Carlos Andrés Gómez visits Richmond for Hispanic Heritage Month

“Make some noise. Because you are here, and you’re alive, and you’re beautiful.”

With this message, award-winning poet, writer and actor Carlos Andrés Gómez, performed at University of Richmond and recited several different poems, which all shared a common message: showing love for others and for self.

He performed last night in Tyler Haynes Commons as part of National Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

Born in New York City, Gómez is known for his role in HBO’s “Def Poetry” and the movie “Inside Man.” He is also the author of the coming-of-age memoir “Man Up: Reimagining Modern Manhood.”

In his book, Gómez seeks to reach out to men and make them rethink the way they interact with women and express their own emotions.

Gómez considers himself a feminist, and said that “anybody who believes in humans rights or human equity” would also be a feminist.

His career has allowed him to travel to places such as South Africa, Spain, Ireland, Berlin, Canada and the U.K. “Anywhere you go, you see a lot of men that feel very entitled and feel like they’re more important than women,” Gómez said. “I think it dehumanizes everyone.”

Gómez also said that if he could reach out to every man and boy in the world, his message would be this: “Your strength lies in your sensitiveness.”

Richmond is one of more than 300 universities from around the world where Gómez has performed and lectured. “There is nothing more exciting than being in a room full of people I don’t know and creating an experience for an hour,” Gómez said.

Contact reporter Marta Quero at marta.quero@richmond.edu