Writing from your heart because you actually have something to say and understanding your own inescapable duality are of paramount importance to aspiring writers, a lecturer stressed this week.

On Tuesday, Oct. 15, Skyline’s Center for Student Life and Leadership Development presented the award winning poet and writer, Jimmy Santiago Baca as part of their lecture series. An enthusiastic crowd of about 50 students filed into the main theater in building one to hear Baca speak.

A video trailer to the soon to be released film, based on his memoir of the same title, “A Place to stand” was played just before Skyline College President, Dr. Regina Stanback formally introduced Baca.

Jimmy Santiago Baca is of Indio-Mexican descent and was born in New Mexico. After being raised by his grandmother he landed in an orphanage. Baca eventually ran away from home at the age of 13. Later, a felony drug charge landed Baca in prison for five years.

Prison is where Baca changed his life and transformed himself into the critically acclaimed literary giant that he is today. The events leading up to and during this five year prison stint transformation are what “A Place to Stand” is all about.

After turning down at least six different offers from studios like HBO, Showtime, and Warner in Los Angeles, Baca gives unknown New Jersey based film maker, Daniel Glick permission to make the film.

Glick had no money and no experience but had read Baca’s book and felt somehow anointed to produce the movie. Thinking there was no way in hell this kid would ever get the money and throwing in the stipulation that he had to take on Baca’s “wannabe-film-maker” son as a partner, Glick was in a sense, given permission to fail.

To Baca’s utter surprise, these two college kids raised the money and made a film that not only brought Baca and his wife to tears, it also caught the attention of HBO who is now interested in purchasing the film. “Every single person in this audience is capable of something great like that,” Baca said, “But I bet not one of you believes it enough in yourselves.”

The audience members were treated to long passages from, “Singing at the Gates,” Baca’s soon to be released new book. In addition, Baca read from other controversial works of his own, on topics ranging from the role of Latinos in American society, to homosexuality in prison and the duality of transgendered individuals.

“I’m not trying to please anyone or get anyone to like me when I write.” Baca said, “I write out of a place in my own heart that doesn’t have anything to do with money or winning awards.”

Jimmy Santiago Baca is a winner of the Pushcart Prize, the American Book Award, the International Hispanic Heritage Award, and the Cornelious P. Turner Award among others. He has 26 books in print and in 2005 Baca created Cedar Tree Inc., a non-profit organization that helps less fortunate individuals become educated and improve their quality of life. For more information visit jimmysantiagobaca.com.