READING & MARKET | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14 | 6 PM | FREE
Well Read: A Book Market and Reading Night
Featuring Current NM State Poet Laureate Manuel González & The NACA Spoken Word Poetry Team
Horizon Review is inviting you to attend Well Read: A Horizon Review book market and reading event at FUSION | 708 on October 14, 2026, from 6–8 PM. This is an official event of the annual Rising High Arts Festival.
Our featured readers include current New Mexico State Poet Laureate Manuel González and the Native American Community Academy (NACA) Spoken Word Poetry Team, including poets Keira Farias, Marissa Victorino, Luciano Lingnau, Luc Gutierrez, Violet Begay, and Summer Cruz-Haskey. We have an amazing lineup of vendors who will be announced soon.
Come hear some amazing writing, browse beautifully made local goods & grab a couple of new books to add to your (ever-growing, if you’re anything like us) TBR list. Light refreshments will be provided amidst the evening’s festivities.
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Free parking is available in FUSION’s main lot, in our lot next to Burger King on Lomas, and is also free along 1st Street after 6 PM (more parking info + map available here).
CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW TO RSVP FOR FREE IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND.
ABOUT MANUEL GONZÁLEZ
Manuel González is a Xicano poet, educator, performer, and community organizer from Albuquerque, New Mexico. He serves as New Mexico State Poet Laureate (2025–2028) and is a 2026 Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellow. A former Albuquerque Poet Laureate, he teaches creative writing, journalism, and speech at the Native American Community Academy and mentors its youth spoken-word poetry team. His books include Duende de Burque: Albuquerque Poems and Musings, Om Boy, and …But My Friends Call Me Burque. His work is rooted in New Mexico, Xicano memory, cultural responsibility, and creating spaces where people can speak in their own voices.
BOOKS (CLICK EACH BOOK TITLE FOR A LINK TO THE BOOK):
Duende de Burque: Alburquerque Poems and Musings
ABOUT NACA SPOKEN WORD POETRY TEAM
NACA youth poets and members of their poetry community at the September 9, 2026, school poetry slam in Albuquerque.
The NACA Spoken Word Poetry Team brings together six Indigenous high school poets from the Native American Community Academy in Albuquerque. Selected through the school’s September poetry slam, the students are developing original poems, individual performances, and collaborative work rooted in their own experiences, cultures, and communities. With guidance from poet and educator Manuel González, the team practices writing, revision, memorization, stage presence, and the responsibility of listening to and supporting one another. The work is about building strong writers, confident performers, and young leaders whose voices belong in public spaces.
What They’re Preparing For…
The team is working toward Brave New Voices 2027. Organized by Youth Speaks, Brave New Voices is an international youth poetry festival that brings young poets together for workshops, showcases, community learning, and spoken-word slam competitions. Our preparation centers on original individual and group poems, artistic growth, teamwork, and representing our school and communities. Click to learn more about the festival: Youth Speaks — Brave New Voices.
ABOUT HORIZON REVIEW
Horizon Review is an annually published magazine based in Albuquerque, NM under the umbrella of the non-profit organization, FUSION–a local professional theatre and cultural & arts hub. We publish literature, arts, and open media from writers and artists in the Southwest in both print and digital publications. We are proud to provide paid and credit-earning internships to University of New Mexico students and beginning professionals.
Horizon Review’s mission is to Encapsulate local stories, Elevate quality art, Educate the rising generation of creative professionals. This magazine is built on our values of creating community, celebrating art, and recognizing the work of creatives. We believe art is activism and are dedicated to discovering and publishing stories of solidarity and hope. We are committed to providing opportunities for local talent to thrive!
Quality bar service will be provided by Safe House Distilling Co. and Teller Genuine Vodka in FUSION | The Cell. Click here for some nearby dining options.
The Rising High Arts Festival is possible thanks to the support from:
