Alexis Romay Speaks About the Power of Words

On Monday, Oct. 10, Hopkins was honored to host Alexis Romay, Cuban author, poet, translator, and educator. At an all-school assembly to recognize Indigenous People's Day, he spoke about the power of words. He explained that the words we choose to reference other cultures, countries, or regions can either empower or diminish the people represented there. For example, "America" is not actually a country, but North America is a continent made up of the United States of America, Canada and Mexico. Watch the full assembly on Romay's website by clicking here.

Following assembly, Romay engaged with students, faculty, and staff in two sessions of Q&A in the Weissman Room. He was excited to share his most recent project, a Spanish translation of Dr. Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream speech, with a prologue by Amanda Gorman. Students were surprised to learn that this important speech had never been translated into Spanish in print before 2022. Romay also shared that translating such an important work that means so much to so many was a great responsibility, and that representing the tone, cadence, and rhythm into Spanish was a challenge he embarked on with empathy and care. 

Romay was invited by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to celebrate Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month. Learn more about Alexis Romay and his work on his website.

Click here to browse and download photos of Romay's visit.