LBCC students were captivated by poet and professor Donato Martinez, as he discussed the struggles of growing up Mexican-American, craving affection and the importance of language, during a poetry event on Thursday. 

The event was in coordination with Puente, an academic, counseling, and mentoring program that began in 1981 and is designed to help Latino students transfer and excel. 

Martinez, a poet and English professor at Santa Ana College, has been teaching for 28 years and released his poetry book, “Touch the Sky,” in 2023. 

Martinez began his address to students with a story about his early college years and feeling lost.

“I was a student myself. I was gonna be an architect, I did architecture for like 3-4 years and I changed my major to Humanities,” Martinez said. 

After receiving his degree in Humanities, Martinez went on to get his master’s at Cal Poly Pomona.

“A lot of these young men and women, they might not be sure. They might be like ‘Am I doing the right thing?’ I just want to make sure that they give college a chance and allow the process to unfold itself,” Martinez said. 

During the event, Martinez outlined aspects of his difficult childhood, including growing up in a barrio, a Mexican-American neighborhood, with six siblings. 

Martinez’s poem “We wanted more” is a testament to growing up poor, craving both material items and emotional comfort from his mother and father.

“We wanted her to comfort us, we wanted good times with him… We wanted and craved hugs from him, the affection never came. We wanted more, we always wanted more, all seven of us,” Martinez’s poem reads. 

^{LBCC student Sophia Campos attends a poetry event on April 10. The event featured Donato Martinez, a poet and English professor at Santa Ana College. (Sofia Hopkins)}

As he read the poem, students at the event followed along in their own copies of “Touch the Sky,” some nodding along with understanding. 

“These are relatable,” said LBCC student Tanya Chavez, “Growing up in a Mexican-American household, not all of our parents show affection or comfort.”

Martinez read several more poems, each one visibly impacting students across the room.

“Stupid American, sorry ass Mexican,” is a poem about not being American or Mexican enough to fit in. 

“I love America but America has not always loved me,” Martinez read to the students. 

Martinez made a point to interact with students during the poems, stopping to say, “You guys ever feel like that?”

Martinez will be reading excerpts from “Touch the Sky” at several more colleges throughout April and May, and will be back at LBCC on April 22 for a DEIA poetry panel. 

“I want my stories to resonate with people. I hope what I say impacts their life and validates their experiences. 35 years ago I was them,” Martinez said. 

In addition to being a professor and poet, Martinez was a co-coordinator of the Puente program for 24 years. 

“Being here, it really is full circle for me,” Puente counselor Giselle Lopez said. 

Lopez was a part of the program as a college student and is now a Puente counselor for LBCC.

“Donato is actually a part of my story, I never thought of getting a master’s degree before him,” Lopez said.

As an eighteen year old, Lopez was mentored by Martinez.

“She didn’t have a lot of direction, so seeing her now in the role that I was in when I met her, it gives me such enormous pride and joy because that’s what Puente is for, that’s the purpose of Puente,” Martinez said. 

Puente’s mission goes hand in hand with Martinez’s poetry.

“In a nutshell, it’s a story of this little Mexican-American poor kid that grew up in the barrio and the difficulties dealing with those experiences and being raised by a tough family, and learning to navigate the trials of growing up poor, and sharing things, and dealing with a lot of the stuff that happens in the barrio,” Martinez said. 

Martinez wrapped up the event by dedicating a poem to the audience.

“You have something important to say,” Martinez said. 

Martinez is currently working on his second poetry book, which he is thinking of giving the title “Sidehustle.”

^{Poet and professor Donato Martinez gearing up for his poetry event on April 10. At the event he shared his poetry book “Touch the Sky” that was published in 2023. (Sofia Hopkins)}