Tony Robles named Carl Sandburg Writer-in-Residence

Tony Robles, 2020 Carl Sandburg Writer-in-Residence. CONTRIBUTED

FLAT ROCK, North Carolina — Filipino American writer Anthony “Tony” Robles was named the 2020 Carl Sandburg Writer-in- Residence of the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site.

Polly Angelakis, Superintendent of Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, and Annette Dubrouillet, President of the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara, announced Robles’ selection as the resident bard. His residency will run from March 18, to April 8, 2020.

Tony Robles was born in San Francisco and is the nephew of the late Filipino American poet, historian and social justice activist Al Robles.  He was a shortlist nominee for poet laureate of San Francisco in 2017 and the recipient of the San Francisco Art Commission individual literary artist grant in 2018.

His two books of poetry and short stories, Cool Don’t Live Here No More—A letter to San Francisco and Fingerprints of a Hunger Strike, take on the issues of eviction, gentrification and police violence in communities of color.  He is also the author of two children’s books, Lakas and the Manilatown Fish and Lakas and the Makibaka Hotel.

Robles moved to Hendersonville, NC, in 2019 and has volunteered with the Friends of the Library of Henderson County and Meals on Wheels.

During his residency, he will work on a novel in progress Fillmore Flip, which is based on his family’s life in the Fillmore District of San Francisco and promote poetry to honor the legacy of Carl Sandburg.

“The Writer-in-Residence program offers local residents of all ages an opportunity to learn from writers through outreach and education programs held at the site and in the community,” Superintendent Angelakis said.  “We are delighted to welcome Tony and offer him a place to continue practicing his craft and eager to offer our community opportunities to learn from him.”

Robles will host a writing workshop on Saturday, April 4, at 10:00 a.m. at the Sandburg Home. Space is limited to 16 participants. (To sign-up at 828-693-4178).  He will also be a guest speaker for the North Carolina Writers Network on Wednesday, April 8, at the Brandy Bar in Hendersonville.  He will give a reading during the main program at 7:00 p.m., to be followed by an open mic forum from 8:00 – 9:00 p.m.  (Writers who wants to read 3-5 minutes of prose or poetry can sign up between 6:30 – 6:50 that evening).

The annual Writer-in-Residence program is supported by the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara.

Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site is a unit of the National Park Service.  The park is located three miles south of Hendersonville off U.S. 225 on Little River Road, and is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.  Weekdays are less busy than weekends.