Award-winning poet Gabriela Garcia Medina performed selections from her work Friday evening at Saint Mary's College.
Medina has several poetry awards, been a part of the late night DEF Jam Poet show and done commercials for such companies as Toyota and Dove.
Medina's family moved from Cuba to London when she was young, and much of her work focuses on the immigrant experience.
Medina shared comedic poems about things like cooking experiences gone wrong but also addressed topics including rape, abuse, poverty, love and herself. Medina said she tries to discuss these topics in a way that will allow everyone to relate it to their own life experiences.
Medina said she was deeply influenced by her first visit to a homeless shelter.
"The only way I could stop crying was to get my emotions out," Medina said. "And I did that by writing."
Although she enjoys success now, Medina told the audience life as a writer is often strenuous, especially for fledgling writers.
"Write all the time," she said. "[Because] 90 percent of what you write will be crap, so to get that other 10 percent, you have to commit to doing it everyday."
After she was finished, Medina invited other writers in the audience to share some of their own works.
"I remember when I was a young poet just starting," she said. "I was always looking for someone to listen to my work and to get feedback, and I want that to be available to you."
Caitlin Duerinck, Saint Mary's student and longtime DEF Jam fan, had been introduced to Medina's poetry by a teacher.
"I love DEF Jam poetry, they have a wide range of work, some serious and some hilarious and I love it all," Duerinck said. "When I heard [Medina] was coming, well there went all my plans for tonight."
