BIO

David A. Romero is a Mexican-American spoken word artist from Diamond Bar, CA. He is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of El Martillo Press. Romero is the author of My Name Is Romero (FlowerSong Press, 2020) and Diamond Bars 2 (Moon Tide Press, 2024). Romero has received honorariums from nearly a hundred colleges and universities in thirty-four different states in the USA and has also performed live in Mexico, Italy, and France. His poem, "You Were Born a Tree" was sent to the moon by NASA in 2025 as part of the Lunar Codex. Romero's work has been published in literary magazines in the United States, Mexico, England, Scotland, Canada, and Hungary. He has opened for Latin Grammy winning bands Ozomatli and La Santa Cecilia. Romero's work has been published in anthologies alongside poets laureate Joy Harjo, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Luis J. Rodriguez, Jack Hirschman, Lynne Thompson, and Tongo Eisen-Martin. He has won the Uptown Slam at the historic Green Mill in Chicago; the birthplace of slam poetry. Romero's poetry deals with family, identity, social justice issues, and Latine culture.

For five years, Romero offered a scholarship for high school seniors interested in spoken word and social justice: “The Romero Scholarship for Excellence in Spoken Word.” Romero hopes to restart the scholarship in 2025 or the following year, funds permitting.

Romero has been published in literary magazines: 1749, DURA :: Dundee University Review of the Arts, Literary Cultures, The/temz/Review, NōD Magazine, Black Bear Review, North American Review, Ocean State Review, SOMOS EN ESCRITO, Pine Hills Review, Grist – A Journal of The Literary Arts, and Angels Flight • literary west •; in anthologies: Look What I Did About Your Silence (El Martillo Press, 2025), With Dim Lights & Obsidian Tongues: A Pomona Poetry Anthology (El Martillo Press, 2025), Walking in the Shimmering Twilight - 2024 Sydney International Poetry Festival Anthology (Orchid Publishing House, 2024), The Vagabond Lunar Collection (VAGABOND, 2024), Ellos son nosotros. antología de poesía chicana (CCH Naucalpan, 2022), Reimagine America - an anthology for the future (VAGABOND, 2022), Good Cop / Bad Cop (FlowerSong Press, 2021), RISE: an Anthology of Power and Unity (VAGABOND, 2017), The Border Crossed Us: an Anthology to End Apartheid (VAGABOND, 2015), Revolutionary Poets Brigade: Los Angeles (VAGABOND, 2014), and Heartfire: Revolutionary Poets Brigade Anthology (Kallatumba Press, 2013); on websites: CounterPunch, Latino Rebels, Pocho.com, La Bloga, Label Me Latina/o, Public Intellectuals, Cultural Daily, and Life in Quarantine: Witnessing Global Pandemic (Stanford University); in newspapers: People's Tribune and Brooklyn & Boyle and has been featured on radio programs on KPFK 90.7 FM (The Pocho Hour of Power, Beautiful Struggle, and Poet's Café), KPFT 90.1 FM Houston (Nuestra Palabra), and KTEP 88.5 FM El Paso (Words on a Wire).

David A. Romero has received honorariums from: Arizona State University, The University of Utah, University of Missouri, Washington State University, The University of Memphis, Loyola University Chicago, University of Central Florida, University of New Hampshire, University of Massachusetts Boston, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Hamilton College, Drexel University, USC, UCLA, and more!

Romero is a graduate of the University of Southern California, a double major in Film and Philosophy. Romero is the former host of Between the Bars Open Mic at the dba256 Gallery Wine Bar in Pomona, CA. Visit his website, http://www.davidaromero.com/ for more.

LONG BIO

David A. Romero (born November 20, 1984) is a Mexican-American spoken word artist, poet, and activist from Diamond Bar, CA. Romero is a graduate of the University of Southern California (USC) and is the second spoken word artist to be featured on All Def Digital.

The son of working class Mexican-American parents from the east side of Los Angeles, David A. Romero was born in Fontana, CA and was raised in the middle class suburb of Diamond Bar, CA. The youngest of four siblings, Romero attended Diamond Bar High School and graduated from the University of Southern California in 2007 with a double major in Cinema-Television and Philosophy.

At USC, Romero's interest in cultural issues and activism developed as a leader with the Student Coalition Against Labor Exploitation (SCALE), a branch of the United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS). After graduating, Romero's interest in activism continued through his time with CALPIRG and is reflected in the content of his spoken word poetry.

Romero is the cousin of artist Sonia Romero and nephew of artist Frank Romero of Chicano artist collective Los Four.

Romero is the author of My Name Is Romero (FlowerSong Press, 2020) and Diamond Bars 2 (Moon Tide Press, 2024). He has also self- published three volumes of poetry, Diamond Bars: The Street Version, Fuzhou, and Ellendale Night.

As the editor-in-chief of El Martillo Press he has published: WE STILL BE: Poems and Performances (Winner of the American Book Award - 2024, El Martillo Press, 2023), A Crown of Flames: Selected Poems & Aphorisms (El Martillo Press, 2023), God of the Air Hose and Other Blue-Collar Poems (El Martillo Press, 2023), the daughterland (El Martillo Press, 2023), and Touch the Sky (El Martillo Press, 2023), among others.

Additionally, he has edited and formatted: Central American Book of the Dead/Libro centroamericano de los muertos (FlowerSong Press, 2023), AFRICANAMERICAN'T (FlowerSong Press, 2022), Wildflowers for the Bullies (FlowerSong Press, 2022), Beyond Existing (Say Word, 2016), July, Letters from Jane (Say Word, 2015), and Voices of Highland Park (Say What? Teen Poetry - Los Angeles Public Library, 2012).

Romero has opened for musical acts: Ozomatli, La Santa Cecilia, Las Cafeteras, and Chicano Batman, poets: Beau Sia, Luis J. Rodriguez, and Francisco X. Alarcon; and activists: Dolores Huerta, Nelson Peery, and Cheri Honkala.

Romero was the host of open mic venue Between the Bars Open Mic in Pomona, CA.

Romero has received honorariums from: Arizona State University, The University of Utah, University of Missouri, Washington State University, The University of Memphis, Loyola University Chicago, University of Central Florida, University of New Hampshire, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Eastern Oregon University, Queens University of Charlotte, Hamilton College in Clinton, NY, Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA, USC Upstate in Spartanburg, SC, Champlain College in Burlington, VT, McDaniel College in Westminster, MD, Russell Sage College in Troy, NY, Sewanee: The University of the South in Sewanee, TN, University of Montevallo, Montevallo, AL, St. Andrews University in Laurinburg, NC, Hampden-Sydney College in Farmville, VA, University of Illinois Springfield, Rush University in Chicago, IL, St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ, Southern Illinois University – Carbondale in Carbondale, IL, Washington State University – Vancouver in Vancouver, WA, Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA, Bellevue College in Bellevue, WA, USC, UCLA, UC San Diego, Loyola Marymount University, Sonoma State University, Santa Clara University, Chapman University, Cal State Fullerton, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly Pomona, and more.

BIO

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David A. Romero (born November 20, 1984) is a Mexican-American spoken word artist, poet, and activist from Diamond Bar, CA. Romero is a graduate of the University of Southern California (USC) and is the second spoken word artist to be featured on All Def Digital.