Bio / Writings / Visual Art / xavierluisburgos@gmail.com / US+1-347-669-9421
FORMAL EDUCATION:
I studied at Northeastern Illinois University, the University of Illinois-Chicago, and Stanford University. I have a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology.
ART MEDIUMS:
Poetry | Performance | Multimedia Installation | Essay | Creative Nonfiction
RECENT ARTISTIC ENGAGEMENTS:
The Anti-Fascist Zine Fair
Invited Poet | Yerba Buena Arts Centre | San Francisco, CA | November 22, 2025
Noche Mística: Poetry + Music Jam Bembé Pachanga
Curator / host / poet-performer | 16th & Dolores | San Francisco, CA | October 26, 2025
Horror-Go-Round immersive experience
Actor (The Oracle) | Merry-go-round Co-Op | San Francisco, CA | October 4, 2025
Mission Arts Performance Project (MAPP)
Featured Poet | Pathos-on-Harrison | San Francisco, CA | October 4 & February 1, 2025; June 1, 2024, April 1, 2023
Residual: Irse sin dejar Astro
Co-exhibiting artist | El Schomburg | Chicago, IL | September 26 2025
Calle 24 Queer Poetry
Featured Poet | Frisco Flavor | San Francisco, CA | June 13, 2025
Poolside Poets | Decentered Arts
Featured Poet | The Phoenix Hotel | San Francisco, CA | November 21, 2024
Lunada
Featured Poet | Galería de la Raza | San Francisco, CA | October 7, 2024
Bay Poets
Featured Poet | KALW 91.7FM Radio | San Francisco, CA | September 24, 2024
entre horizontes: Art and Activism Between Chicago and Puerto Rico | Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago | August 19, 2023-May 5, 2024
Featured work in archival presentation:
- Design, Editing, & Writing: Que Ondee Sola magazine, November 2007 edition
- Writing: “Fíjate” column in La Voz del Paseo Boricua newspaper, June 2007 edition
“1845, Cádaver”
Multimedia installation | Group exhibition: World Building course | Department of Art & Art History, Stanford University | December 2023
Instituto Sacatar
Performance and multimedia installation | Open Studios | Bahia, Brazil | August 2023
Speaking Axolotl: A Chicanx/ Latinx Literary Series y Open Mic
Featured Poet | Medicine for Nightmares | San Francisco, CA | May 18, 2023 and April 18, 2024
Poetry in the Window series
Featured Poet | Medicine for Nightmares | San Francisco, CA | January 29, 2023
“Dance of the Elephant / The Spirits’ Revenge”
Short Performance Art Film | Stanford University | December 2022
Ricans on My Mind
Creator and host | Chicago and New York | 2021 and 2025
PrEPárate campaign
Concept co-developer and photoshoot curator | AIDS Services of Austin / The Q | Austin, Texas | 2019
Rebranding Broadway Youth Center
Designer and illustrator | Howard Brown Health Center, Chicago, IL | 2014
Café Teatro Batey Urbano arts & education space
Collective member | Chicago, IL | January 2006-August 2012
- Curator of the photography show and documentary, ¡Humboldt Park NO SE VENDE! / Humboldt Park is NOT FOR SALE!”, 2007
RECENT PUBLIC SPEAKING & CONFERENCES:
Caribbean Philosophical Association Conference
Panelist | Quintana Roo, Mexico | June 28, 2024
Religion on the Move Conference
Panelist | Department of Religious Studies at Stanford University | May 10, 2024
Graduate Scholar-in-Residence Research Forum
Panelist | El Centro Chicano y Latino at Stanford University | May 1, 2024
Maneas de Memoria Writing Workshop
Workshop presenter of a pre-print paper | Michigan State University (Taller Entre Aguas) / Hunter College, CUNY (Center for Puerto Rican Studies) | April 26, 2024
African and Diasporic Religious Studies Association Conference
Panelist | New York City | April 19, 2024
Race and Religion Working Group Writer’s Retreat
Workshop presenter of a pre-print paper | University of California, Berkeley | March 25-27, 2024
American Academy of Religion, Western Region Conference
Panelist | University of Nevada, Las Vegas | March 17, 2024
“Well, God Come Black”: Afro-Atlantic Religious Systems and The Black Divine
Invited panelist | Stanford University | November 14, 2023
“Faith in Blackness” Film Screening and Discussion
Invited respondent | El Centro Chicano y Latino at Stanford University | November 2, 2023
Center for Latin American Studies
Creator and host of “Caribbean Revelations” | Stanford University | December 2022-May 2023
- Co-creator and co-host of “Hemispheric Racializations” | January-May 2022
Caribbean Questions
Invited speaker for undergraduate/ graduate course | Stanford University | March 2, 2023
Black & Spiritual speaker series
Invited lecturer | Stanford University | February 9, 2023 |
Class Act Aesthetics
Invited panelist | Department of Theatre, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | October 6, 2022
Caribbean Epistemologies Symposium
Co-organizer and moderator | Stanford University | May 17-18, 2022
- Moderator of the panel “Thinking Through Hispaniola”
The Queer Caribbean Symposium
Co-organizer, curator, and moderator | Stanford University | May 20, 2022
- Curator and moderator of the panel “Queer Performance Practices in Puerto Rico & Its Diaspora.”
- Co-curator of the panel “The Queer Caribbean at the End of The World.”
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee Town Hall
Invited presenter | Department of Art and Art History | Stanford University | April 5, 2022
Afrorriqueñes Symposium
Co-organizer, curator, and moderator | Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center | Chicago, IL | May 24-29, 2021
- Curator and co-moderator of the panel “Afro-Rican International.”
- Curator and moderator of the panel “Alianza in a Racial City.”
Negro Divino: Lucumí in Puerto Rican Chicago
Curator, presenter, and moderator | Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center | Chicago, IL | March 22, 2022
Rompiendo Prejuicios: afrolatinos y la identidad negra en la diáspora
Invited panelist | Univisión Chicago | July 7, 2020
WRITING & PUBLISHING:
Writings featured in Gozamos, Claridad, and 80 Grados, among others. Read a selection.
Editor-in-Chief/ Chief Designer / Co-Founder | La Respuesta (magazine) | June 2013-April 2018
Editor-in-Chief and Chief Designer | Que Ondee Sola (magazine) | January 2006-December 2010
COMMUNITY-BASED WORK:
University of Chicago | Chicago, IL
Health Educator | September 2019-July 2021
- Assess the health needs of clients at UChicago’s Sexual Health Clinic.
- Provide health education and resources with a sensitivity to youth, LGBTQA+ communities, couples, and older adults.
AIDS Services of Austin | Austin, TX
Coordinator | December 2017-September 2019
- Co-developed the PrEP campaign, PrEPárate, focused on queer Latinx communities.
- Organized and facilitated workshops and conversations on queerness and sexual and mental health.
- Coordinated and facilitated weekly psycho-educational groups for diverse populations living with HIV. Also, updated and revised curriculum and collaborated with different agencies for recruitment and group hosting.
- Design and distribute promotional materials for our services and events.
Broadway Youth Center | Howard Brown Health Center | Chicago, IL
Coordinator and designer | May 2014-July 2015
- Facilitated workshops and conversations on queerness and sexual health.
Puerto Rican Cultural Center | Chicago, IL
Director | Barrio, Arts, Culture, and Communications Academy | January 2008-August 2012
- Directed staff in executing local and state-funded youth programming initiatives.
- Organized annual fundraisers to support our annual community music events, such as the Christmas-time Paseo Boricua Parranda and the Puerto Rican People’s Parade in collaboration with local elected officials, businesses, housing complexes, and organizations.
- Coordinated an annual youth summer jobs program.
- Coordinated collaboration with DePaul University’s Stean Center.
- Instructed courses and planned community events.
- Developed a Youth Leadership Institute in the new Community as a Campus initiative at Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos and Roberto Clemente High Schools.
Coordinator | Participatory Democracy Project | January 2008-June 2012
- Organized a march, a housing fair, free educational events, and workshops.
- Recruited supportive members and volunteers for assistance.
- Fundraised.
- Developed partnerships with local and citywide grassroots organizations.
- Researched and published an affordable housing list.
- Wrote articles and a column in the local newspaper, La Voz del Paseo Boricua.
- Advocated for affordable housing and the development of the Paseo Boricua cultural corridor.
Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation | Chicago, IL
Board Member | January 2008-June 2011
- Twice-elected member of the governing Board that oversees all aspects of this organization that builds and manages affordable housing in Chicago’s Northwest side.
RECENT RESIDENCIES / FELLOWSHIPS / GRANTS:
Graduate Scholar-in-Residence | El Centro Chicano y Latino | Stanford University | September 2023-August 2025
Artist-in-Residence at Instituto Sacatar in Bahia, Brazil | Institute for Diversity in the Arts/ Black Committee on Performing Arts | July-August 2023
Principal Investigator | Tinker Graduate Field Research Grant | Stanford University | July-August 2022
CURRENT RESEARCH:
I currently research African and Indigenous communities and spiritualities, with a particular focus on Africa, the Caribbean, Brazil, and the United States.
ARTISTIC & SCHOLARLY CURIOSITIES:
Indigenous, Puerto Rican, Black, Queer, Feminist, Chicanx, and Latinx methods and theories | Ethnography | Critical (Race) Theory | Anarchist Theory | Politics of memory and pedagogies of remembrance | The sanctification of space and the body | Nuyorican histories | Dominican martyrdom | Black/ Afro performance art | and more…
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:
American Academy of Religion | National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures | The Caribbean Philosophical Association
Divination & Spiritual Arts page / Purchase a postcard
Donate: Venmo / Cashapp / Zelle via email
Uploading New Content / 2025
© Xavi Burgos / All Rights Reserved
Xavi Burgos 