is a poet, author and visual artist born in the Dominican Republic to first generation Dominicans of West Indian descent. Curu holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Lehman College of the City University of New York.His writing captures the Dominican Republic of his childhood, and seeks to challenge notions of race, gender, sexuality and humanity that are too often taken for granted. His short story, "Bees" appears in the anthology, Voices Rising: Celebrating 20 Years of Black Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Writing (RedBone Press).
Anacaona's Garden is the lyrical, extraordinary narrative of Enrique Santana's struggle with sexual and racial identity, as well as ethnic prejudice in the Dominican Republic, Haiti and New York City. When this naïve Dominican becomes obsessed with Dieudonne, a Haitian immigrant, he is immediately and repeatedly drawn into surrealist episodes from his repressed tropical past. The remarkable revisiting of Enrique's personal history ultimately leads him to question many things he'd taken for granted, unsettling the very foundation of his existence.
Anacaona's Garden will be available for purchase August 2009.
