Poets@Play Creative Writing Workshop with José Jiménez

Poets@Play is a monthly creative writing workshop hosted by former Santa Clara County Poet Laureate David Perez. Each session features a different guest facilitator—or sometimes David himself—leading hands-on exercises to inspire creativity and new ideas.

This month, spoken word artist extraordinaire, Jose Jimenez leads his workshop “Light It Up!”

“Light It Up!” is a workshop that invites us to revisit our memories and shine light on the details we’ve forgotten. In the process of tuning into our own memories, we can find a deeper understanding of the lessons we can learn from ourselves. Through a series of examples, Jose will showcase how he has turned his own memories into poems that inspire his readers and audience members into action!

José Jiménez is a California poet with proud Mexican roots, driven by a passion for truth, resistance, and reflection. His poetry explores justice, resilience, and social change, drawing from personal and collective experiences to challenge, heal, and inspire. With a commanding presence, José blends raw emotion with sharp wordplay, turning poetry into both a mirror and a megaphone. Jose is a 2x Grand Slam Champion and a finalist at multiple regional & national competitions in the Bay Area and around the country.

No RSVP required. Just show up at 1pm

Admission: Free (donations welcome)

📍Location: Markham House @ History Park
635 Phelan Ave, San Jose, CA.

Free parking right outside of the main gate or in the lot at the end of Phelan Avenue (except during some History Park events.)

Once you walk into the park from Phelan Avenue, go straight until the road dead ends, then make a left. Markham House is then the second house on your left. There will be a flag over the steps that reads OPEN.