“Fourteen years ago a couple of friends that write got together in an informal atmosphere and decided to go beyond our usual readings in an association we belonged to and form a forum where other people could come from different parts of Mexico and the United States,†said TSC Spanish Instructor Juan Antonio Gonzalez. “Thus, we began what is called the Congreso Binacional Letras en el Estuario.â€
Poetry topics ranged from memories of Matamoros past to cultural identity torn between Mexico and the U.S., and allegories relating to insects and wildlife interaction.
“We have been able to continue with the process every single year because the institution has always backed us,†said Gonzalez.
The Congreso Binacional Letras en el Estuario has been held for fourteen years with high attendance by recognized writers and poets, who contribute to the event’s message of depicting experiences from both sides of the border.
About Texas Southmost College
Originally established in 1926, Texas Southmost College currently offers the first two years toward a bachelor’s degree, along with career and technical education leading to certificates and associate degrees, college preparatory studies to prepare students for college-level work, workforce training, and continuing education. Recently selected as a Bright Spot by the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, TSC offers 53 programs of study leading to an associate degree or certificate. TSC became independently operational in the fall of 2013, after engaging in a 20-year contractual arrangement with a public university.