Richard Blanco was selected by President Barack Obama to serve as the fifth presidential inaugural poet. He wrote and performed his poem, “Boston Strong,” at Fenway Park in the aftermath of the marathon bombings. He has crafted and performed poems for the 10th anniversary of marriage equality in Massachusetts, the re-opening of the US embassy in Cuba, and many, many more.

In his upcoming Beacon Press book, How to Love a Country, he speaks powerfully to the necessity of interdependence and connection amidst the repeated heartache and tragedies we face. His reflections on these spiritual and theological themes will be insightful as we explore this General Assembly’s theme, The Power of We.