Press

Critical Acclaim for Aya de León

For her poetry:

Aya is the Readers' Pick for Best Slam Poet of the East Bay! "The undisputed queen of the scene, its vocal heavyweight champion, is Puerto Rican and African-American verse-slinger Aya de León."
-East Bay Express, (read the full text of the article here)

"'Valentine's Day,' is a bittersweet ode to urban relationships from her debut CD Live at La Peña -- one of many sensitive and startling insights on a collection of word-songs and stories that makes you laugh, smile, wonder, and holler."
-Jesse "Chuy" Varela, East Bay Express (read the full text of the article here)

"wonderful. What a great contribution to the struggle!"
-Howard Zinn

"'Icon' is a stunning & caustic indictment of the corporate reappropriation of political figures."
-Mark Athitakis, SF Weekly

"'Grito de Vieques' was awarded the Burning Bush Publications 'People Before Profits Poetry Prize' for 2000."

For her show "Thieves in the Temple: The Reclaiming of Hip Hop":

Prophet Motive: Aya de Leon stretches hip-hop to fit her
-East Bay Express

Taking the rap: poet Aya de Leon tackles sexism and relaimns hip-hop in her new play
-San Francisco Chronicle

Witty, upbeat crusade to liberate hip-hop
-San Francisco Chronicle

"Blatino feminist Aya de León gonna read some hip hop chauvanist pigs the riot act."
-Village Voice

"...a witty, humorous, feminist take on...hip hop culture..."
-American Theatre Magazine

For her prose:

"a funny, vivid anecdote titled 'Tell Me More,' which is exactly what I thought when I finished it." 
- Pat Dowell, Washington Post

"Aya de León stirs high expectations for an upcoming debut at novel length dead-on dialogue."
-Ed Hall, Hungry Mind Review