Carlos Andres Gomez, award-winning author and poet, to perform Nov. 7

Carlos Andrés Gómez, an internationally renowned author, poet, and playwright, will perform poetry from his latest books, Without Shame, Finding the Music and Shades of Silence, on Wednesday, Nov. 7 at UW Tacoma.

The dance troupes Reality Check and Zero Gravity from Tacoma's D.A.S.H. Center for the Arts will open the evening's events. Refreshments will be served at 6 p.m., and performances begin at 6:30 p.m. The event will be held in the Longshoremen's Hall at 1710 Market Street.

Gómez, an award-winning poet and playwright, has based much his work on his experiences as a social worker and public school teacher in New York City. Praised for his ability to teach through art, Gómez was named champion of the 2006 International Poetry Slam, has been a two-time finalist at the National Poetry Slam and has performed at colleges and universities in the United States, Europe, the Caribbean and Africa. He appeared on the sixth season of HBO's Russell Simmons presents Def Poetry Jam and recently completed a month-long run of his critically acclaimed one-man play, "Man UP," at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland.

The event is free and open to the public. For information, contact Associate Professor Emily Noelle Ignacio at (253) 692-4542 or eignacio@u.washington.edu.