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Donato Martinez

@donatomartinez1

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Professor/Poet at Santa Ana College. My Loves = my children, outdoors, books, music ⭐️. “How you gonna win/if you ain’t right within” - Lauryn Hill

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Excited to announce some Fall 2026 Poetry Readings! It has been a busy year. Please come see me read from my two collections, Touch the Sky and Ten Toes in the Earth, both published by @elmartillopress. Front cover photographs by my son @gabemartinez88. Thank you to @jakki.media for the beautiful flyer.

DM me for a book, a presentation, a poetry reading. I can also write a poem for you to give to someone or for a special occasion.

I look forward to seeing you. Enjoy these random slides. Special shout out to Guillermo Najar, my brother who left us too soon. Miss you pinche Beerdo. Also miss Mario Carizosa. Two homies from back in days. Rest in Poetry!

C’mon. Letttssssgoooo!!

#spokenwordpoetry #poetsofinstagram #streetpoetry #chicanopoetry #donatomartinez taken in Riverside, California by @donatomartinez1

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8 days ago

Join Donato Martinez @donatomartinez1 as he celebrates his second poetry book Ten Toes in the Earth with guest poets: Whittier Poet Laureate Alejandra Roggero @whateverguera , Rey M. Rodríguez @palomaartes and Jesenia Chavez @chabemucho at @artspacehp in Huntington Park!

Donato Martinez was born in a small pueblo, Garcia de la Cadena, Zacatecas, Mexico and immigrated into the USA at six years old. He teaches English Composition, Literature, and Creative Writing at Santa Ana College. He has also taught classes in Chicano Studies. He has been a co-coordinator of the Puente Program for 25 years. In 2022, he was awarded the Creative Expression Faculty Award and the Transfer Advocate of the Year. In 2024-2025, he was recognized as the Distinguished Faculty of the Year, the highest honor bestowed on a faculty member. He is nominated for the Orange County Teacher of the Year, for the year 2026. He is also a cast member of papah!, a YouTube show that features Mexican dads sharing their unique perspectives through candid conversations, food reviews, and reactions.

Alejandra Roggero is a Whittier College graduate and the author of four collections of prose and poetry, including The Town and La Matriarca. She is the owner of Guerita Vintage and works as a television producer for Fuse Media.

Rey M. Rodríguez is a writer, advocate, and attorney. He lives in Pasadena, California. He is the author of Todos Somos Sagrados/All Are Sacred (El Martillo Press, 2026).

Jesenia Chávez is a proud Chicanita, public-school teacher, poet and storyteller. Her writing is inspired by her parents’ migration to Los Angeles from Chihuahua, México, her teaching career, her sense of loss in the rapidly changing landscape of the city, and all the small moments in between when she can catch her breath and put pen to paper.

Art Space Huntington Park is a consulting agency and creative space dedicated to repositioning the role of the arts in daily life. We use culture, the visual and performing arts, and arts education to inspire creativity in our communities.

Reading presented by El Martillo Press

#donatomartinez
#tentoesintheearth
#touchthesky
#poetryreading
#elmartillopress by @donatomartinez1

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23 days ago

THIS THURSDAY: join local independent publisher El Martillo Press for an evening of poetry and prose featuring acclaimed authors Lorna Dee Cervantes, Margaret Elysia Garcia @writerchickmama , Briana Muñoz @awomanofwords , and Donato Martinez @donatomartinez1 . El Martillo Press publishes writers whose work challenges convention, explores social justice, and amplifies diverse voices. Books will be available for purchase. Ages 13+.

@jeannettejuradodesign special guest vendor.

Born in San Francisco, raised in San José, Barrio Horseshoe, Lorna Dee Cervantes was a self-taught activist by 15, taught herself how to run her own printing press and was Founding Editor/Publisher of MANGO Publications at 20, and author of the American Book Award winning EMPLUMADA at 24.

Macondo Fellow Margaret Elysia Garcia is the author of poetry collections Iconistas! (Lit Kit Collective, 2025), the daughterland (El Martillo Press, 2023), and Burn Scars, (Lit Kit Collective, 2022).

Briana Muñoz is a poet from Southern California. She is the author of Loose Lips (Prickly Pear Publishing, 2019) and Everything is Returned to the Soil (FlowerSong Press, 2021).

Donato Martinez was born in a small pueblo, Garcia de la Cadena, Zacatecas, Mexico and immigrated into the USA at six years old. He teaches English Composition, Literature, and Creative Writing at Santa Ana College.

Cerritos Library

Cerritos Library is the civic library for the City of Cerritos, California, United States. It was rededicated on March 16, 2002, with the new moniker and the current futuristic design. It features an exterior clad with titanium panels. It has been an affiliate with the Smithsonian Institution since 2000.

El Martillo Press

El Martillo Press publishes writers whose pens strike the page with clear intent; words with purpose to pry apart assumed norms and to hammer away at injustice. El Martillo Press proactively publishes writers looking to pound the pavement to promote their work and the work of their fellow pressmates. El Martillo is the builder of bridges and the destroyer of walls.

#cerritoslibrary
#authorreading
#authorsigning
#poetryreading
#elmartillopress taken in Cerritos Library by @donatomartinez1

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a month ago

by @donatomartinez1

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5 months ago

I AM BACK!! Super Excited to share - my second poetry collection is here: Ten Toes in the Earth! I want to thank @elmartillopress and @davidaromerospokenword for the amazing editing of this collection. Thank you to my son @gabemartinez88 for the beautiful cover. The release comes at a great time since we are in the middle of National Poetry Month.

I want to thank the following amazing writers and poets for the review of Ten Toes in the Earth: @p.flo_sf @karlaflaka13 @iambrendavaca @captain1862 @drantblack @davidaromerospokenword Your words are incredible and touching! I appreciate you so much.

Catch me at one of these readings coming up. DM me for a copy and/or to share my new poetry with you. I can read at a taco shop, barber shop, garage, or a quinceañera. This is going to be a great year. Lesssssggooooo!!

#donatomartinez #tentoesintheearth #barriopoetry #chicanopoetry #spokenwordpoetry taken in Riverside, California by @donatomartinez1

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6 months ago

Ten Toes in the Earth, the second full-length poetry collection by @donatomartinez1 is available for pre-order from @elmartillopress !

Following his successful debut Touch the Sky, Ten Toes in the Earth features cover photography by his son @gabemartinez88 and advance reviews from @p.flo_sf , @karlaflaka13 , @iambrendavaca , @captain1862 , @drantblack and @davidaromerospokenword !

Pre-order this beautiful ode to immigrant families and barrio communities by the professor nominated for Orange County Teacher of the Year 2026!

#donatomartinez
#profe
#tentoesintheearth
#touchthesky
#elmartillopress taken in García De La Cadena, Zacatecas, Mexico by @donatomartinez1

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7 months ago

As we continue with 2026, I want to thank all of the all the individuals and bookstores, venues, community colleges, universities, and art and community spaces that have invited me to share my poetry, conduct a workshop, host, speak, or sit on a panel. I appreciate you so much! Since the publication of my first collection of poetry, Touch the Sky, I have met so many wonderful writers, poets, and artists who have become my homies. The writing community is very tight and very supportive.

I also want to thank my press mates with @elmartillopress and our wonderful founders that have kept the torch lit for several years now, @matt_sedillo and @davidaromerospokenword. Their vision and leadership is amazing!

I will be at @awpconference_and_bookfair in a few weeks and will be sharing my west coast lingo back east in BALTIMORE. I also have some exciting news to share in the coming months.

Please reach out to me to come perform my poetry, speak to your students or your organization, have a book talk, or have a workshop. It has been an amazing run so far. I am just getting started!

Thank you to @lamusa1025 for the photo and to @jakki.photo for the dope flyer!

Lesssssggggooooo!!! So excited for what 2026 will bring.

#elmartillopress #donatomartinez #santaanacollege #chicanopoets #spokenword by @donatomartinez1

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8 months ago

We're proud to present our @elmartillopress poetry showcase at the @mediaartssa Palabra Book Fest this Saturday, December 6th, from 5-6 pm! @jozergmusic is flying in from Denver and @_sonia_gutierrez is driving up from San Diego to join pressmates @donatomartinez1 and @ceasarkavelar . Our author @hsiguenza is headlining the event from 6-7 pm this year in a discussion with MASA founder @mondopayan for his book Anthology of Latino Plays, so we're honored to open for him with poetry. Our reading will be hosted by co-founders @matt_sedillo and @davidaromerospokenword , who will be representing the press from 10 am - 7 pm at the festival! You don't want to miss this!

MasArte Gallery is located at 1666 N Main in Santa Ana (across from Norm's), conveniently accessible via the 17th St exit on the 5 freeway. Free parking is available on 16th and Bush streets and in the back parking lot of the Dollar Tree at 1514 N Main Street. Metered parking is available on Main and Sycamore streets.

#palabrawordfest #mediaartssantaana #masa #santaana #masartegallery #poetry #spokenword #latinxpublishers #workingclasspoet #poetry4thepeople #latineauthors #chicanopoetry #hammertime #hammerandlaurel #builderofbridges #destroyerofwalls #elmartillopress taken in South Main, Santa Ana by @donatomartinez1

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10 months ago

Donato Martinez @donatomartinez1 was born in a small pueblo, Garcia de la Cadena, Zacatecas, Mexico and immigrated into the USA at six years old. He teaches English Composition, Literature, and Creative Writing at Santa Ana College. He has also taught classes in Chicano Studies. He has been a co-coordinator of the Puente Program for 25 years. He hosts and curates many artistic events that feature poetry and music at his campus or in the community.

📚2nd Annual East Los Book Festival!
🗓️ September 13th
⏰ 10am-4pm
📍 East LA Civic Center
4801 E. 3rd St. LA, CA 90022
🚙FREE PARKING

Take 🚊 @metrolosangeles E line exit East LA Civic Center

Organizers:
@thelibros_lincolnheights @bloomwildbookshop @thegoddessmercado
#bookfestival #eastla #losangeles #books #shoplocal #poetry #kids #literacy #bannedbooks #everyonewelcome

Sponsors:
@lacountyarts @hildasolis @kpscal taken in East LA Civic Center by @donatomartinez1

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a year ago

Please look at the amazing poets and writers on these flyers. In the last few years, since the publication of my first collection of poetry and with the support and leadership of @elmartillopress and both @matt_sedillo and @davidaromerospokenword, I have met some phenomenal poets and beautiful human beings. The Poetry Community is very tight knit.

So - many of them will come together for two days to celebrate words at the first ever POETRY/LITERARY FESTIVAL at #santaanacollege

Come join us. All are welcome. Please look at sessions and schedule for Wednesday May 28 and Thursday May 29 from 10am to 3 pm.

It is going to be #LIT!

DM me for questions or details. Please share. Repost. Spread the word. Spill the tea about it.

#poetsofinstagram #urbanpoetry #orangecountypoetry #inlandempirepoetry #chicanopoetry #donatomartinez #elmartillopress #streetpoetry taken in Santa Ana, California by @donatomartinez1

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a year ago

We Wanted More - A beautiful poem by poet and English professor, Donato Martinez @donatomartinez1

Donato’s family came to the US from Zacatecas, Mexico, when he was 6 years old. Like many immigrant families, they faced poverty and all kinds of struggle and hardship that comes with the immigrant experience. In this poem, Donato shares all the things he and his 6 siblings wished for as kids — but never got.

Let us know in the comments what you wanted when you were a kid 👦🏽👧🏽 by @donatomartinez1

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2 years ago

I am excited to announce my book discussions and poetry readings for the Spring 2025. I will be reading from my first poetry collection, Touch the Sky, published by El Martilo Press, and new material. I’m looking forward to meeting new people.

Here are some photos from recent presentations including Boca de Oro Festival in Santa Ana and from my Distinguished Faculty Address last week.

Come say hi. Send me a DM if you are interested in my collection of poetry.

Thank you to all of you that have seen me read in the last few years and for those that have purchased my book of poetry. Thank you to all of the beautiful poets and writers that I have shared the stage with. Thank you to every single place that has provided a space to read my work. I am extremely grateful and humbled. I love you all!

Lesssggooooo!!

Thank you @jakki.photo for the cool flyer for these readings. Thank you @lamusa1025 for the introduction to my faculty presentation and for the photos.

Thank you to @matt_sedillo and @davidaromerospokenword at @elmartillopress for the continued opportunities!! You both are amazing leaders and dope poets! We will be reading our poetry on the moon this year!

#elmartillopress #donatomartinez #poetsofinstagram #steetpoetry #urbanpoetry #inlandempirepoetry #orangecountypoetry taken in Riverside, California by @donatomartinez1

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2 years ago