arts & entertainment

 Anna Figueroa loves Vero Beach. The accomplished poet’s latest book, 19 Poems from Vero Beach, is a collection of poems that brings together the beauty of Vero Beach with the vibrant pulse of her Cuban roots and fully realized womanhood. On Sunday, March 22 from 1-3 PM, the public is invited to An Afternoon of Poetry in the Mighell Chapel at First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach, located at 520 Royal Palm Boulevard in Vero Beach. Ms. Figueroa will read from 19 Poems from Vero Beach and discuss the collection’s genesis. Afterwards, the Florida-based writer and breast cancer survivor will autograph her books available for sale. Refreshments will be provided to attendees. 19 Poems from Vero Beach is the author’s fourth work, following a novel and two other collections of poetry. Anna Figueroa lives and writes from both Vero Beach and Miami. Admission to An Afternoon of Poetry is free and open to the community. For more information, visit www.FirstPresVero.org or call (772) 562-9088.       

Manuel Lopez coordinates artist appearances at First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach. He explains how An Afternoon of Poetry on March 22 is a perfect fit for the Arts-centric church.

“First Pres is known for its outreach to the Central Florida arts community, with regular musical performances and art exhibitions,” said Lopez. “Ms. Figueroa’s ‘19 Poems from Vero Beach’ showcases what makes the Treasure Coast so special, while highlighting the voice and life experience of an exciting modern poet.”

On the jacket of her new book, author Anna Figueroa reflects on 19 Poems from Vero Beach.

“Each poem is a moment captured in light and shadow — reflections on love lost and found, on identity, on the divine pulse beneath everyday life,” writes Figueroa. “19 Poems from Vero Beach is both intimate and universal — a lyrical testament to the courage it takes to feel deeply and to live as one’s truest self.”

An Afternoon of Poetry is just one of many events sponsored by First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach, known for its musical and artistic outreach to the Central Florida community. For a list of upcoming concerts or for more information about First Presbyterian of Vero Beach, visit www.FirstPresVero.org.

Anna M. Figueroa lives and writes from both Vero Beach and Miami, Florida, where she blends her rich life experience with a deep commitment to storytelling that resonates. As a mother, entrepreneur, and breast-cancer survivor, she has forged a path marked by resilience, reinvention, and the bold decision to give voice to the complexities of life. (Amazon)

She worked for many years in media in South Florida and in 2008 founded Vantage Communications, a successful advertising and public relations firm serving a wide portfolio of clients. 

Prior works include the novel Intimate Strangers, a collection of poetry A Woman Full Grown, and a collection of Spanish language poems Una Mujer en el Camino.

Anna’s writing is grounded in lived reality: she brings the beauty and serenity of Vero Beach, the vibrant pulse of her Cuban roots and the universal experience of womanhood into sharp focus. She invites readers to stretch beyond what is comfortable, to embrace life’s many stages, and to own their voice and their story.

Anna now presents her new book, 19 Poems from Vero Beach, a collection of poems written from Vero Beach, that mirror both the place and the woman she in this moment.

With each book, Anna M. Figueroa draws upon her own history—of survival and transformation—and offers up poems and stories that are intimate yet expansive, rooted yet reaching for possibility. Readers will find in her work both the familiar and the unexpected, the challenge and the hope, and women who are not afraid to ask: Who will I be, now that I have become myself?