The day’s event will be centered around the life and work of Francisco Velgara Valentin, a queer independista who supported revolutionary Cuba, the Vietnamese revolution, and independence for Puerto Rico. Frankie was a fierce defender of workers and unions, especially teachers unions, and wrote beautiful poetry about his solidarity work that crossed movements and borders. In 2025, Valentin’s work was published for the first time in a book entitled “My Lower East Side Story,” a project in which Nashville organizers were involved. We are looking forward to showcasing and offering this book for the first time in Tennessee through our event on the 31st.

The hangueo will feature the story and poetry of Frankie, but we will also be welcoming his daughter, Yuisa Alegria-Gimeno, to discuss the importance of her father and the contemporary realities of imperial presence in Puerto Rico. Following the reading and discussion, we will be enjoying an incredible DJ set. Importantly, all profits from the event will be split between supporting a future book tour for this text and donations to the radical teacher’s union of Puerto Rico, la Federación de Maestros de Puerto Rico (FMPR).