Poet Noel Quiñones on exploring his roots and supporting Bronx artists

There is certainly no shortage of ambitious, passionate and energized New Yorkers, but it’s rare to encounter someone who directs as much of their time and energy toward making a positive impact as Bronx native Noel Quiñones. Equal parts award-winning spoken word artist and local activist, Noel’s work is fueled by a connection to his home borough and an exploration of his Afro-Boricua heritage.

When I say Puerto Rico I mean an opening in the skin
where gold turns green under my scalp.
This type of call is very common,
María, like a buzzsaw, shaving off the top of the island

Noel’s words elicit a visceral feeling in the listener, the reader. He writes and emotes with a tenderness and a candor that work in harmony to convey deliberate messages and themes. His poetry covers a spectrum of topics, including Puerto Rico’s fraught history and ongoing plight; growing up with divorced parents; the nuances of his cultural identity; and “punk rock, comic books, joyful things.” He contains multitudes.

When I met with Noel most recently at a midtown Gregory’s Coffee, he was in the midst of a hectic week balancing his day job as a high school administrator at Brooklyn Friends School, planning events for the Bronx-based arts organization he founded called Project ‘X’, and continuing to…