Firehouse - Film Club

Every Child Is Born a Poet: the Life and Works of Piri Thomas is a fiery mix of documentary, poetry, drama, and performance that explores the life and work of the Afro-Cuban- Puerto Rican author of the classic autobiographical novel Down These Mean Street. The film follows Thomas’ path from boyhood to manhood in New York City’s Spanish Harlem, El Barrio – his parents’ immigrant experience, home life during the Great Depression, membership in barrio youth gangs, his struggles to come to terms with his mixed-race identity, travels as a teenage merchant marine, life as a heroin addict and armed robber, six years spent in prison, and his emergence as a writer, educator, and activist.