San Antonio terminates poet laureate over his use of 'racial slur'

Nephtalí De León on Monday lost his position as San Antonio's poet laureate after sharing a poem online that included a Chicano slang word usually considered a derogatory term for Black people. The celebrated Chicano writer posted the work Aug. 1 on his Facebook page as a tribute to educator and author Roberto "Cintli" Rodriguez, who died the day before. In a statement, San Antonio’s Department of Arts & Culture said it aims to foster a "just, inclusive and equitable city," adding that the poem is incompatible with De León's responsibilities as poet laureate.