I found that I simply could not. The power of your words and the emotions behind them had me, to say the least, mesmerized. 

I admired how easily you let every audience member enter into you memories of sadness and love. Your openness was beautiful and your candid behavior had my attention, well, hooked.  Though I could not relate to all of your subject matter (I grew up in Hawaii, far from the baseball hat wearing Yankee types) your messages were so clearly understandable and resonating to my age group. Know yourself, be yourself, know your name. Growing up in Hawaii, many Hawaiian names and traditions have been dumb-ed down simply for convenience’s sake. I thought of my own upbringing and feeling in your introduction about your name. The sadness I have experienced is different from yours, but it follows a similar message. 

Your poem “Hooked” could mean so many things, but what it meant to me was something completely unique. Knowing that some things are going to be difficult and painful to achieve, those are ideas that a college student can understand. Being taken advantage of and allowing your self to love someone, those are definitely subjects a college student can understand. 

Your poetry is beautiful, what you are doing for your community is amazing, and your talents appear to be endless. I just wanted to let you know that I have been thinking about your performance over and over again these past few days and no words can describe how I felt and how I was moved. 

Yours sincerely, 
Your fan Jordan Everett, Scripps College 

Testimonial #3 

Not only are YOU beautiful but your words are exquisite.
Thank you for being your honest, naked self for a somewhat anonymous audience. It was an incredibly brave thing to do and you are an absolute inspiration!

Muchisimas gracias, poeta.

Zoë, Student at Pitzer College

Testimonial #4 

Hi! I was one of the chaperons with the high school student group that was on Boston College's campus on Saturday. Just wanted to say that I thought your performance was amazing and that later that night we had a reflection session with the students and they were really touched by your words. Some students shared that they were inspired to give back to the community and some have even started putting words on paper. So I guess I just really want to say thanks for inspiring them! I wish you the best in all of your endeavors.

 Vanessa Lara, Community Activist 

Testimonial #5 

I just finished your book a couple days ago. I loved it, this is the sort of "confessional" poetry (if you can call it that) that is exactly the kind of stuff I look for and strive to write myself. The poem that the book is titled after was especially huge to me because the story you tell is so close to my own experience the last few months. The line "I suffered from the worst sort of addiction: loving somebody who didn't give a fuck about me;" has haunted me ever since I read it, the good kind of haunt. Your work has been an inspiration as I've been reading it the last few weeks, and that's no bullshit. Keep it up. I hope to see your Yankee poem from the last round of the last slam in writing sometime. 

Gary Johnson, University of Virginia

Testimonial #6 

I saw your show Valentine's night at Gallery 5 in Richmond. The show was highly entertaining. For me the most moving piece was your recitation of Hooked. The words hit close to home. I was divorced last summer and am still reeling from the pain. The passion with which you spoke over powered me.

Thank you for sharing your inner soul,

Austin Clarke

Testimonial #7 

YES - you nailed it! If only our kids knew their past they would live up to their potential anxiously awaiting them instead of feeding into this system of self-hatred, ignorance, disrespect and violence. If only they could hear you well. One day...

Abrazos,
Cecilia Jato, Hamilton College