In an era of growing awareness around identity, inclusion and belonging, poet and educator Angélica María is urging communities to embrace a simple but powerful act: saying people's names.
The author of the poetry book "They Call Me" hosted a workshop at SUNY Old Westbury on September 29, 2026 that examined how language, colonization, and assimilation shape identity.
If we all spoke English, there would be no diversity. Language is such a powerful thing; it is so important to show our culture and also to be respectful when pronouncing someone’s' name."
- Jaylin Lindsey '27
The "Say My Name" workshop invited participants to trace the origins and meanings of their names and to explore their linguistic and cultural roots. By reimagining their names as symbols of heritage and pride, those in attendance learned they can reclaim the power of their identities.
“In the United States, in classrooms and the workplace, names with accents and non-English pronunciations, are often stigmatized and shortened or changed into a more American nickname,” she said to the group.
During the workshop, María shared her poem, "For the Girls with Long Names,” that inspired her to create the workshop to show the importance of language when it comes to culture and identity.
"What is culture, what makes us, us?" said Jaylin Lindsey '27, a Psychology major, after the workshop. “If we all spoke English, there would be no diversity. Language is such a powerful thing; it is so important to show our culture and also to be respectful when pronouncing someone’s' name."
Angélica María is an internationally touring Chicana poet, singer & musician originally from Los Angeles. Her work focuses on blending literary and musical landscapes to heal intergenerational wounds and reclaiming ancestral feminine power.
Her work has been featured in the L.A Times; The Breakbeat Poets Anthology: LatiNEXT; and Girls Becoming Women. In 2020, Angelica Maria was contracted by Facebook to write a poetic song for their National Campaign "My People My Power." She also wrote the first Spanglish poem for a national sports campaign in collaboration with Puma for the USL Women's Soccer League and in 2022.
Web Banner Caption: Poet and author Angélica María addresses students, faculty and staff during "Say My Name."