Poet Jesús Abraham “Tato” Laviera was a significant figure in the Nuyorican movement, a cultural movement of people who are of Puerto Rican origin or descent who reside in New York City. Laviera was born in 1951 in Puerto Rico. His family moved to New York City in 1960, and he was educated at Cornell University and Brooklyn College. From an early age, he wrote poetry that addressed themes of history, immigration, and identity. His poetry was written in Spanglish, a mixture of English and Spanish. The fact that Laviera wrote in a mix of English and Spanish, with rich historical metaphors, made his work unique at the time. In addition, Laviera emphasized the musicality of his poetry, which was influenced by the rhythm and voice of many cultures. Most of his life was dedicated to working with human rights organizations.